On 10 June 2023, US President Joe Biden hosted one of the biggest White House Pride events the country has ever seen. The commander-in-chief called for greater protections of LGBTQIA+ individuals across the nation and condemned the heinous and terrifying swathes of legislation that have recently been passed in a number of states.

Guests included Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the first openly LGBTQIA+ person to hold a cabinet position, and Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services Admiral Rachel Levine, the first openly transgender person to be confirmed by the Senate.

According to Reuters, Biden also stated that the event included survivors of deadly shootings at the LGBTQIA+ club Q nightclub in Colorado Springs in November 2022 and Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in 2016.

Now, on the surface, this event may seem like a small light in what’s been a seriously frightening and upsetting few months for queer communities in the US, particularly trans individuals. Having the president make a clear stance on his support and love for all LGBTQIA+ people is definitely something to celebrate.

However, how on Earth can this man claim to be an ally of queer people, and then proceed to serve such ridiculously bad food? I want answers.

Food creator Alix Traeger attended the White House Pride event and while there, she documented some of the shocking snack options—so shocking, she deemed them “a little homophobic.”

@alixtraeger

i need to have a word with the President

♬ original sound - Alix Traeger

Not only did it seem like there were limited options, but the food that was available was not really hitting the spot per say. Traeger stated in the clip: “They have soft pretzels and they literally forgot to bake them, they’re rock hard. Joe, you know we gotta eat more than this! Are they trying to poison the gays?!”

Moreover, the pizza was “not presidential” and there was seemingly zero variation vis-à-vis toppings. C’mon Biden, you know you can do better than that.

Some of the best comments under the video included: “School lunch vibes” and “this isn’t very ally of Uncle Joe.”

Clearly trying to win back the crowd after his flop of a dinner service, Biden spoke to his guests on the lawn and stated: “You enrich every part of American life. You are some of the bravest, most inspiring people I’ve ever known, and I’ve known a lot of good folks.”