What does Donald Trump eat in a day? The POTUS' relationship with fast food and a look into his all-American diet

As the 2024 US Elections come to a staggering close, we look into Donald Trump's simple, all-American diet; read

As the ballots are counted, Donald Trump appears poised for victory as the 47th President of the United States. This marks his second win in under a decade; the last time Trump held office was in 2016 as the 45th POTUS. The businessman will also make history as the first president to be elected after facing criminal convictions, making his win a remarkable chapter in American politics. With that in mind, what does such a leader of the nation eat — if not the quintessential ‘all-American’ diet?

What is his food philosophy?

Trump is known for his particular food preferences, often sticking to the Big 4 when it comes to American fast food: McDonald's, KFC, pizza, and Diet Coke. There are even reports that claim he avoids dining at non-chain restaurants due to a fear of being poisoned, underscoring just how specific his tastes are. CNN quotes Trump as saying: “One bad hamburger, you can destroy McDonald’s. One bad hamburger and you take Wendy’s and all these other places and they’re out of business. I like cleanliness, and I think you’re better off going there than maybe some place that you have no idea where the food is coming from.”

The Republican candidate is also partial to other packaged foods ranging from Vienna Fingers to Oreos. According to Time, Trump also never eats from a previously opened package, so bags of cookies follow him wherever he goes. Sometimes, when he was pleased with the outcome of his rallies or events, he would say, “Do you think I deserve a malted today? I think I deserve one.” A malted is city verse for milkshakes, and that too a thick one.

So what does he finally eat?

According to Corey Lewandowski, Trump's former campaign manager and author of the book Let Trump Be Trump, the Republican candidate would usually go 14 to 16 hours without eating. For breakfast, the big man will eat bacon and eggs if pushed. A variety of his favourites may follow for lunch: a good, juicy meatloaf or a slightly overcooked steak with ketchup. For dinner, he likes to indulge in a filling McDonald's meal of two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish, and a small chocolate shake for dinner, totalling around 2,430 calories. He also likes to occasionally switch it out with a KFC bucket. He also adds that Trump doesn't eat the bread of his sandwiches and avoids eating the crust of pizza. When it comes to his drink of choice, alongside the milkshakes, he also likes to drink 12 Diet Cokes a day.

Donal Trump with a McDonald's meal

When there are guests at the White House, things are a little different. According to the Times, the waiters grew to learn Trump's preferences during his first tenure as President. “With the salad course, Trump is served what appears to be Thousand Island dressing instead of the creamy vinaigrette for his guests. When the chicken arrives, he is the only one given an extra dish of sauce. At the dessert course, he gets two scoops of vanilla ice cream with his chocolate cream pie, instead of the single scoop for everyone else,” reads the piece. Is there anything more American?