Trump reportedly used a salad to embarrass Tillerson

Rex Tillerson and Donald Trump. — (Image credit: Getty Images)

President Trump seems to enjoy telling people what they need to eat, be it a hunk of meat or a sad-looking Caesar salad.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) has shared the charming story of Trump forcing him to eat meatloaf during a lunch at the White House, and The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that during their visit last November to China, Trump got bossy with outgoing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson when a wilted salad appeared at mealtime.

While Caesar salad isn't a Chinese delicacy, Trump was apparently afraid the hosts would take great offense if the Americans didn't eat their greens, so in front of everyone, he ordered Tillerson to take one for the team. "Rex, eat the salad," he said. The Journal reports that Tillerson "laughed off the remark," but it was another sign of their fraught relationship. Following directions that you give a 6-year-old didn't help Tillerson's standing with Trump: He found out he'd been fired via Twitter on Tuesday. Read more about the salad drama at The Wall Street Journal.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.