Bessent eats $22.95 burger after Obama's White House joke

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ordered a $22.95 French Dip Cheeseburger at a Cheesecake Factory near the White House on Monday. He did so to answer a criticism made by former President Barack Obama regarding the current administration's spending on the executive mansion.

Bessent, a former hedge fund manager with an estimated net worth of $600 million, left the restaurant and spoke to a Fox Business reporter about Obama's earlier remarks. He referred to the Obama Presidential Center, which opened in June, as a structure that looks like a tomb from a popular science fiction franchise. He also advised the Martha's Vineyard set to try the restaurant, noting that the former president and his wife own an estate on that island.

The specific meal Bessent ordered is listed on the menu as a charbroiled cheeseburger served on a toasted brioche roll. It includes grilled onions, sriracha mayo, and au jus for dipping. The item costs $22.95 at the downtown Washington location. In a follow-up post on X, Bessent also recommended the restaurant's cheeseburger spring rolls to Obama.

The exchange followed a speech by Obama on Saturday at a rally in Ohio. The former president mocked Trump's focus on home renovations and the gold-heavy decor in the White House. He told the crowd that the residence looks like a place where a dictactor opened a Cheesecake Factory. The audience responded with cheers and laughter.

President Trump defended the renovations on Monday afternoon before heading to Mississippi for a campaign event. He stated that the White House is a symbol of America that requires proper maintenance. He argued that Obama failed to see broken ornaments and falling bricks during his time in office. Trump claimed that comparing the building to a restaurant shows why the former president was a lousy leader.

Republican commentators quickly sided with Bessent. Matt Whitlock called the remark classic snobbery, while Scott Jennings said Obama has never been in a Cheesecake Factory. Other voices pushed back against that view. Derek Guy, a menswear influencer, wrote that the criticism is a condescending take on working-class people who used to view the restaurant as a fancy dining option.

The political food fight is happening just days before the midterm election on November 3. Most polls indicate that Democrats are poised to make gains in Congress. The election cycle has been marked by widespread unhappiness with high costs, which has lowered Trump's approval ratings and put Republican majorities in the House and Senate at risk.

The Cheesecake Factory is scheduled to report its third-quarter earnings on Tuesday.