The Type Of Fish That Donald Trump Refuses To Eat

Many U.S. presidents have held strong opinions about their preferred dishes, as well as what they loathe. For example, former President Bill Clinton was a notorious fan of peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and former President Barack Obama won't let ketchup touch a hot dog. President Donald Trump is certainly not without his own cuisine quirks, infamously adoring McDonald's fast food fare.

But while he's a big fan of the chain's Filet-O-Fish (although he thinks it could use more tartar sauce), not all fish is equal in his mind. Long before he held any presidential aspirations, Donald Trump visited the island nation of Japan in 1990. According to the book "Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump," the 45th and 47th POTUS was quoted as saying he wouldn't consume "f***ing raw fish." I would assume he issued that bold statement after being offered sushi, which has deep Japanese roots.

Personally, I'm sort of the opposite. I generally don't eat seafood unless it's sushi. But hey, to each his own. Still, one would think that Trump's aversion to raw fish must present some awkward moments as a presidential figure when visiting certain regions that prominently feature the ingredient in their local cuisine.

During his trip to the "Land of the Rising Sun" in 1990, Donald Trump avoided sushi and satiated himself with more American fare. A McDonald's burger, to be exact. He may have found time to indulge in his favorite golfing food at some point, given his affinity for playing the sport whenever the opportunity presents itself. But no raw fish touched his lips.

With Japan being hailed as a region where some of the freshest ocean-to-table seafood can be had, one would assume that when Trump visited the isolated island nation as the president of the United States in 2017, he would have sampled some of the local cuisine. Behind closed doors, that may have been the case. But his love for a good burger knows no bounds — a fact that wasn't lost on then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The Japanese leader's office posted a Facebook message at the time indicating that Trump's favorite meal would be waiting for lunch before delving into business matters between the two nations.

Trump isn't the only person living in the White House who refuses to eat raw fish. His wife, Melania, likewise detests uncooked seafood and turned down the chance to try some in Japan during a 2019 visit. Neither of them is alone in their contempt of raw fish. Plenty of folks turn their nose up at sushi, and you'll probably have just as much luck attempting to get those people to try it as you would convincing Trump to lay off the fast food.