Former US President Donald Trump left audiences bewildered after emitting a bizarre, Hannibal Lecter-inspired vocalisation while describing his favourite McDonald's meal during a corporate summit.
The Unusual Presidential Address
The incident occurred during Trump's rambling speech at the McDonald's Impact Summit in Washington DC, where he addressed franchise owners, operators and suppliers. The 79-year-old former president delivered one of his characteristically meandering speeches, jumping between topics even more unpredictably than usual.
"No matter who you are, everybody loves something at McDonald's," Trump declared to the assembled crowd. "There's always something to have."
The Bizarre Hannibal Lecter Moment
Trump then revealed his personal preference, stating "I like the fish" before producing a strange sound that observers described as falling somewhere between Anthony Hopkins' fictional cannibal salivating over a census taker's liver and Homer Simpson's reaction to seeing a doughnut.
Despite his apparent enthusiasm for the Filet-O-Fish, Trump had specific demands for the fast-food giant's executives. "You could do a little bit more tartar sauce, though, please. Seriously," he instructed, gesturing toward front-row executives and adding, "Do you understand that? Yes, he understands."
History of Corporate Influence
This isn't the first time Trump has successfully pressured major corporations to alter their recipes. Coca-Cola recently reintroduced cane sugar to its American products after years of using high-fructose corn syrup, following Trump's social media demands - despite the former president being a known Diet Coke drinker.
During the same speech, Trump made several bold claims about his relationship with the fast-food chain, declaring himself "one of your all-time most loyal customers" and asserting he was the first president to have worked as a McDonald's fry-cook. While Trump never actually worked for the company, he did participate in a 2024 election photo opportunity where he posed as a crew member.
Trump has previously expressed admiration for the "late great Dr Hannibal Lecter", describing the fictional character as "legendary" and a "lovely man" - descriptions that are factually inaccurate since both the character and actor Anthony Hopkins remain alive. The former president has since clarified that he understands Lecter is a fictional creation.
