Chicago – September 10, 2025
President Donald Trump dined at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab in Washington, DC, Tuesday evening, his first foray to an outside eatery in the district since taking office in January.
Trump has eschewed the capital’s restaurant scene since returning to Washington, choosing instead to dine at the White House or occasionally at his nearby golf club in Sterling, Virginia. He was joined Tuesday by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Upon entering the restaurant, Trump was met with applause from diners. The president remarked to the group gathered in the dining room that DC is “a safe city” and that they should “enjoy” themselves.
“We have a safe city, so that’s good. Enjoy yourself. You won’t be mugged going home,” the president remarked to diners.
As Trump was sitting down to dine, he was approached by protesters chanting “Free DC” and “Free Palestine.”
In video obtained by CNN, a handful of protesters begin chanting, “Free DC, free Palestine, Trump is the Hitler of our time” as the president makes his way through the dining room. The protesters are booed by others dining in the restaurant, and the president ultimately came within a few feet of the protesters before the video ends.
