Award-winning chef Jose Andres is being pressured to back out of his plans to open up a restaurant in the new Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.
More than 300 people have signed a petition calling on Mr. Andres to kill the restaurant deal in response to Donald Trump’s description of Mexican immigrants as drug dealers and rapists, WTOP reported.
“We are proud to have José Andrés in Washington, D.C., which is why we hope he decides that Donald Trump is not someone he should do business with. We are excited to dine at all of his other locations, but surely this planned Trump location could relocate elsewhere,” the petition states.
Mr. Trump, meanwhile, has stuck by his remarks, saying he loves Mexican people.
“They’re fantastic, and everybody knows that,” he said Sunday on Fox “Media Buzz.”
“But in terms of the border, it’s a disgrace. Either we have a border or we don’t have a country,” he said. “You know, you can’t have a country without borders. And people are coming in and some of those people — and I read it even yesterday there was a huge article about the tremendous crime that’s taking place. It’s like a crime wave. It’s one of the most dangerous places on earth. And I bring that up. All of a sudden I’m a bad person.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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