On Tuesday night, September 9, 2025, President Donald Trump made an unexpected foray into the heart of Washington, D.C., departing from the White House to dine at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, a popular restaurant just a block away from the presidential residence. The outing, which was not listed on the president’s official schedule nor previewed on his Truth Social account, quickly became a focal point for both supporters and critics, reflecting the contentious atmosphere surrounding his recent federal crackdown on crime in the capital.
According to Just The News and the Associated Press, Trump’s dinner companions included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt also joined the group, later revealing that the president enjoyed a meal of crab, shrimp, salad, steak, and dessert. The president’s motorcade made the short trip to the restaurant, drawing cheers from some bystanders and a smattering of boos and chants from protesters who had gathered outside to voice their opposition to both Trump’s domestic policies and U.S. support for Israel in its ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Trump’s visit was more than a simple night out; it was a carefully staged demonstration intended to highlight what he claims is the success of his recent crime crackdown in Washington. Last month, Trump declared a crime emergency in the district, initiated a federal takeover of the city and its Metropolitan Police Department, and deployed hundreds of National Guard troops throughout the city. “It’s a safe city and I just want to thank the National Guard,” Trump told reporters outside the restaurant, as quoted by Just The News. “The outcome is really spectacular.”
Inside the restaurant, Trump shook hands with diners, while outside, protesters held up miniature Gaza flags and chanted, “Free D.C.! Free Palestine! Trump is the Hitler of our time!” A video posted to social media showed the president briefly gesturing toward the demonstrators, though he did not engage them in conversation. The scene encapsulated the divided mood in the city, with supporters hailing Trump’s efforts to restore order and critics decrying what they see as authoritarian overreach.
Trump has repeatedly touted the impact of his crackdown, claiming that Washington, D.C. has become “a safe zone” with “virtually no crime.” Speaking to reporters before entering the restaurant, he said, “We’re standing right in the middle of D.C., which as you know about, over the last year, was a very unsafe place — over the last 20 years — and now it’s got virtually no crime.” He added, “The restaurants are booming. People are going out to dinner where they didn’t go out for years.”
However, not everyone agrees with the president’s rosy assessment. The Associated Press noted that Trump is always surrounded by heavy security, making it difficult to gauge the true state of public safety based solely on his willingness to dine out. Additionally, some restaurants have reported drops in reservations since the federal crackdown was announced on August 7, 2025, and the increased military and police presence has sparked occasional standoffs between residents and authorities, even in normally quiet neighborhoods.
The White House reported nearly 2,200 arrests in Washington since the crackdown began, a figure Trump has highlighted as evidence of his administration’s determination to restore order. He has also claimed that people appreciate the removal of homeless encampments as part of the broader effort to clean up the city. Despite these claims, frequent street protests have continued, and some local businesses say the heightened security environment has actually deterred customers.
Trump’s crime-fighting campaign is not limited to Washington. In June 2025, he deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles, and he has threatened similar operations in other major cities, including Baltimore, New Orleans, and Chicago. On the night of his D.C. dinner, Trump told reporters, “We’re going to be announcing another city that we’re going to very shortly,” suggesting that further deployments could come as soon as Wednesday, September 10. He added that the mayor of the next targeted city and the governor of the state “would love us to be there.”
Over the weekend, Trump posted a parody image to his social media accounts referencing the 1979 film Apocalypse Now, with the caption, “I love the smell of deportations in the morning,” and a digitally altered image of helicopters flying over Chicago, rebranded as “Chipocalypse Now.” The post, which also included the phrase “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” was a not-so-subtle nod to Trump’s executive order signed the previous week seeking to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War. While the move has been a talking point in Trump’s campaign to appear tough on crime and national security, the renaming would require congressional approval and has drawn sharp criticism from political opponents.
Among the most vocal critics is Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who responded to Trump’s plans for a federal crackdown in Chicago by calling him a “wannabe dictator.” Pritzker has joined other state and city officials—and many Chicago residents—in denouncing the prospect of a federal intervention as unnecessary and politically motivated. The debate over federal versus local control of policing has reignited longstanding tensions between the Trump administration and leaders of predominantly Democratic cities.
Trump’s dinner at Joe’s Seafood was notable not only for its political overtones but also because such outings have become increasingly rare for the president. With the sale of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, a former hub for administration officials and supporters, Trump’s public appearances in the city have become less frequent. His decision to dine out was, by his own admission, a deliberate signal that he believes his efforts have made the city safer. Last week, he told the Associated Press, “I think it’s something we could consider doing. Love to do it. I love the White House food, but after a while, I could see going to a nice restaurant. It’s safe.”
The evening’s events—cheers, jeers, and all—offered a snapshot of a city and a nation divided over questions of safety, civil liberties, and the proper role of federal power. As Trump continues to expand his crackdown to other cities and pursues controversial policy changes, the debate shows no signs of abating. For now, the president’s dinner out serves as both a symbol of his administration’s aggressive approach to crime and a lightning rod for those who see that approach as a threat to democratic norms.
As the dust settles from Tuesday night’s outing, all eyes remain on Washington—and on Trump’s next move in his campaign to reshape America’s urban landscape.
