Washington DC - President Donald Trump recently warned a room full of McDonald's executives and franchise owners that they may soon have to fight back against their employees demanding higher wages.
On Monday, Trump gave a 45-minute, mostly unscripted speech at the McDonald's Impact Summit in which he praised the company for "slashing prices" and "bringing back Extra Value Meals" – but also warned a real fight was coming.
"Wages for hourly workers are rising at the fastest pace in 60 years, and sometimes you might say, 'Is that good or bad?'" Trump said.
"It's great for you," he added. "The minimum wage thing, you'll have to be talking about – you're going to have to fight."
Trump's remarks come as the US faces an increasing affordability crisis as prices on everyday goods and the overall cost of living continue to rise.
Many critics have attributed the rising prices to the sweeping tariffs the president implemented in his second term, which CNN reports resulted in an effective tax hike on the average American household of $1,200 – a figure set to rise to $1,600 next year.
Companies across the US, most notably Starbucks, have seen massive movements of workers unionizing and demanding a livable wage, instead of a simple minimum.
Nonetheless, Trump presented a much different reality during his speech, claiming we are in "the golden age of America, because we are doing better than we've ever done as a country."
Donald Trump salivates over the Filet-o-fish
The president spent the rest of his speech praising the fast-food chain – dubbing himself their "most loyal customer."
"I like the fish," Trump said of the Filet-o-fish sandwich, letting out an onomatopoeic "Kshhhhh" and adding, "You could do a little bit more tartar sauce, though, please."
The president claimed he only serves McDonald's on Air Force One, and bragged about how he "even got Bobby Kennedy to eat a Big Mac."
He also touted several policies he has implemented that have benefited the company.
At one point, he lamented that after he gave the US "unlimited" water during his first term, his successor Joe Biden "came back with a rigged election, and he immediately restricted the water."
"I came back in and immediately unrestricted it again, so now you have unlimited water to clean your damn dishes, OK?" Trump added. "And other things. Your hands."