McDonald’s Surprise for Trump: Saudi Arabia Rolls Out Food Truck in Riyadh

On his trip to Riyadh, former US President Donald Trump was given a warm and extraordinary royal reception by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. Trump’s entrance was accompanied not just by usual pomp and circumstance—e.g., a guard of honour and a ceremonial purple carpet—also by a personal touch that mirrored his famous likes: a mobile McDonald’s food van parked specially for him.

As Trump landed on Saudi soil, Prince Mohamed welcomed him in person, escorting him down the purple carpet lined by ceremonial guards. The gesture that caught the internet’s eye, though, came later. Fox News Digital reported with a White House official that a McDonald’s food truck had indeed been brought to Riyadh during Trump’s visit, a reference to his famously affectionate relationship with the fast food chain.

Social Media Responds to the “Golden Arches” Diplomacy

Images and videos of the golden-arched food truck, marked in English and Arabic, spread rapidly throughout social media. American commentator Benny Johnson shared a video on X, which he captioned, “Saudi Arabia brought in a mobile McDonald’s for President Trump on his visit.” The video features a large brown vehicle shining with McDonald’s signage, a blatant reference to Trump’s inclinations.

Netizens were swift to commend the thoughtfulness of Saudi Arabia. One X user described it as “AAA level hospitality,” another referred to it as “a very thoughtful gesture.” Jokes also ensued, with one user posing the question, “I wonder if the ice cream machine is still broken.”

But others enjoyed the soft diplomacy exhibited. “Now that’s some Big Mac diplomacy!” one viewer remarked. “President Trump has the golden arches trailing behind him like a VIP entourage,” another wrote.

Fast Food Meets Foreign Policy

While the humor is not lost, the gesture illustrates how cultural subtlety and personalization can influence international diplomacy. By accepting Trump’s penchant for fast food, Saudi Arabia showed respect and calculated allure. It is a move that transcends protocol, into personalisation—a trend that is increasingly common among diplomatic maneuvers today.

McDonald’s enjoys a robust presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with 267 restaurants in the central, eastern, and northern parts of the country. Yet this specific use of a McDonald’s truck in Riyadh highlights how even international fast food becomes implicated in high-level political communication.