Donald Trump filed a $10 million lawsuit on Friday against chef Jose Andres for a breach of contract after the restaurateur cancelled plans to open a restaurant in Trump’s new hotel in Washington, D.C., Washingtonian reported.
Andres pulled out of the deal after Trump made inflammatory comments about Mexican immigrants, calling them “rapists” and drug dealers.
“More than half of my team is Hispanic, as are many of our guests. And, as a proud Spanish immigrant and recently naturalized American citizen myself, I believe that every human being deserves respect, regardless of immigration status,” Andres said earlier in July while explaining why he would cancel plans for the restaurant.
Trump indicated in the lawsuit filed by Trump Old Post Office LLC that Andres should not have been surprised by Trump’s remarks about immigrants.
“Mr. Andres’ stated refusal to proceed with his obligations under the Lease were allegedly based on his personal offense to statements made by Mr. Trump with respects to illegal immigration during his June 16, 2015 presidential campaign announcement speech,” the lawsuit reads. “Mr. Andres’ offense is curious in light of the fact that Mr. Trump’s publicly shared views on immigration have remained consistent for many years, and Mr. Trump’s willingness to frankly share his opinions is widely known.”
In the lawsuit, Trump’s lawyer argues that Andres could not end his contract with the Trump hotel over the presidential candidate’s remarks.
According to the lawsuit, the Trump hotel “has already suffered and will continue to suffer millions of dollars in costs, expenses, losses and other damages” due to Andres’ decision to “suddenly abandon” the restaurant.
Read the lawsuit, courtesy of Washingtonian:
