US President Donald Trump on Monday (April 13) received two bags of McDonald’s delivered to the Oval Office by a DoorDash driver in a staged-style event promoting the “no tax on tips” law.
The delivery was made by Sharon Simmons who wore a red “DoorDash Grandma” T-shirt as she arrived at the White House.
“This doesn’t look staged, does it,” Trump joked as cameras captured the moment.
Trump invites driver into press interaction
After receiving the order, Trump invited Simmons to take part in a brief media interaction outside the Oval Office.
“Would you like to do a little news conference with me, with these people?” he asked, adding jokingly, “These are not the nicest people.”
Simmons replied: “I’ll do whatever you ask me to do, sir.”
Trump promotes “No Tax on Tips” law
Trump used the moment to highlight the policy he signed earlier this year.
“So the no tax on tips is something special… it really pertains to you,” he said.
The President linked the law to Simmons’ earnings, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later posted on X that the driver had benefited significantly from the policy, saying she used “$11,000 in tips” to support her family.
$100 tip handed over in front of reporters
During the interaction, Trump also gave Simmons a $100 bill after she suggested White House staff were only “potentially” good tippers.
“Wait,” Trump said before reaching into his pocket. “Thank you, you reminded me,” he added while handing her the cash.
Light-hearted exchange turns into political messaging
The interaction included several unscripted moments, including Trump asking Simmons about politics and culture issues.
He asked her: “Do you think that men should play in women’s sports?” She replied: “I really don’t have an opinion on that… I’m here about tax on tips.”
He also asked whether she had voted for him. Simmons responded with a smile: “Ummm, maybe.”
Midterms backdrop and economic messaging
The event comes as Trump’s administration seeks to highlight economic achievements ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
However, ongoing geopolitical tensions and rising fuel prices linked to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran have complicated that messaging, with inflationary pressure affecting transportation and delivery workers.
Despite this, Trump and aides have continued to promote tax cuts on tips, overtime pay, Social Security benefits, and other measures as key economic wins.
