$100 Tip for McDonald's Delivery Driver and Impromptu Press Conference... Trump Says "It Wasn't Staged"

U.S. President Donald Trump held an impromptu press conference with a food delivery app driver to promote his "tax-free tips" policy.

According to the Associated Press and other sources on the 13th (local time), President Trump received two bags of McDonald's delivered to the Oval Office by DoorDash delivery driver Sharon Simmons. He gave her a $100 tip (approximately 148,150 won).

U.S. President Donald Trump (right) and a DoorDash delivery driver. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

When Simmons knocked on the external door of the Oval Office, President Trump pointed to the group of reporters waiting outside and proposed a brief press conference to Simmons. He then answered questions from the press about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and his conflict with the Pope, and afterward spoke to Simmons, who was standing beside him.

President Trump asked, "I think you voted for me, didn't you?" to which Simmons replied, "Maybe." Trump responded by saying, "I heard you are a passionate supporter. Thank you."

He also brought up the issue of transgender athletes, a topic he often uses to attack the Democratic Party, asking, "Do you think men should be allowed to participate in women's sports?" Simmons avoided the question, saying, "I have no opinion on that issue," then added, "I came here to talk about tax-free tips."

The tax-free tips policy is one of the achievements that President Trump promotes as his own. Many U.S. service industry workers rely on tips from customers as their main source of income, and this policy exempts tip income from income tax up to a certain limit.

Although President Trump told reporters that his stepping out to receive the food delivery was not staged, the fact that he held an impromptu press conference with a delivery driver who supports his policy and that Simmons herself said she came to talk about tax-free tips suggests that this was prearranged. The Associated Press pointed out that even entering the White House grounds requires prior authorization and a security check, and getting close to the President would be impossible without additional security screening and identity verification. During his 2024 presidential campaign, President Trump also made French fries and took orders at a McDonald's drive-through in Pennsylvania.

Simmons released a statement through DoorDash, welcoming the tax-free tips policy, saying, "Tax-free tips allow me to keep more of the tips I earn and rightfully deserve." She stated that she earned an additional $11,000 through tax-free tips, which was especially important while her husband was battling cancer.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.