Trump laughs off Mar-a-Lago pricing as MAGA pushes back on Obama’s elitist Cheesecake Factory jab
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President Donald Trump jokingly noted the high-end nature of Mar-a-Lago during a Texas rally, while supporters criticized Barack Obama’s Cheesecake Factory reference as another snobbish swipe that offended everyday Americans.
President Donald Trump said at a Texas rally that Mar-a-Lago is not a good option for price-conscious diners, joking that even a $5,000 "Trump dividend" would likely only buy a hamburger and a small dessert. The comment came after former President Barack Obama had used a Cheesecake Factory reference to criticize Trump’s White House ballroom renovation, prompting a wave of MAGA criticism that labeled the remark elitist and out of touch.
Online commentators highlighted the apparent contradiction, noting that while Trump’s allies mocked Obama for disparaging a chain considered affordable by many, Trump himself suggested his own private club was beyond the reach of ordinary Americans.
"That's not a good place if you're price conscious," Trump said.
The debate revived earlier social-media reactions, including a remark from progressive commentator Jordan Uhl that the Cheesecake Factory mockery was elitist, and a quip from former Biden speechwriter Dan Cluchey about the “Great Cheesecake Factory Moral Panic of 2026.”
Republican lawmakers such as Rep. Randy Fine and Rep. Lance Gooden posted photos and comments defending the chain as a reasonable dining option for working Americans. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also praised a recent lunch at the restaurant.
The episode underscores the ongoing partisan contest over perceived elitism and economic concerns ahead of the midterm elections, with critics once again trying—and failing—to turn a casual remark into a scandal.