President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday dinner is notable because, despite the octogenarian’s ongoing health concerns, he chose foods that are not exactly known for being healthy.
In a social media post by Bettina Trump, his daughter-in-law and the wife of his eldest son Donald Trump Jr., it was revealed that Trump’s guests were treated to a bacon-covered salad covered in buttermilk ranch and blue cheese; a herb-roasted turkey with bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy; and a dessert of chiffon birthday cake with vanilla ice cream and créme chantilly.
The food choices are especially notable because Trump’s own Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has reportedly encouraged the president to try to eat a healthier diet as part of his agenda to “Make America Healthy Again.” By Kennedy’s own admission, he was not successful at doing this.
Trump is well-known for his proclivity for fast food. He has a Diet Coke button on the Oval Office’s Resolute Desk and Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters once admitted that the president ate a Quarter Pounder, a Big Mac, a Filet-O-Fish and French fries in a single sitting while the two of them were together.
“I had two of the sandwiches, and I was as sick as a dog for 24 hours,” Gruters recalled on the Chambers, Changes, and Conversations podcast in October. “How does a guy who’s as senior as him get away with eating all this McDonald’s on a consistent basis?”
In addition to the efforts to get Trump to improve his health, there have been ongoing concerns about Trump’s seeming obesity, a rash on his neck, his diagnosed Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), his recent habit of slurring his words, the numerous occasions when he has fallen asleep at public events and indications that he is experiencing cognitive decline. The menu at his birthday bash indicates that, despite the growing public alarm on this subject, Trump is not altering his personal habits.
Even at his birthday bash itself, there were signs that Trump’s health could be an issue. Specifically onlookers noticed “heavy makeup slathered across his hand,” according to The Independent. Throughout his second term, people have drawn attention to the bruises that repeatedly appear on Trump’s hands.
“Trump’s hand appeared to be discolored and coated in a thick layer of concealer, despite having thrown no punches himself,” The Independent added. Similarly political analyst Brian Krassenstein posted that “Trump’s hand this evening at the UFC fight. Totally normal…if you are one of the fighters who just completed 3 rounds.”
A commenter on social media wrote, “What happens when you shake his hand?Do you get finger tips full of makeup?”
Another joked, “Maybe the ‘fight’ will be over soon.”
Yet another pointed out that the makeup clearly had not been effectively applied, writing that “they should have picked a better shade of orange. He has billions of dollars. Why can’t he get a concealer that matches?”