The One Food Melania Trump Won't Touch, Even At A Royal Banquet

From political figures to celebrity chefs, everybody has foods they dislike. And in some cases, we'd go to great lengths to avoid seeing certain meals on our plate. Such is the case with first lady Melania Trump. In her 2024 memoir, "Melania," she wrote, "I made it known that I do not eat raw fish."

Raw fish can be served as anything from tuna tartare to classic sushi rolls. It's a common way to enjoy seafood; however, it also comes with its own set of risks, as does most raw or undercooked food. There is an increased risk of parasitic infection when consuming raw fish versus other foods, so be especially careful when storing the raw fish yourself. While you can freeze the fish for a certain period of time to eliminate that risk, it's hard to know if the fish you're eating out somewhere underwent that same process. Raw fish is an important element in certain cuisines, such as in Japan, but Trump revealed in her memoir that, upon visiting the country with her presidential husband in 2019, she refused to eat the fish.

Surprisingly, Melania Trump isn't alone in her distaste for raw fish. A 2025 YouGov poll revealed data surrounding the most hated foods among Americans, and in general, there was plenty of seafood on the list, both cooked and uncooked. Anchovies and sardines made the top three (along with liver), and squid, caviar, and oysters came in the fifth, sixth, and seventh spots, respectively. Sushi made the list, too, trailing closely behind the other options as Americans' ninth most hated food, with a whopping 38% of Americans reportedly disliking it. If you've never eaten sushi and want to give it a try, though, there are ways to order it at a sushi restaurant and look like a pro — and trying it at a restaurant that specializes in the food is likely a better way to try the dish than buying it at a Wegmans.

So Trump isn't alone in her distaste for raw fish, but she is adventurous with other types of food. While in Japan, for example, she noted in her book that she "made an effort to try local cuisine whenever possible" and that her meal "was a delicious blend of flavors and textures, showcasing the best of Japanese cuisines while accommodating my preferences."