Donald Trump ordered a feast of fast food for a White House reception as many catering staff were absent because of the ongoing government shutdown.

The US president ordered more than 300 burgers from McDonald’s and Wendy’s, as well as pizzas and fries, for a college American football team.

The government shutdown has meant hundreds of thousands of public sector workers, including White House staff, have been on mandatory leave or working without pay for 24 days.

The shutdown has been caused by politicians’ failure to reach a budget agreement – Mr Trump has refused to approve one unless it includes funding for his controversial wall along the border with Mexico, but Democrats have rejected his request for $5.7 billion (£4.5bn).

“Because of the shutdown… we went out and we ordered American fast food paid for by me,” Mr Trump told the Clemson Tigers football team, winners of the national college championship, at the event in the State Dining Room on Monday.

“We have pizzas, we have 300 hamburgers, many, many French fries, all of our favourite foods.

“I want to see what’s here when we leave, because I don’t think it’s going to be much.”

A renowned lover of fast food, Mr Trump said: “If it’s American, I like it. It’s all American stuff.”

The president did not reveal how much he had paid for the fast food feast.

Source: Yahoo