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Donald Trump Diet: From well-done steak to ice cream, everything the US President loves to eat

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Donald Trump is known for many things — for being a real estate mogul, two-time US President, only President to be impeached, media firestarter — but healthy eating isn’t one of them. Across campaigns, interviews, and behind-the-scene glimpses into his private life, one thing remains consistent: Trump has a deep-rooted love for fast food, sugar-laden treats, and anything doused in ketchup. While some presidents opt for kale smoothies and Peloton rides, Trump embraces burgers, steaks, and 12 cans of Diet Coke a day.

Fast food royalty

Trump’s relationship with fast food is legendary. According to his former campaign advisors Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, Trump Force One was stocked with what they jokingly called the “four major food groups”: McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, pizza, and Diet Coke ( Washington Post, 2017). He has been photographed numerous times digging into a bucket of KFC on his private jet, or unwrapping a Big Mac with childlike enthusiasm.

In a 2016 interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Trump declared his love for McDonald's: “The Quarter Pounder. It’s great stuff.” That same year, he posted a photo of himself with a taco bowl from Trump Tower Grill with the caption, “I love Hispanics! Happy #CincoDeMayo!”

Signature steak and ‘No Garbage’


When not eating fast food, Trump prefers a well-done steak — and not just slightly cooked. According to his longtime Mar-a-Lago butler Tony Senecal, who spoke to The Palm Beach Post in 2016, Trump liked his steak “overcooked,” and served with ketchup. “He liked his meat well-done and he’d say, ‘No garbage with it,’” Senecal said, referring to garnishes or vegetables.

He has also been known to favor dishes like crabmeat cocktail, his mother’s meatloaf recipe, and chopped steak with mashed potatoes and gravy, as reported by the Palm Beach Daily News in 2017.

Diet coke by the dozen

Trump’s Diet Coke consumption is in a class of its own. The New York Times reported in 2017 that Trump drank as many as 12 cans of Diet Coke a day, and even had a special button on his desk at the White House to summon a fresh can. Former staff and reporters like Donnelly have confirmed this soda habit repeatedly across several publications.

Sweet tooth supreme

Ice cream is a recurring theme in Trump’s diet. According to TIME Magazine and The New York Times, Trump would regularly receive two scoops of vanilla ice cream at formal dinners — while everyone else only got one. His dessert repertoire doesn’t stop there: from chocolate malts to cookies, cakes, Oreos, and Vienna Fingers, Trump’s indulgences are well-documented.

In a 2025 press event for children, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that Trump is particularly fond of pink Starbursts and Tootsie Rolls.

Vegetables? Not so much

Trump’s aversion to vegetables is almost as famous as his love for fast food. As reported by the Washington Post, cauliflower had to be hidden in Trump’s mashed potatoes in an attempt to improve his diet. While Trump occasionally eats salads — such as the “Mr. Trump’s Wedge Salad” at Mar-a-Lago — they’re often drenched in Thousand Island dressing.

Breakfast, if any

Trump has admitted to often skipping breakfast, but when he does eat it, he favors bacon and eggs. “I love bacon and eggs. Usually I would have that … but oftentimes I skip breakfast,” he told People Magazine in 2015. On the campaign trail, he confessed to relying mostly on snacks due to his packed schedule.

A diet that’s part of the brand

In 2024, Trump even staged a publicity stunt by working the drive-thru window at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, handing out McNuggets and cheeseburgers. He claimed he loved everything on the menu — a moment that perfectly encapsulates his deep, almost symbolic connection to fast food culture.

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