WASHINGTON: Protesters jeered US President Donald Trump during a rare public dinner at a Washington restaurant, with viral videos capturing shouts of “Free DC! Free Palestine! Trump is the Hitler of our time!”
The 79-year-old Republican approached the shouting protesters and paused just a few feet away, nodding and smiling placidly without offering any verbal response.
Trump then gestured for the area to be cleared and said “come on, let’s go” before Secret Service agents moved the protesters who were waving Palestinian flags.
Other diners in the restaurant responded with boos or chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” during the confrontation.
The Secret Service and DC Metropolitan Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the incident.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump and his team dined on crab, shrimp, salad, steak and dessert at a restaurant located just blocks from the White House.
Trump was accompanied by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, and Leavitt among others.
Video footage showed Vance shaking diners’ hands and telling them to enjoy their meal during the evening.
Before the meal, Trump told press that “the restaurants now are booming” in DC and credited his crackdown using National Guard troops.
Pool reporters noted that Trump received loud cheers from people across the street along with some boos as he arrived at the restaurant. – AFP