Cheesecake Factory became part of a political dispute on October 26, 2026, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dined at the restaurant chain and criticized former President Barack Obama for a joke about President Donald Trump's White House renovations.

Key Takeaways

  • Obama compared the White House's gold-heavy decorations to a Cheesecake Factory at an Ohio campaign rally.
  • Bessent praised the restaurant after dining near the White House and criticized the Obama Presidential Center.

Why Cheesecake Factory entered the debate

At a rally for Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and Senate candidate Sherrod Brown, Obama mocked Trump's renovations, saying the White House looked like “Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”

Trump allies criticized the remark as dismissive of ordinary Americans. Bessent responded after leaving a Cheesecake Factory near the White House, saying he had a great meal and referring to the Obama Presidential Center as a museum that “looks like Darth Vader's tomb.”

Trump defends White House work

Trump defended the renovations on October 26, saying the White House was a symbol of America that needed proper maintenance. His projects include additional Oval Office decorations, a helipad and a ballroom that remains under construction.

Bessent said he ordered a French Dip Cheeseburger and later recommended the chain's Cheeseburger Spring Rolls in a post directed at Obama on X. The exchange came ahead of the November 3 midterm election.

Next milestone

Cheesecake Factory was scheduled to report its third-quarter earnings on October 27.

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