Donald Trump hosted his first lunch for Republican senators at his “Rose Garden Club” on Oct. 21.
The newly constructed grounds welcomed officials to white patio tables covered by striped white and yellow umbrellas, a decorative nod to the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort. However, not every taxpayer is impressed by the recent White House renovations.
The project saw crews pave over the Rose Garden lawn with stone, a decision that drew condemnation from some constituents.
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The undertaking reportedly cost a little over $1 million. The tab, according to Trump, was footed by private donors, much like his “big, beautiful ballroom” that will replace the East Wing of the people’s house.
Footage of the afternoon gathering showed the businessman’s political cronies seated four to a table as they conversed among themselves while “YMCA” played from the speakers. The Village People’s anthem has been a go-to for Trump since his days of campaigning.
The menu consisted of a classic cheeseburger, fries, and Rose Garden chocolates. Some washed the meal down with a Diet Coke, another Trump fave. The simple dining choice and aesthetic incited critical reviews.
An IG Threads user remarked, “Looks like an old mall food court with seniors sitting around.” A second user commented, “At least they took the McDonald’s out of the bags and put it on plates…WTF America? Are we great yet?”
Did you get invited to the exclusive Rose Garden Club? https://t.co/4drmlzktLF
— Montana Man (@meaningless1111) October 22, 2025
A third person wondered, “Is that the only song they’re allowed to play? I’m sure they have nightmares about it.” Jessica Tarlov bashed the Trump upgrades during a heated row with Jesse Watters on “The Five” Tuesday evening.
She said, “He turned the Rose Garden into a patio that looks like you should have chicken tenders and fries on it.” When a co-analyst asked what was wrong with the finger food, she responded, “I enjoy chicken tenders. I have a 3-year-old. I’m just saying that the Rose Garden looked better before.”
For others, the lunch was in poor held in poor taste amid the government shutdown. The lapse in federal funding is the second-longest ever. The longest took place in 2018 with Trump at the nation’s helm.
One like and we’ll send him back behind the grill. https://t.co/P8dqbnPGm9
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) October 21, 2025
A tweet criticizing the event stated, “Eating steak and sipping cocktails at Trump’s ‘Rose Garden Club’ while his constituents struggle during a government shutdown is some real ‘Let them eat cake’ vibes…”
Elsewhere in the discourse, fast-food jokes flew, including one from California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press team. They reposted a clip of Trump’s 2024 campaign photo opportunity at McDonald’s. The GOP candidate tried his hand at server operations and cooking fries.
Wow, a loyalty test with appetizers That's a wild way to describe the current GOP situation. Rand Paul and Thomas Massie finding common ground at the "no kneeling" table is quite the visual
— Rohith (@victusgamer00) October 22, 2025
The post stated, “One like and we’ll send him back behind the grill.” An IG Threads follower joked, “Now, now, you know we can’t trust people with dementia to be near a hot griddle.”
Noticeably absent from the function was Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.
The showman never forgets a foe, and Paul was no exception. “He automatically votes ‘No’ on everything. He thinks it’s good politics. It’s not good politics,” said Trump to attendees.
Paul later claimed on X, “I actually wasn’t invited to the White House lunch today, but that’s ok I had a previously scheduled Liberty Caucus Lunch with Thomas Massey.”
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In a Newsmax interview, Paul snarked that “it’s good to know that I was still on the mind of the president. And even though I wasn’t there, he was still thinking about me.”
Paul, a libertarian against excessive spending, has not been welcomed to the White House since June, when Trump uninvited him to the annual picnic.
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