Trump Got to Eat All His Favorite Foods in Japan

During his four-day trip to Japan over Memorial Day weekend, President Trump took a few breaks from rage-tweeting about his American political foes to attempt diplomacy and enjoy some of his favorite foods with local leaders.

On Sunday, the POTUS and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe knocked out 16 holes of golf at the Mobara Country Club and then tucked into a lunch of cheeseburgers made with American — USA! USA! — beef. After a visit to a sumo wrestling match where he presented the winner with a very large trophy, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump joined the Japanese prime minister and his wife Akie Abe for a meal of baked potatoes, salad, grilled chicken, and wagyu beef at the robatayaki restaurant Inakaya in Tokyo’s Roppongi district. And yesterday, during a historic meeting at the Imperial Palace with Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, the Trumps enjoyed a six-course banquet featuring beef consommé, turbot a la meunière, côte de boeuf, and ice cream shaped like Mount Fuji.

Trump is a notoriously picky eater, especially when traveling abroad, and it seems like his Japanese hosts aimed to please by serving him hearty meals full of his favorite Western flavors and ingredients. This is a trend that started back in 2017, when Prime Minister Abe and his team also procured a cheeseburger made with American —YEE HAW — beef for the POTUS following a round of golf. Considering that Trump and Abe don’t see eye-to-eye on trade and the implications of North Korea’s recent short-range missile tests, the Japanese prime minister was likely trying to ease tensions by rolling out the red carpet and playing to the visiting American president’s limited tastes.

While it looks like Trump had a good time in Japan, the members of his entourage most certainly did not: According to a recent CNN story, White House staffers dread these trips abroad because the POTUS doesn’t sleep very much and has exacting demands for television, food, and accommodations. “It’s like being held captive,” one anonymous staffer said about flying around the world with Trump.

• Sumo diplomacy: Abe courts Trump with burgers, golf, more [AP]
• Trump will eat potatoes, ice cream, and rare, super expensive beef [BI]
• Trump’s Japan trip [USA Today]
• Sumo diplomacy: Abe courts Trump with burgers, golf, more [AP]
• @markknoller [Twitter]
• Inside Trump’s Air Force One: ‘It’s like being held captive’ [CNN]