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Trump
Alex Daniel
Jun 16, 2023
Trump was eating out after being arraigned in the city for allegedly refusing to turn over classified documents
Alon Skuy/Getty Images
Ever felt like you’ve been promised something that doesn’t come through?
That is how diners in Miami, Florida felt after Donald Trump showed up at a well-known Cuban restaurant and reportedly announced: “Food for everyone.”
The former president was eating out after being arraigned in the city for allegedly refusing to turn over classified documents.
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Most people would expect that when a billionaire real estate tycoon yells “food for everyone”, they might get a free lunch – but the former president left the venue minutes later, fuelling speculation that his followers left empty handed.
Local news outlet the Miami New Times reported that the 77-year-old’s stop at the restaurant was 10 minutes at most, leaving no for anybody to order anything.
And The New York Times reported that the president didn’t actually get any food for himself either, preferring to eat (yep, you guessed it) McDonald’s on his plane.
Social media users pointed out that this wouldn’t be the first time that the former president has stiffed his supporters.
In 2020, hundreds of people were left stranded after at least four of his mammoth political rallies in the run-up to the presidential election.
\u201cTrump supporters left empty-handed after he promised 'food for everyone' at Miami's Versailles: report https://t.co/TxZ0I949ZA\n\nKind of like when he left people out in the cold at one of rally\u2019s. He had no buses to take people home he bussed in.\u201d— James Tate (@James Tate) 1686837803
Other commenters were able to see the funny side that a politician who has faced repeated claims of not paying his debts would row back on a promise to foot a restaurant bill.
“I guess they had to go home and drink some more kool-aid,” said one person, while another called him “Mr Generosity”.
\u201cJUST IN:\n\nTrump supporters left empty-handed after he promised 'food for everyone' at Miami's Versailles \n\nIdiots \n\n\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\nI guess they had to go home and drink some more kool-aid\u201d— CoffeyTimeNews (@CoffeyTimeNews) 1686834628
\u201cMr. Generosity showed up at a restaurant and shouted "food for everybody". He then left without paying a cent. \n\nAnd this is the face of rhe republican party.\n https://t.co/6va9vvwVPR\u201d— Dan ain't Q (@Dan ain't Q) 1686844007
It comes after reports last year that Trump was having trouble finding lawyers to represent him because many feared they would not be paid.
New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman said on CNN in 2022: “You are seeing many fewer lawyers who are willing to go out and speak for him and/or hitch their wagon [to him] and maybe not get paid — which is a big thing.”
A recent book by journalist Andrew Kirtzman on Giuliani’s career said that the former mayor’s associate Maria Ryan pleaded in a letter intended for Trump to pay him.
The then submitted a $2.5m bill to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows for Giuliani’s work, the book added. One of Giuliani’s advisers then intercepted the letter before it reached Trump.
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