President Donald Trump recently admitted that the McDonald’s DoorDash delivery to the White House was a bit tacky, even as he continues to use such events for political purposes. The delivery took place on Monday, April 13, when Sharon Simmons, a DoorDash driver from Arkansas, arrived at the Oval Office to hand-deliver two large bags of McDonald’s to the president. The event was meant to mark one year since Trump first proposed his no tax on tips policy.
Speaking at a roundtable in Las Vegas, Trump reflected on the moment. He admitted it felt a little strange, telling the group, “Sharon delivered to the Oval Office, to be honest, it was a little tacky. They come up with these crazy ideas.” He also noted that having a delivery driver knock on the glass door of the Oval Office was likely a first in the building’s history.
Despite calling it awkward, Trump made clear he sees political value in these moments. “We do these things in politics; they’re a little embarrassing. They’re a little tiny embarrassing, but we do them and you win by landslides,” he said, according to People. When the delivery was happening on Monday, he even joked to nearby reporters, “This doesn’t look staged.”
The personal story behind the delivery makes the political moment more powerful
The delivery was part of a broader push to promote the “Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which includes a policy to eliminate taxes on tips. Simmons, a grandmother of 10 who has completed over 14,000 deliveries, has become a key figure in this effort.
According to The Daily Mail, she previously testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in July to support the legislation. During her time in Washington, she explained how the flexibility of DoorDash allowed her to drive her husband to cancer treatments after he was diagnosed with stage three cancer last year.
During the Monday photo-op, Trump shared the cheeseburgers and fries with his West Wing staff while talking with Simmons. He handed her a cash tip that reporters observed included at least one $100 bill.
Trump also invited Simmons and her husband, Leo, to attend a UFC fight at the White House on June 14, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Simmons accepted the invitation and mentioned that her husband is doing well with his ongoing treatments. This is just one of many unusual moments at Trump’s properties – a recent unexpected visit to Mar-a-Lago also caught people’s attention.
Simmons has worked in various industries, including factory work and landscaping, before becoming a delivery driver during the pandemic. She says that she saved between $3,000 and $4,000 in the year since the tax-free tip policy was enacted, which she said has helped significantly with medical expenses. Her son-in-law, Kyrie Quijano, also set up an online fundraiser to help the couple with the financial strain caused by the cancer treatments.
Max Rettig, the Global Head of Public Policy at DoorDash, released a statement after the delivery, saying the moment represents something much larger than a single order. He stated that the policy has allowed Dashers across the United States to save hundreds of millions of dollars collectively, and that the company is proud to advocate for these policies because they have a real impact on hardworking families.
During the event, Trump also addressed a since-deleted social media post that featured an AI-generated image of himself depicted as a figure similar to Jesus. He told reporters he viewed the image as a representation of a doctor helping people, and pointed to the tax break for workers like Simmons as a concrete example of that help. This comes as Trump has faced separate scrutiny over his unusual late-night social media behavior.
Published: Apr 17, 2026 10:34 am