Trump serves Big Macs at White House reception

US President Donald Trump presented White House invitees with a buffet of takeaway food from McDonald’s and Burger King, after the government shutdown left the executive mansion short on catering staff.

Clemson University’s American football team were presented with the unorthodox spread last night to mark their victory in the college national championships.

Players and coaches were invited to dine on stacks of burgers served on silver platters inside the candlelit dining room. “White House cups bearing the presidential seal held the fries,” adds ABC News, while dipping sauces were presented in gravy boats.

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The president’s press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said that many non-essential White House staff had been sent home due to the government shutdown.

The 24-day budget standoff over Trump’s demands for border wall funding is now the longest on record, and has resulted in 800,000 government employees going without pay.

“Because the Democrats refuse to negotiate on border security, much of the residence staff at the White House is furloughed,” she said, adding that the president was “personally paying” for the fast food bonanza.

Nevertheless, “the substitution didn’t seem to bother Mr. Trump, and perhaps even delighted him”, says The New York Times - no surprise, given that the commander-in-chief “has long professed a love for fast food”.

Presiding over the smorgasbord last night, Trump praised the spread of items from McDonald’s, Burger King, Dominos and US fast food chain Wendy’s as “all of our favourite foods”.

“If it’s American, I like it. It’s all American stuff,” he said.

Trump also joked that he had elected to buy in the fast food rather “little quick salads that the First Lady will make”.

CNN commentator Joan Walsh described the comment as “incredibly sexist” and belittling of his wife, Melania. “We aren’t all here to make salads for men,” she added.

The New York Times says that official estimates indicate that “about one-third of American adults eat fast food on any given day”.