U.S Politics

President Trump Buys McDonald’s Meals for East Palestine First Responders (Video and Photos)

“So is everybody willing to accept free food from Trump?” “Do I know this menu better than you do? Probably know it better than anybody in here.”

President Trump stopped by a McDonald’s restaurant in East Palestine, Ohio Wednesday to buy meals for police and firemen after spending several hours meeting with residents and local officials affected by the toxic train derailment earlier this month.

Trump spoke with the franchise owner and employees. In addition to buying food for first responders, Trump said he would pick up the tab for everyone in the restaurant (it also looks like he bought meals for the ride home on Trump Force One.)

Trump handed out several MAGA hats to people in the restaurant and took a few questions from reporters.

WJW-TV:

“So is everybody willing to accept free food from Trump?” asks the former president while at the McDonalds in #EastPalestineOhio . Buys police and firefighters food after making remarks about the train derailment #fox8 #TrainDerailment #Trump #DonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/UOFfB86WRV
— Elizabeth Noreika (@enoreikaTV) February 22, 2023

C-SPAN video:

“What’s your speciality today? … I know this menu better than you do.”
— Donald Trump in East Palestine Ohio McDonalds … buys lunch for fire department and police department pic.twitter.com/b3FUSvMQCY
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) February 22, 2023

Trump staff videos:

OTR stop at the East Palestine @McDonalds pic.twitter.com/Y6lLPgb0uW
— Steven Cheung (@CaliforniaPanda) February 22, 2023

President Trump stops by a local McDonalds in East Palestine, Ohio.
pic.twitter.com/XEbfjJPpzt
— Margo Martin (@margommartin) February 22, 2023

Reporters on scene:

Neil Fischer, WKYC-TV:

Former President Donald Trump gave out hats to the workers at the #EastPalestine McDonald’s. @wkyc pic.twitter.com/4F9rA2bhsE
— Neil Fischer (@NeilFischerTV) February 22, 2023

Former President Donald Trump buying food for #EastPalestine firefighters and everyone in McDonalds @wkyc pic.twitter.com/XJGzYLSvp4
— Neil Fischer (@NeilFischerTV) February 22, 2023

The Daily Caller’s Alexa Schwerha:

“Buttigeig should have been here”@DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/3vPhNuxyCZ
— Alexa Schwerha (@alexaschwerha1) February 22, 2023

Nick Sorter: “CASES of Big Macs!”

Trump is now leaving McDonalds in East Palestine with what appears to be CASES of Big Macs! pic.twitter.com/4Rx3O2r317
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 22, 2023

Excerpt from local WKBN-TV report:

Former President Donald Trump spoke to those in East Palestine after a short stop at Little Beaver Creek Wednesday afternoon, telling locals: “You are not forgotten.”
Trump spoke to a small group of local leaders, first responders and the media at the local fire station. He said he is donating thousands of bottles of cleaning supplies and pallets of bottled water to the area that were collected through his Trump organizations.
Trump landed Wednesday afternoon at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Airport. He met briefly with local leaders at Little Beaver Creek before making his remarks to the media.
…Before Trump left, he stopped at McDonald’s in East Palestine, where he ordered meals for the firefighters and those at the restaurant and passed out hats to some of the people who were there.
When asked about recent criticisms that it was his administration that rolled back rail regulations, Trump said he “had nothing to do with it.” He also criticized Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for not visiting the area soon. Buttigieg plans to come to town on Thursday.

A well-timed flashback was posted today of Trump’s McDonald’s ad from 2002.