Cheesecake Factory: Obama's White House Remark Triggers Political Backlash
A joke about gilded interiors in the Oval Office prompted responses from the President, Vice President, and Treasury Secretary, turning a dining chain into a midterm campaign symbol.
By Tessa Cooper ·
The Cheesecake Factory, a restaurant chain with 218 locations and annual revenue of $1.03 billion, became the focal point of a national political dispute this week. The conflict began when former President Barack Obama, campaigning in Ohio, compared President Donald Trump's White House renovations to the palaces of the late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Obama stated the rooms looked like a Cheesecake Factory, noting they were covered in gold.
Obama first made the remarks at a rally on Saturday, where he criticized the current administration for cost of living issues and the economic impact of the war in Iran. He described the past two years as a period of chaos and corruption. On Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent responded by having lunch at a Cheesecake Factory near the White House. He ordered a French Dip Cheeseburger and told reporters that the Martha's Vineyard set should give the restaurant a try, a reference to where the Obamas frequently vacation.
President Trump addressed the joke directly when speaking to reporters. He defended his interior choices, claiming he fixed the White House with the finest artisans in the world. He asserted the building is in its best condition since 1792 and called Obama a person who is not a smart guy. The official White House social media account posted a photo of the restaurant's large menu, stating that the only thing bigger than the menu is the list of Trump's accomplishments.
Vice President JD Vance joined the response by accusing Obama of elitism on the social platform X. He wrote that Obama could not help being super elitist. Bessent also made a comment regarding the new Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, describing it as looking like the tomb of the character Darth Vader from the Star Wars films.
Obama returned to the topic at a rally in Georgia on Wednesday. He expressed surprise that the administration focused on the restaurant joke rather than policy critiques. He noted that the president was not upset by the comparison to Saddam Hussein but mobilized a government response to the Cheesecake Factory remark. Obama stated that the White House instructed Bessent to hold a press conference in front of the restaurant. He also clarified that he is a frequent customer, saying he could not have survived his daughters' childhood without the chain.
The discussion of dining costs continued later in the week. At a rally in Texas, Trump told supporters that they could spend the $5,000 he promised to every adult citizen if Republicans maintain control of Congress. He suggested they spend it on dining out at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. He joked that $5,000 might only buy a hamburger and a small dessert there, before advising price-conscious voters not to go.
The chain was founded in 1978 by David Overton, whose mother reportedly made a fine cheesecake. The brand is known for its kitschy decor, which one writer described as a mix of ancient Egypt, Tuscany, and Las Vegas. The current dispute highlights how a specific visual aesthetic has become a measurable point of contention in the midterm campaign.
