Trump’s feud with chef Jose Andres as he purges White House staff in brutal public firings & erases every trace of them
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has axed four staffers in a brutal public firing via social media - and his administration was quick to remove any trace of the purged appointees.
The new president announced his plans to remove over 1,000 officials appointed by Joe Biden's administration, including celebrity chef José Andrés and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
He also dismissed former top general Mark Milley, former diplomat Brian Hook, and Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan.
"My Presidential Personnel Office is actively in the process of identifying and removing over a thousand Presidential Appointees from the previous Administration, who are not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"Let this serve as Official Notice of Dismissal for these 4 individuals, with many more, coming soon," he wrote, adding, "YOU'RE FIRED!"
Hours before the firings were announced, Trump began to hint at the move by wiping out evidence of the shunned employees.
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Milley's recently revealed portrait was removed from the Pentagon's halls without explanation.
When approached for comment, the Pentagon referred The U.S. Sun to the White House.
It comes as…
- Donald Trump emphasized five key points in his inaugural address
- He's already signed a flurry of executive orders in his first day
- Joe Biden pardoned his family members in the last minutes of his term
- Carrie Underwood faced major technical difficulties during her inauguration performance
- Billy Ray Cyrus was plagued with technical issues during his Liberty Ball performance
- Biden snickered as Trump vowed to restore "common sense"
- Jeff Bezos' fiancee was blasted for her outfit choice
- The lunch menu has a subtle nod to Kamala Harris
- Trump's grandkids stole the show at the morning's church service
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Trump's decision to drop Andrés doesn't come as a shock —the president and the restaurateur have been feuding since 2015.
Two years before his first presidency, Trump wanted Andrés to run the kitchen in a restaurant inside the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC.
Andrés, who first became famous in his home country of Spain through his cooking show Vamos a Cocinar, planned to open a restaurant called Topo Atrio in the Old Post Office building in 2016.
SHUTTERED RESTAURANT
The celebrity chef had planned a menu for the restaurant and even "traded design ideas" for the restaurant with Ivanka Trump in spring 2015, according to the in 2017.
However, plans for the eatery came to a halt after Trump went on a tirade against Mexican immigrants when he launched his presidential bid in June 2015.
The disparaging comments led Andrés to back out of the restaurant's contract, which prompted Trump to sue Andrés in August 2015.
Andrés filed a counter-claim and the parties eventually settled the lawsuit in April 2017.
“I am glad that we are able to put this matter behind us and move forward as friends,” said in a statement at the time, according to .
“Without question, this is a ‘win-win’ for both of our companies.”
Trump's White House staff purge
Donald Trump has vowed to fire thousands of White House staffers who are "not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again."
Starting less than 24 hours after he was sworn in as president, Trump has axed the following people:
- Chef José Andrés
- Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
- Former top general Mark Milley
- Former diplomat Brian Hook
- Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan
Andrés agreed, saying, “I am pleased that we were able to resolve our differences and move forward cooperatively as friends.”
The Trump International Hotel closed in May 2022 and reopened a month later as the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC.
Andrés went on to open the restaurant he originally planned inside the revamped hotel, which he dubbed The Bazaar by José Andrés.
The chef remained an outspoken critic of Trump throughout the years and grew close to Biden, even receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the former president just weeks ago.
CHEF'S RESPONSE
When Trump announced Andrés' dismissal from the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition less than 24 hours after his inauguration, the chef responded that he had already resigned.
"I submitted my resignation last week…my 2 year term was already up," he on X.
He said he was honored and grateful for his time on the president's council and what he accomplished during his time in the White House before turning the message on Trump.
Andrés hopes that Trump will exercise his presidential authority so the Council can continue to advocate for fitness and good health for all Americans.
"These are bipartisan issues…nonpartisan issues," he added.
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"May God give you the wisdom, Mr. President, to put politics and name calling aside…and instead lift up the everyday people working to bring America together.
"Let’s build longer tables."
