President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening ate at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab in downtown Washington, D.C., and was met outside the restaurant by a group of protesters who chanted at him before he entered.
Video obtained by media outlets showed demonstrators chanting "Free D.C., free Palestine, Trump is the Hitler of our time" as the president stood briefly in the street and then proceeded into the restaurant. The anti-war group Code Pink posted footage and took credit for a pop-up protest outside the restaurant, according to reports.
A White House video of the visit showed Trump addressing diners inside, saying: "We have a safe city. Enjoy yourselves — you won't be mugged going home. Have a good time, everybody." He added a joking admonition: "Don't drink too much."
Trump was accompanied to the restaurant, located about two blocks from the White House, by several senior officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
The outing marked the first time, according to the White House and media reports, that Trump has dined at a Washington restaurant that he does not own since taking office. During his first term, the president frequently ate at BLT Prime, the steakhouse inside the former Trump International Hotel.
Before entering Joe's, Trump told reporters he would have avoided such an outing months or a year ago but that he now considered the capital safe. "I wouldn't have done this three months ago, four months ago, I certainly wouldn't have done it a year ago. This is one of the most unsafe cities in the country, now it's as safe as it is in the country," he said, later crediting the National Guard for helping to restore safety and saying restaurants were "booming."
Last month the administration federalized policing in the District and deployed National Guard troops to assist local law enforcement, a move that Trump has cited as central to improving public safety. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser cooperated with the federal action, the White House said. Independently elected District Attorney Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit last week arguing that deploying armed soldiers to assist in policing exceeded permissible authority, and Trump has publicly criticized Schwalb's legal challenge.
Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab traces its origins to Miami Beach, where the original Joe's Stone Crab has been a local staple and was designated a historic landmark in 1975. The downtown Washington location's proximity to the White House and its politically mixed clientele appeared to make it an accessible choice for the president's outing.
The visit came amid broader tensions over the administration's approach to the capital. In recent weeks members of Trump's team who visited National Guard troops stationed in the city drew protests at public venues; aides including Vance and Hegseth were heckled when they visited Union Station and patronized a nearby eatery.
Restaurant owners and other business leaders in the city have reported a decline in business since the National Guard deployment, while the president has publicly characterized the situation as an economic revival for local establishments. The exchange outside Joe's and the administration's continued emphasis on law-and-order measures underscore ongoing disputes between federal officials and some local leaders and residents over security, policing and civilian oversight.
No injuries or arrests were reported in connection with Tuesday night's demonstration, and the White House video showed the president proceeding into the restaurant with his party.