President Donald Trump turned a Washington hotel ballroom into a fast-food pep rally this week.
Speaking at the McDonald’s Impact Summit at the Westin Hotel, Trump – who referred to himself as the nation’s first fry-cook-turned-commander-in-chief – asked the fast-food giant to tweak its menu while celebrating what he called the “golden age” of falling prices and rising wages.
“I’m honored to stand before you as the very first former McDonald’s fry cook ever to become President of the United States,” Trump said to a round of applause, a nod to his 2024 campaign photo-op in Pennsylvania, where he donned an apron to flip burgers and serve fries. “And I actually was there for about 30 minutes – that’s 30 minutes longer than Kamala was there.”
The jab at former Vice President Kamala Harris drew in more laughs and applause, with Trump even crediting a tip from a McDonald’s employee for debunking her fast-food career claims.
The President pivoted to his self-proclaimed loyalty to the fast food chain, bragging that Trump Force One was stocked “almost every time” with Big Macs and Quarter Pounders.
“Other politicians fly around with fancy catering. Not us – we did McDonald’s all the way,” Trump told the crowd.
The President then offered some unsolicited menu advice: “I like the Filet-O-Fish. I like it. You could do a little bit more tartar sauce, so please.” He joked, adding, “I hate having to beg for more sauce – just put it on there from the start.”
The lighthearted tone shifted to a more serious discussion about affordability and inflation. This issue, which played a significant role in Trump’s presidential campaign last year, remains relevant in Texas, where rising beef prices have affected both ranchers and grill masters.
The President has called on the DOJ to open an investigation into big beef companies for potentially engaging in “price-fixing,” as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Trump also spoke to his administration’s early economic wins, claiming breakfast item prices have dropped 14% in the past six months, bread and dairy prices are down, and eggs have allegedly plummeted 86% since March.
“We took over a mess, but nobody’s done what we’ve done on pricing,” Trump said.
The President even roped in Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., joking that he convinced the wellness warrior to eat a Big Mac during the campaign. “He loved it – but he didn’t want that publicized,” Trump joked.
Trump did acknowledge other current economic obstacles, like coffee costs – “a little high, but we’re going to get that down” – and the aforementioned beef prices, which McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski recently flagged as an inflation “hurdle.”
Yet, the President painted an overall optimistic picture, noting that 1.9 million more American-born workers were employed since he took office, that hourly wages were generally rising, and that the stock market had hit all-time highs 48 times in the past nine months.
“These new heights of prosperity are going to be incredible,” Trump promised. “We’re looking at affordability – we’re going to bring it down for everybody.”
The President would go on to celebrate how McDonald’s has cut prices on some popular items recently, a move Trump hailed as patriotic: “I want to give a very special thanks to McDonald’s for helping get prices down for this country. There’s no better leader or advocate than you.”
As the summit wrapped up, Trump framed the partnership with the fast-food giant as a platform to boost America’s economy.
“Together, we’re going to make America richer, stronger, prouder and happier than ever before,” he said. “You people can be very, very proud – you’re respected all over the world, and it’s an honor to be with McDonald’s.”
Back in Dallas, where drive-thrus hum 24/7 and affordability debates rage from boardrooms to backyard barbecues, Trump’s message lands close to home. With Texas leading the nation in job growth, yet fighting to stabilize the beef and seafood industries, the President’s fries-forward pitch could signal a future of better food prices for Americans – tartar sauce optional.