Celebrity chef José Andrés has criticized President Donald Trump’s policies, claiming they’re harming restaurants in Washington, D.C.
The Spanish chef, who founded the nonprofit World Central Kitchen, accused Trump of not engaging with the community in D.C. and suggested that the president is overly concerned about illegal immigration.
In a post on X, Andrés expressed frustration, saying, “I understand why you’re confused… I’ve only dined in DC at the White House or my own hotel.”
He also mistakenly claimed, “it’s a lie that half of the restaurants have closed due to safety concerns.”
Yet, it appears he may not have seen a recent report. Restaurant owners have stated they feel threatened by ongoing crime in D.C.
By the end of 2023, reports indicated that 52 restaurants had shut down in Washington, attributing much of the closure to increased crime rates.
Andrés continued to criticize Trump, stating, “But the restaurant closures are due to the presence of guns and federal agents scaring people away.”
He concluded his comments by appealing to Trump to reconsider his immigration policies, arguing they should enable businesses to thrive while also respecting immigrant workers.
“American cities and towns need policies that support small businesses, allowing everyone, including immigrants, to work with dignity. There shouldn’t be fear of government; rather, governments should respect people and not terrorize them,” he said.
The restaurateur reacted to a video of Trump discussing crime in D.C.
In that video, Trump remarked, “Half of the restaurants closed because people were afraid to go out.”
D.C. business owners have complained about decreased traffic since the president called for a federal crackdown on crime. Notably, the city has experienced a rare stretch without murders since the implementation of these policies, leading to the removal of many criminals from the streets.
