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‘The silence is deafening’: Major brands are avoiding Trump — even as he promotes them from the White House

In a scene likely worth millions of dollars in free advertising, President Donald Trump displayed a spread of burgers from some of the country’s biggest fast-food chains inside the State Dining Room of the White House on Monday as hungry football players looked on.

With cameras rolling, he offered a presidential endorsement of "all-American" restaurants including McDonald's, Chick-fil-a and Wendy's.

"We like American companies, OK?" Trump said, standing before hundreds of Big Macs and chicken sandwiches alongside the North Dakota State football team. "Go eat up. Enjoy yourselves, everybody."

But the companies haven’t been quick to return the affection or attempt to cash in on the presidential product placement, with McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s all remaining silent about Trump’s endorsements.