At last, after two years of legal battles, chef José Andrés and the Trump Organization, now run by Eric and Donald Jr., have reached a settlement. A refresher: Andrés, an immigrant from Spain, had planned on opening a restaurant inside the Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office Pavilion in Washington, D.C. After Trump spoke out against Mexican immigrants, Andrés left the project; Trump sued him for $10 million in damages; then Andrés countersued for $8 million, refusing to back down, and arguing that Trump’s comments prohibited him from hiring Hispanic staff or attracting Hispanic customers. In February, the chef confidently told Grub, “If we’re going to do this, I’m going to win this case.”
While the terms of the settlement aren’t being disclosed, Donald Jr. is calling it a “win-win for both of our companies.” Andrés went as far as to say, “Going forward, we are excited about the prospects of working together with the Trump Organization on a variety of programs to benefit the community.” He also sent out a tweet of relief, echoing the “win-win” statement:
After all, Andrés did also say to Grub, “Winning has never been about destroying others. It’s about bringing everybody along with you,” as far-fetched as it seems that he’d ever again collaborate with the Trump family.
