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Trump's White House Ice Cream Habits Actually Tell You A Lot About His Presidency

by John Haltiwanger
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President Donald Trump basically just starred in an episode of MTV Cribs: the White House edition, which revealed a lot about his personal life -- including his dessert preferences.

He recently gave reporters from Time an intimate tour of the White House, doing his best to impress and woo them with the presidential residence's many wonders and rich history.

Based on how the interview depicted his demeanor, Trump seems to view the White House as not only a place to run the country from and live, but also an asset capable of dazzling foes and friends alike.

"People have no idea the beauty of the White House," Trump said, "The real beauty of the White House."

Trump behaved cautiously throughout the tour he gave to Time, as it's no secret he's not particularly fond of the press.

But he did invite them to dinner, where he gave the reporters a glimpse of his eating habits.

Trump's eating habits at the White House tell us a lot about his presidency.

Michael Scherer and Zeke J. Miller of Time wrote,

The waiters know well Trump's personal preferences. As he settles down, they bring him a Diet Coke, while the rest of us are served water, with the Vice President sitting at one end of the table. With the salad course, Trump is served what appears to be Thousand Island dressing instead of the creamy vinaigrette for his guests. When the chicken arrives, he is the only one given an extra dish of sauce. At the dessert course, he gets two scoops of vanilla ice cream with his chocolate cream pie, instead of the single scoop for everyone else.

Trump's eating habits, and his desire to have something slightly different or just a little bit more than everyone else, tells us a lot about who he is and how he approaches the office he now holds.

He always wants to stand apart, even when it comes to trivial matters -- it's all about him.

This is precisely why he's taken the media's negative coverage of him so hard, which he reiterated in the Time interview.

In a rare moment of self-awareness, when asked if he thought his administration was too combative, he said, "It could be my fault."

But, he added, "There's a great meanness out there that I'm surprised at."

He complained that the media ignores his accomplishments and spends most of its time exaggerating missteps his administration makes.

Less than 24 hours after the Time interview was conducted, he'd send shockwaves through the political world by firing FBI Director James Comey.

This occurred as Comey was in the midst of investigating the Trump campaign's alleged collusion with Russia in relation to its interference in the US presidential election.

In the aftermath, the president took to Twitter to repeatedly blast anyone who criticized or questioned this choice.

Twitter

That Trump cannot see or admit why this move was suspicious to others highlights the consequences of being a hyper-narcissistic leader.

As the Time interview notes, it's evident Trump lives in his own "version of reality," which leads him to lash out at anyone who doesn't see the world, and his decisions, the same way.

Trump is clearly hungry to be adored and placed on a pedestal.

The president is a two scoops of ice cream for me, one for everyone else kind of guy.

Small details about people can reflect much bigger trends in their behavior.

Even during the US presidential campaign, Trump made it clear his presidency would be more about him than anyone else when he said, "I am your voice. I alone can fix it. I will restore law and order."

If Trump focused a little less on "I" and a little more on everyone else, he might find that there is a little less "meanness" toward his presidency.

Citations: Donald Trump After Hours (Time)