Trump lauds football players who ate 'over 1000 hamberders' at White House banquet, in early morning misspelled twitter outburst

Donald Trump has praised members of college football champions the Clemson Tigers for eating “over 1,000 hamberders” at his White House fast food banquet, in a misspelled early morning Twitter ourburst.

“Great being with the National Champion Clemson Tigers last night at the White House,” he tweeted. “Because of the Shutdown I served them massive amounts of Fast Food (I paid), over 1000 hamberders etc. Within one hour, it was all gone. Great guys and big eaters!”

The US president apparently meant to type “1,000 hamburgers”, though he told reporters in the White House on Monday evening he had only ordered in 300.

Amid a government shutdown now in its 25th day, many presidential staff remain furloughed, forcing Mr Trump – a spokesperson said – to set the menu for the visit of the Clemson Tigers, who won the national championship last year.

His inflated fast food claims came after a series of tweets in which Mr Trump floated a conspiracy theory about the FBI, railed against the media for not reporting his choice of news, and asserted a “big new” caravan was heading for the US without providing evidence.

“The rank and file of the FBI are great people who are disgusted with what they are learning about Lyin’ James Comey and the so-called ‘leaders’ of the FBI. Twelve have been fired or forced to leave. They got caught spying on my campaign and then called it an investigation. Bad!” Mr Trump said.

Despite the president’s claim, there is no evidence the FBI illegally spied on the Trump campaign. It did launch an investigation in 2016, hoever, over fears a Trump campaign official was colluding with Russia.

Moving onto his continuing demands for $5.7bn (£4.4bn) in US-Mexico border wall funds, Mr Trump tweeted: “A big new Caravan is heading up to our Southern Border from Honduras. Tell Nancy and Chuck that a drone flying around will not stop them.

“Only a Wall will work. Only a Wall, or Steel Barrier, will keep our Country safe! Stop playing political games and end the Shutdown!”

The US president also retweeted 10 posts supportive of his stances and policies by right-wing commentators, including his son Donald Trump Jr.

It came the morning after Mr Trump greeted Clemson’s football players with an impressive – and highly unusual – White House smorgasbord of burgers, pizzas and fries.

Asked what his favourite food on display was, Mr Trump, stood in front of an 1869 portrait of Abraham Lincoln, told reporters: “I like it all, it’s all good stuff. Great American food … I like em all, if it’s American I like, it’s all American stuff, but it’s good stuff.”

Mr Trump’s “hamberders” gaffe, which only deleted and reposted with the correct spelling three hours later, was ridiculed by users on Twitter.

“’I paid’ for all the ‘hamberders’,” Walter Shaub, a former White House ethics chief wrote.

Ben Shapiro, a right-wing commentator, said: “For my birthday, I wish only that the world be blessed with more hamberders.”