Saudis welcome Trump with burgers

(MENAFN) In a playful nod to Donald Trump’s well-known fondness for fast food, Saudi Arabia parked a mobile McDonald’s truck outside the Royal Court ahead of the former U.S. president’s arrival in Riyadh. Trump touched down in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for his first major international trip since returning to the White House. During the visit, he signed a significant economic agreement that includes up to $600 billion in Saudi investment in various U.S. sectors such as energy, defense, mining, and space.

A video of a double-decker McDonald’s trailer parked at the ‘Media Oasis’—a media center for journalists covering Trump’s trip—circulated online. Conservative commentator Benny Johnson shared the footage, commenting that the truck was brought in especially for Trump’s visit.

Reactions online ranged from calling it “a charming gesture” to “an ultimate sign of hospitality,” with many users echoing McDonald’s famous slogan: “I’m Lovin’ It.” A White House official confirmed to Fox News that the McDonald’s truck was indeed present in Riyadh, although there's no confirmation that Trump actually grabbed a bite there.

Trump has openly praised McDonald’s in the past, once stating in an interview that he enjoyed the Big Mac and the Quarter Pounder. His former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, noted in his book Let Trump Be Trump that Trump’s campaign trail diet often included “two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish, and a chocolate malt.”

During his first presidency, Trump famously served fast food—including McDonald’s—to the Clemson Tigers college football team during their White House visit. After recovering from COVID-19 in 2020, he reportedly requested McDonald’s again. In 2024, he even worked the fryer and handed out food at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Pennsylvania—a campaign stop that the company later distanced itself from, stating it does not endorse political candidates and reaffirming its neutral stance: “We are not red or blue – we are golden.”

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