But the evening quickly turned chaotic. As Trump entered the dining room and greeted patrons, a group of women from the anti-war activist organization Code Pink approached, unleashing their chants and holding up keffiyehs and Palestinian banners. Videos circulating on social media captured the moment: Trump paused, stared directly at the protesters with a steely gaze, and gestured for them to be removed, saying "Come on, let's go" without uttering a verbal response. Secret Service agents swiftly escorted the group out, while some restaurant patrons booed the protesters and countered with "U-S-A!" chants.
Code Pink later claimed responsibility on social media, posting: "While Trump, JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth and others feasted at a steakhouse, we stood our ground and told them the truth: Free DC. Free Palestine. Trump is the Hitler of our time." One protester in a follow-up video declared, "We are not afraid of Trump... he looked us right in the eyes and we stood our ground." The group tied the demonstration to ongoing concerns over Gaza, D.C. safety under federal control, and Trump's foreign policy.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna called for a probe into how Code Pink agitators knew Trump’s unannounced schedule and positioned themselves inside the restaurant:
“Did someone leak the President’s location to the organization that showed up to protest him? Was this code pink? How are they allowed that close to him? Where was Secret Service and was there someone in Secret Service that leaked his location? This needs to be looked into.”
The confrontation marks the second public heckling of Trump this week, following jeers at a New York event. Outside the restaurant, a crowd gathered with a mix of cheers for Trump and scattered "Free Palestine" shouts. Neither the Secret Service nor D.C. Metropolitan Police immediately commented on how the protesters gained access inside, though speculation swirled about potential leaks from restaurant staff in the heavily Democratic district.
Trump appeared unfazed throughout, continuing to smile and wave at supporters as the chaos unfolded. The episode highlights the polarized atmosphere in Washington amid Trump's aggressive policies on crime, immigration, and Middle East conflicts, with videos of the stare-down amassing millions of views online.
