Treasury Secretary Bessent Orders $22.95 Burger in Response to Obama Criticism

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused former President Barack Obama of elitism on Monday after Obama compared President Donald Trump's White House renovations to the interior of a Cheesecake Factory. The dispute centers on whether the restaurant chain represents a symbol of working-class dining or a target of condescending political humor.

Bessent, a former hedge fund manager with an estimated net worth of approximately $600 million, visited a Cheesecake Factory location near the White House. He stated that he ordered his usual item, the French Dip Cheeseburger. The menu lists the dish as a charbroiled cheeseburger on a toasted brioche roll with grilled onions and sriracha mayo. It costs $22.95 at the downtown Washington establishment and comes with French fries or a green salad.

Speaking to a Fox Business reporter outside the restaurant, Bessent directed his criticism at Obama. He referred to the Obama Presidential Center as a structure that looks like Darth Vader's tomb. The center opened in June. Bessent added that he would tell the Martha's Vineyard set to try the restaurant, noting that Obama and his wife Michelle own an estate on that island.

Obama made the original remarks on Saturday during a rally in Ohio. He was speaking in support of gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and Senate candidate Sherrod Brown. Obama told the crowd that Trump seemed focused on home renovations and suggested he should appear on HGTV. He pointed out that the White House features gold everywhere. Obama said, He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory. The audience cheered at the comparison.

Trump responded on Monday afternoon while preparing to travel to Mississippi for a campaign event. He defended the White House redesign by arguing that the building requires proper maintenance. He claimed that Obama failed to address necessary repairs while in office. Trump stated, You don't see dirt. He doesn't see filth. He doesn't see broken ornaments on a building. He called Obama a lousy president for using the cheesecake comparison.

Republican commentators quickly joined the defense of the White House aesthetics. Matt Whitlock, a commentator, posted on X that the comment represented classic Obama snobbery. He noted that the restaurant is a good option for those who cannot afford a private chef. Scott Jennings, a GOP pundit, described Obama as undefeated at condescending to regular folks. Jennings claimed the former president had never dined at the chain.

Other voices pushed back against the idea that the restaurant was a classist insult. Derek Guy, a menswear influencer, wrote that the criticism was a condescending view of working-class people. Guy described growing up in a working-class immigrant family where his family ate at the Cheesecake Factory and Red Lobster for special dinners. He argued that working-class people are not culturally illiterate despite their limited means.

The argument is occurring just days before the November 3 midterm elections. Polls and analyst projections suggest Democrats are likely to gain seats in Congress. The current election cycle is marked by voter dissatisfaction with high costs. This sentiment has contributed to lower approval ratings for President Trump and put Republican majorities in both the House and Senate at risk. The Cheesecake Factory is scheduled to release its third-quarter earnings report on Tuesday.