Trump Pushes Forward With Lawsuit Against José Andrés

Just today, President-elect Donald Trump tweeted that he believes it is "visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses" and so would be "leaving my great business in total" because the "Presidency is a far more important task." How he plans to distance himself from his businesses, though, remains in question, and his recent tweets are likely little comfort to chefs José Andrés and Geoffrey Zakarian. Both are being sued by the Trump Organization—and there are no signs that the suits will be settled anytime in the near future.

I will be holding a major news conference in New York City with my children on December 15 to discuss the fact that I will be leaving my …

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016

great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! While I am not mandated to ….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016

do this under the law, I feel it is visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016

Hence, legal documents are being crafted which take me completely out of business operations. The Presidency is a far more important task!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016

Sure, Trump settled a lawsuit pending against Trump University following election day—but the Andrés and Zakarian suits remain in this unusual position: They're being sued by the business interests of a soon-to-be sitting president.

The civil lawsuits have to do with a Washington, DC hotel project branded as a Trump International Hotel and located in the historic Old Post Office. Trump's business is suing Andrés and Zakarian for pulling out of an agreement to open restaurants in the hotel. Andrés and Zakarian made their decisions to get out of the deal following Trump's comments in June 2015 about Mexican immigrants, whom he referred to as "drug dealers" and "rapists."

In a court-mandated mediation session on Tuesday, Andrés and the Trump Organization failed to come to an agreement; the lawsuit against Zakarian is not set for mediation, according to Deborah Baum, Zakarian's attorney, and will be proceeding in DC Superior Court—as will Andrés's case.

Depositions taken in the Zakarian case focused, in part, on whether Trump's candidacy—and some of the more outrageous statements he made during it—negatively impacted the future success of the hotel. In his deposition, Trump said, "I think people like politics. And they like to be around the name and maybe me. I think people really dig it."

MUNCHIES reached out to Think Food Group, Zakarian Hospitality, and the Trump Organization for comment, but has yet to hear back from any of the three businesses.

Trump is alleging breach of contract on the part of the restaurateurs and says he has been left without sufficient time to find replacement restaurants. Just this week, though, Nakazawa—the group named for the Jiro Dreams of Sushi chef, which is also behind the eponymous, four-star New York restaurant—announced it would be opening a restaurant in the Trump hotel next summer.

Nakazawa owner Alessandro Borgognone told the Washingtonian, "I feel bad for them," referring to Andres and Zakarian. "My decisions are not clouded by political views or what I feel in my heart, right or wrong. Anytime that we decide something on business, it's what's best for the business." Borgognone refused to say who he supported in the recent election. "My political views are whatever is best for this country," he said.

Is this the closest America will ever get to having a sitting President actually sue a restaurant group? Only time will tell.