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A side-by-side photo shows a CodePink activist (l) as she and her fellow activists chant against President Donald Trump at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab restaurant in Washington, DC on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
"They feast while Gaza starves!" said members of the peace group CodePink to the far-right president and his cabinet.
Local peace activists in Washington, DC, were swiftly ejected on Tuesday night after confronting President Donald Trump and several members of his cabinet who were dining in a steak and seafood restaurant, but not before they castigated the men for "feasting" in opulence while the people of Gaza "starve" under the brutal humanitarian blockade imposed by the US and Israeli governments.
The small group of CodePink activists chanted "They feast while Gaza starves!" and "Trump is the Hitler of our time!" as Trump looked on just several feet away inside Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab restaurant, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and others.
"He's terrorizing Gaza and communities all over the world!" one activist in the group shouted at Trump. At the same time, the president looked on and then shooed them to go away with a point of his finger and then a gesture to his Secret Service detail.
- YouTube
"While Trump, JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and others feasted at a steakhouse, we stood our ground and told them the truth," said Olivia DiNucci, the group's DC organizer, in a statement following the confrontation. "Two years into genocide, Gaza is under evacuation orders, Puerto Rico and Venezuela are in the crosshairs, and the Pentagon proudly calls itself the Department of War. Trump looked us in the eyes, and we made sure he would never dine in peace while communities are under siege."
CodePink said a Trump administration "prioritizing war and the wealthy over the needs of the American people and human rights abroad" should not be able to dine in luxury when it is causing so much pain and misery both abroad and in communities nationwide in the US, including the capital.
The group specifically condemned ongoing "support for the genocide in Gaza, reckless and illegal military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean, and the deployment of troops and ICE agents within US borders. As well as the growing threat of occupying U.S. cities with the deployment of the National Guard."
With National Guard troops now deployed in Los Angeles and Washington, DC—and with the Trump administration announcing the launch of what it dubbed operation "Midway Blitz" in Chicago this week—CodePink said there is growing anger nationwide over the president's authoritarian and fascist tactics that are reminiscent of how Adolf Hitler intensified his violent grip on power in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 40s.
"We hope he sees our faces in his mind, for a long time," said one group member who confronted Trump in the restaurant. "Because he looked us all in the eyes as we were standing there. We will continue to fight for DC. We will continue to fight for a free Palestine every single day."
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.
Two years into genocide, Gaza is under evacuation orders, Puerto Rico and Venezuela are in… pic.twitter.com/FswxHD9QHA
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) September 10, 2025
The activists received high praise online for their disruptive efforts.
"Pretty gutsy in my opinion. I don't know how they got so close," said journalist and writer Tim Shorrock.
"Amazing!" declared writer Polly Sigh. "My hats off to these brave protesters for saying it right to his ugly orange face."
In its statement, CodePink said that while Trump's authoritarian march at home and warmongering abroad continues, "the very programs that support struggling Americans—healthcare, education, and addiction treatment—face severe cuts."
"This agenda, funded by a bill providing massive tax cuts for the super-rich, is being paid for by a working class that cannot afford it," said the group, which added that their minor disruption of a dinner for some of the world's most powerful men represents the frustration of a majority of Americans who reject these priorities.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Local peace activists in Washington, DC, were swiftly ejected on Tuesday night after confronting President Donald Trump and several members of his cabinet who were dining in a steak and seafood restaurant, but not before they castigated the men for "feasting" in opulence while the people of Gaza "starve" under the brutal humanitarian blockade imposed by the US and Israeli governments.
The small group of CodePink activists chanted "They feast while Gaza starves!" and "Trump is the Hitler of our time!" as Trump looked on just several feet away inside Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab restaurant, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and others.
"He's terrorizing Gaza and communities all over the world!" one activist in the group shouted at Trump. At the same time, the president looked on and then shooed them to go away with a point of his finger and then a gesture to his Secret Service detail.
- YouTube
"While Trump, JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and others feasted at a steakhouse, we stood our ground and told them the truth," said Olivia DiNucci, the group's DC organizer, in a statement following the confrontation. "Two years into genocide, Gaza is under evacuation orders, Puerto Rico and Venezuela are in the crosshairs, and the Pentagon proudly calls itself the Department of War. Trump looked us in the eyes, and we made sure he would never dine in peace while communities are under siege."
CodePink said a Trump administration "prioritizing war and the wealthy over the needs of the American people and human rights abroad" should not be able to dine in luxury when it is causing so much pain and misery both abroad and in communities nationwide in the US, including the capital.
