Donald Trump is trying to persuade voters that his economic promises deserve their support. However, a joke about the prices at his own Florida club offered an awkward twist. At a Texas rally, the president suggested that even $5,000 might not stretch far enough for a meal at his luxury Mar-a-Lago resort.
Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago hamburger joke during his Texas rally
With the midterm elections approaching, Trump reminded the crowd of his pledge to give every adult citizen $5,000 if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress. He said recipients would have to spend the money within the United States before inviting supporters to visit Mar-a-Lago as his guests (via The Daily Beast).
The invitation came with a punchline. Trump joked that $5,000 might “buy you a hamburger and maybe a small dessert” at his private club. He then questioned whether the money would even buy that much. He followed the remark by warning price-conscious Americans to choose somewhere else. “No, don’t go there. That’s not a good place if you’re price-conscious.” Trump advised.
The quip lands at a difficult moment for Republicans. Voters have grown increasingly frustrated with the cost of living, and Trump has faced pressure to defend his economic record. He previously dismissed affordability concerns as a Democratic “hoax,” but the war in Iran subsequently drove up oil and gasoline prices.
With public frustration mounting, some Republicans are beginning to pull away from Trump. The president, however, is urging voters to make the election a personal show of support while pitching his $5,000 proposal.
Separately, a dispute has erupted over Barack Obama’s remarks likening Trump’s White House changes to Saddam Hussein opening a Cheesecake Factory.
Conservatives pushed back against Obama’s joke, reviving accusations of elitism that followed him throughout his presidency. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent responded after visiting a Washington, D.C., Cheesecake Factory, praising the meal while criticizing the design of Obama’s presidential center in Chicago.
