Obama's Cheesecake Factory Quip Sparks White House Response
Former President Obama's joke about gilded decor triggered a multi-agency reaction from the Trump administration.
By Ryan Carter ·
A joke about restaurant decor has become a political flashpoint in the weeks leading up to the midterm elections.
Former President Barack Obama compared President Donald Trump's White House renovations to the lavish palaces of late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during a campaign rally in Ohio on Saturday. Obama stated that the interior looked as if Saddam Hussein had opened a Cheesecake Factory, noting that there was gold everywhere. He added that Trump had been supergluing gold medallions to the Oval Office mantel and building a ballroom larger than the White House itself.
The Trump administration responded quickly across multiple channels. President Trump defended his design choices, telling reporters that the White House was in terrible shape before his tenure and is now in the best condition it has seen since 1792. He called Obama not a smart guy. The official White House social media account posted a photo of the Cheesecake Factory's large menu, claiming that only the list of Trump's accomplishments was bigger.
Vice President JD Vance accused Obama of being super elitist on social media. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visited a Cheesecake Factory near the White House on Monday, where he ate a French Dip Cheeseburger. Bessent told journalists he would tell the Martha's Vineyard set to give the chain a try. He also compared the upcoming Obama Presidential Center in Chicago to a tomb built by Darth Vader.
Obama returned to the theme at a rally in Georgia on Wednesday. He said he was surprised the White House focused on the joke rather than policy issues like inflation and corruption. Obama noted that the administration mobilized a whole of government response to the remark, including directing the Treasury Secretary to hold a press conference in front of the restaurant. He emphasized that he is a proud patron of the chain and the father of two daughters.
The debate over dining costs continued later in the week. At a rally in Texas, Trump told supporters they could spend the promised $5,000 adult dividend on a meal at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. He joked that the money would likely only buy a hamburger and a small dessert, before suggesting it might not be a good place for price-conscious diners.
The Cheesecake Factory chain was founded in 1978 by David Overton. The company currently operates 218 locations in the United States and generates annual revenue of $1.03 billion.
