Bessent Eats Burger After Obama Joke

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dined at a Cheesecake Factory location near the White House on Monday. He ordered a French Dip Cheeseburger and French fries. The meal cost $22.95. Bessent left the restaurant to address a Fox Business reporter about former President Barack Obama's recent criticism of President Donald Trump's White House renovations.

Obama made the comments on Saturday at a rally in Ohio. He supported Democratic candidates Amy Acton and Sherrod Brown. The former president joked that Trump was focused on home renovations. He said the White House looked like a place where Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory. The crowd laughed and cheered at the remark.

Bessent responded by calling Obama's comment elitist. He pointed to the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. He described the structure as a museum that looks like Darth Vader's tomb. The center opened in June. Bessent noted that Obama and his wife Michelle own an estate on Martha's Vineyard. He urged the Martha's Vineyard set to try eating at the chain restaurant.

Bessent is a former hedge fund manager. His net worth is estimated at around $600 million. He posted a follow-up on X recommending Cheeseburger Spring Rolls. He directed the comment at Obama. Other Trump allies had already criticized Obama for what they called snobbery. They argued the chain restaurant is a popular choice for working-class Americans.

Republican commentator Matt Whitlock wrote on X that the comment showed classic Obama snobbery. He noted that the restaurant is a good option for those who cannot afford a private chef. GOP pundit Scott Jennings called Obama undefeated at condescending to regular folks. Jennings claimed the former president has never been in a Cheesecake Factory.

Some observers pushed back against that interpretation. Derek Guy, a menswear influencer, wrote on X that the view was condescending to working-class people. He grew up in a working-class immigrant family. His family ate at Red Lobster and Cheesecake Factory for fancy nights out. He stated that working-class people are not culturally illiterate because of their limited means.

Trump defended his redesign on Monday afternoon. He said the White House is a symbol of America and must be maintained properly. He claimed Obama did not see dirt or filth. He said the columns cannot be broken and the bricks cannot be falling off. Trump added that the comparison to a cheesecake factory showed why Obama was a lousy president.

The White House renovations include gold leaf in the Oval Office. Construction continues on a helipad and a ballroom. The dispute occurs days before the midterm election on Nov. 3. Polls suggest Democrats may gain seats in Congress. The Cheesecake Factory is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings on Tuesday.