The 47th president of the United States was inaugurated this Monday in a massive ceremony in Washington and has begun his mandate with a string of controversial measures that include, among others, the dismissal of more than a thousand employees of Joe Biden that, according to Donald Trump“are not aligned with our vision of Make America Great Again.” Among them stood out a famous and beloved Spaniard: José Andrés. This is how the magnate announced it on his social networks early this Tuesday: “Let this serve as Official Notice of Dismissal for these 4 people, and many more soon: José Andrés of the Presidential Council on Sports, Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Mark Milley of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, Brian Hook of the Wilson Center for Scholars, and Keisha Lance Bottoms of the President’s Export Council: YOU’RE FIRED!”
The Spaniard, for his part, did not take long to respond and deny Trump’s words between laughs: “He has not fired me. My two-year term was already over and I submitted my resignation last week.”
Joe Biden appointed José Andrés to the Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Their relationship was magnificent, to the point that the former president awarded the director of the NGO World Central Kitchen the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor. The relationship between the Spaniard and Barack Obama was also fabulous, for which he was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2015. With Trump, however, the story is very different, and is evidenced by the resignation of José Andrés.
The chef is proud of his work as a presidential advisor in the White House, making it clear that it was voluntary and unpaid, and sends a message to the new president of the United States: “I hope that Trump exercises his presidential authority so that the Council can continue advocating for fitness and health for all Americans.” And he adds: “Mr. President, may God give you the wisdom to put aside politics and name-calling and instead support the everyday people working to unite America. Let’s build longer tables.”
I submitted my resignation last week…my 2 year term was already up ?????
I was honored to serve as co-chair of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. My fellow council members – unpaid volunteers like me – were hardworking, talented people who inspired me… https://t.co/8U1l7IoYVp
— Chef José Andrés ???? (@chefjoseandres) January 21, 2025
The conflicts between José Andrés and Trump date back to 2016, when the magnate commissioned the chef to set up one of his restaurants in Trump Tower. However, when the Spaniard was carrying out all the opening procedures, he broke his contract: “We were going to be partners, but I didn’t like the way he spoke about immigrants. I wanted to make a successful restaurant in a hotel that he had rented. to the United States government. He makes us partners, but at the moment when He crosses the limits of what I consider logical with immigrants I decide to break the contract,” José Andrés said a few years ago on the program Planet Calleja. Trump, furious, filed a lawsuit against him for breach of contract. “He sues me for nine million dollars for breaching the contract, but I, more humbly, sue him back for eight million, the expenses in the development of the restaurant. In the end, two years later, our lawyers reached an agreement for behind. I don’t know more,” said José Andrés.
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