WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President had two bags of McDonald鈥檚 delivered to the Oval Office on Monday by a DoorDash driver he tipped $100, using his favorite food and a reality TV flourish to promote a tax policy he says has meant big rebates for Americans who earn gratuities.
Sharon Simmons, dressed in a “DoorDash Grandma鈥� T-shirt, walked up to the Oval Office鈥檚 exterior door and knocked as media cameras rolled. Trump popped out and said, 鈥淗ello. Nice to see you,鈥� before proclaiming, 鈥淟ook at this!鈥� and then, glancing toward a pack of nearby reporters, offering, 鈥淭his doesn鈥檛 look staged, does it?鈥�
It was, of course. Making it onto the White House grounds alone requires obtaining prior permission and passing through security, while accessing the Oval Office 鈥� not to mention getting so close to the president 鈥� would have been impossible without additional screenings and background checks.
Still, the White House has attempted to call more attention to a piece of the Trump-backed approved last summer that allows Americans to temporarily from income earned on tips. It lets certain workers deduct up to $25,000, but phases out for those with higher incomes.
Officials are intensifying the publicity effort ahead of Tax Day on Wednesday 鈥� even as the issue has been overshadowed for weeks by the that has raised gas prices and spooked financial markets, and more immediately by Trump鈥檚 .
McDonald鈥檚 is a longtime favorite of the president 鈥� and fare he’s used to political ends before.
He , along with vast piles of other fast food, to serve the visiting NCAA football champion Clemson Tigers in 2019 during his first term, when a government shutdown had reduced White House kitchen staff. Trump also staged one of the most memorable stops of his successful 2024 reelection campaign by visiting a Pennsylvania McDonald鈥檚 restaurant, where .
On Monday, Simmons, who DoorDash said was from Arkansas, recounted how the tax changes had helped her receive $11,000 that she wouldn鈥檛 have otherwise gotten, which she said was especially crucial as her husband battled cancer. Trump also mentioned the $11,000, but that figure was difficult to verify without Simmons’ tax statement, which wasn’t provided to reporters.
Trump then asked, 鈥淲ould you like to do a little news conference with me?” and had her stand awkwardly beside him as he took questions about his threats to and his .
The president eventually asked Simmons: 鈥淚 think you voted for me. Do you think?鈥� To which she responded, 鈥淯m, maybe.鈥� Undaunted, Trump continued: 鈥淚 heard you’re a great supporter. We appreciate it.鈥�
When a reporter later asked if the White House was a good tipper, Simmons hesitated: 鈥淯m … potentially.鈥�
鈥淲ait,鈥� Trump crowed, reaching into his pocket for a $100 bill and handing it to Simmons with a grin. She took the money, laughed and finished, 鈥淵es, very,” as the president patted her on the back and beamed.
Trump also invited Simmons and her husband to a he’s helping to stage on the White House lawn to mark his 80th birthday in June. And he turned to Simmons again to press her on if she believes 鈥渕en should play in women’s sports鈥� 鈥� a frequent topic of his as he blasts Democrats for being too supportive of
鈥淚 really don鈥檛 have an opinion on that,鈥� Simmons replied, prompting Trump to push, 鈥淚鈥檒l bet you do.鈥�
鈥淣o, no,” she insisted. 鈥淚鈥檓 here about no tax on tips.鈥�
The White House later said that Trump personally delivered the food 鈥� consisting of cheeseburgers and fries 鈥� to West Wing staff.
It didn’t say if he got a tip for doing so.
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