Celebrity Chef Attacks Trump Over D.C. Restaurant Closures
Celebrity chef José Andrés, a longtime critic of President Donald Trump, lashed out this week after Trump pointed to Washington, D.C.’s restaurant struggles as proof of the city’s crime crisis.
Andrés, the 56-year-old liberal restaurateur, accused Trump of spreading a “flat out lie” about half the restaurants in the nation’s capital shutting down due to safety concerns. Writing on the platform X, Andrés sneered that Trump never dined outside the White House or his own hotel during his time in office.
Trump Says Crime Drove Families Away From Restaurants
President Trump, who earlier this month placed Washington’s police department under federal control and deployed the National Guard, has argued that crime destroyed the city’s once-thriving dining scene.
“I’ve got friends who are finally going out to dinner again. For four years they stayed home — they were scared, absolutely terrified,” Trump said Monday.
He went on to say: “At one point, nearly half the restaurants had to shut their doors because people were too afraid to even step outside. Now those same places are back in business, new ones are opening, and the city feels like a boom town again.”
Data Shows D.C. Dining Decline Under Democrat Leadership
Trump’s claims echo data from OpenTable, which reported seated diners in Washington dropped sharply in early August compared to 2024. Many Americans blame weak Democrat leadership, rising crime, and soft-on-crime policies for the city’s decline.
Chef Andrés Defends Liberal Policies
In response, Andrés argued that restaurants are closing not because of crime, but because federal officers and security measures make residents feel “harassed.” He told his one million followers that “government should have respect for its people, not terrorize them.”
Andrés, who has openly pushed left-wing causes for years, insisted that immigrants and small businesses in cities like Washington should be shielded from what he called “Trump’s heavy-handed policies.”
Trump’s Law-and-Order Agenda Gains Support
For many conservatives, Trump’s bold law-and-order agenda is exactly what Democrat-run cities need. With violent crime surging and businesses shuttering, Trump’s intervention in Washington is already giving families hope that safer streets and thriving businesses can return.
As Trump put it: “It’s like a boom town.”