The group specifically condemned ongoing "support for the genocide in Gaza, reckless and illegal military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean, and the deployment of troops and ICE agents within US borders. As well as the growing threat of occupying U.S. cities with the deployment of the National Guard."
With National Guard troops now deployed in Los Angeles and Washington, DC—and with the Trump administration announcing the launch of what it dubbed operation "Midway Blitz" in Chicago this week—CodePink said there is growing anger nationwide over the president's authoritarian and fascist tactics that are reminiscent of how Adolf Hitler intensified his violent grip on power in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 40s.
"We hope he sees our faces in his mind, for a long time," said one group member who confronted Trump in the restaurant. "Because he looked us all in the eyes as we were standing there. We will continue to fight for DC. We will continue to fight for a free Palestine every single day."
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.
Two years into genocide, Gaza is under evacuation orders, Puerto Rico and Venezuela are in… pic.twitter.com/FswxHD9QHA
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) September 10, 2025
The activists received high praise online for their disruptive efforts.
"Pretty gutsy in my opinion. I don't know how they got so close," said journalist and writer Tim Shorrock.
"Amazing!" declared writer Polly Sigh. "My hats off to these brave protesters for saying it right to his ugly orange face."
In its statement, CodePink said that while Trump's authoritarian march at home and warmongering abroad continues, "the very programs that support struggling Americans—healthcare, education, and addiction treatment—face severe cuts."
"This agenda, funded by a bill providing massive tax cuts for the super-rich, is being paid for by a working class that cannot afford it," said the group, which added that their minor disruption of a dinner for some of the world's most powerful men represents the frustration of a majority of Americans who reject these priorities.
Local peace activists in Washington, DC, were swiftly ejected on Tuesday night after confronting President Donald Trump and several members of his cabinet who were dining in a steak and seafood restaurant, but not before they castigated the men for "feasting" in opulence while the people of Gaza "starve" under the brutal humanitarian blockade imposed by the US and Israeli governments.
The small group of CodePink activists chanted "They feast while Gaza starves!" and "Trump is the Hitler of our time!" as Trump looked on just several feet away inside Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab restaurant, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and others.
"He's terrorizing Gaza and communities all over the world!" one activist in the group shouted at Trump. At the same time, the president looked on and then shooed them to go away with a point of his finger and then a gesture to his Secret Service detail.
- YouTube
"While Trump, JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and others feasted at a steakhouse, we stood our ground and told them the truth," said Olivia DiNucci, the group's DC organizer, in a statement following the confrontation. "Two years into genocide, Gaza is under evacuation orders, Puerto Rico and Venezuela are in the crosshairs, and the Pentagon proudly calls itself the Department of War. Trump looked us in the eyes, and we made sure he would never dine in peace while communities are under siege."
CodePink said a Trump administration "prioritizing war and the wealthy over the needs of the American people and human rights abroad" should not be able to dine in luxury when it is causing so much pain and misery both abroad and in communities nationwide in the US, including the capital.
The group specifically condemned ongoing "support for the genocide in Gaza, reckless and illegal military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean, and the deployment of troops and ICE agents within US borders. As well as the growing threat of occupying U.S. cities with the deployment of the National Guard."
With National Guard troops now deployed in Los Angeles and Washington, DC—and with the Trump administration announcing the launch of what it dubbed operation "Midway Blitz" in Chicago this week—CodePink said there is growing anger nationwide over the president's authoritarian and fascist tactics that are reminiscent of how Adolf Hitler intensified his violent grip on power in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 40s.
"We hope he sees our faces in his mind, for a long time," said one group member who confronted Trump in the restaurant. "Because he looked us all in the eyes as we were standing there. We will continue to fight for DC. We will continue to fight for a free Palestine every single day."
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.
Two years into genocide, Gaza is under evacuation orders, Puerto Rico and Venezuela are in… pic.twitter.com/FswxHD9QHA
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) September 10, 2025
The activists received high praise online for their disruptive efforts.
"Pretty gutsy in my opinion. I don't know how they got so close," said journalist and writer Tim Shorrock.
"Amazing!" declared writer Polly Sigh. "My hats off to these brave protesters for saying it right to his ugly orange face."
In its statement, CodePink said that while Trump's authoritarian march at home and warmongering abroad continues, "the very programs that support struggling Americans—healthcare, education, and addiction treatment—face severe cuts."
"This agenda, funded by a bill providing massive tax cuts for the super-rich, is being paid for by a working class that cannot afford it," said the group, which added that their minor disruption of a dinner for some of the world's most powerful men represents the frustration of a majority of Americans who reject these priorities.