Lovin' it: Trump fetes NCAA champion Clemson with burgers, fries

WASHINGTON — The scent of burgers, fries and victory wafted through the stately White House on Monday as President Trump saluted college football’s Clemson Tigers for winning the national championship.

Trump, a fast food lover, said he even paid for their meal himself because of the partial government shutdown. He did not disclose the tab.

“We ordered American fast food, paid for by me. Lots of hamburgers, lots of pizza,” Trump said after returning to the White House from a trip to New Orleans. “We have some very large people that like eating, so I think we’re going to have a little fun.”

Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said much of the staff in the White House residence has been furloughed because of the shutdown, “so the president is personally paying for the event to be catered with some of everyone’s favorite fast foods.”

“I had a choice,” Trump said. “Do we have no food for you? … Or do we give you some little quick salads that the First Lady will make, along with the Second Lady — they’ll make some salads.

“(No), I said, you guys aren’t into salads.”

An impressive — and highly unusual — White House smorgasbord greeted the players. Silver trays held stacks of wrapped burgers from Wendy’s. Also on offer were boxed burgers from McDonald’s, including Big Macs.

White House cups bearing the presidential seal held the fries.

Pizzas, some topped with olives and tomatoes, also were on the menu. Silver bowls held the condiments, and stacks of white plates sat nearby. Several young men were spotted eating multiple burgers at the standup tables dotting the East Room.

The Clemson team’s visit is its second since Trump took office. The Tigers last visited in June 2017 after their championship run the previous season.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has nominated this season’s undefeated Tigers as the best college team ever. Trump called them a “great team, an unbelievable team.”

Trump has routinely sparred with professional athletes during his two years in office. College football has managed to avoid such political controversies, with last year’s champion Alabama also visiting the White House.

White House visits have long been a tradition for championship teams and athletes, but they have become increasingly sporadic under Trump. None of the four NCAA men’s and women’s basketball champions have visited the White House under Trump, nor have the two-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors.

The most recent NFL champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, were initially invited to visit last summer before Trump learned that they would not be sending a large delegation and rescinded the invitation. The defending World Series champion Red Sox have accepted a White House invitation but a date for the visit has yet to be announced.