Trump Hotel Employees Reveal What It Was Really Like Catering to the Right Wing Elite

[brooklynite]

Washingtonian

Everyone knew Table 72 belonged to the President. The round booth in the middle of the Trump Hotel’s mezzanine was impossible to miss. It didn’t matter how many Congress members were clamoring for a reservation at the steakhouse or whether some tourist tried to slip a manager some cash (which they definitely did). No one sat at Trump’s table except the President, his children, and, occasionally, an approved member of his inner circle like Rudy Giuliani or Mike Pence.

In practical terms, the restaurant wanted to avoid the horror of turning away the leader of the free world if he happened to show up on a whim. But the seat also developed a kind of mystique. Sure, it may now be a relic in an underperforming venue. But for those four epic years, it was a carefully curated prop in the Trump Show.

And when the star appeared, you had to stick to the script. A “Standard Operating Procedure” document, recently obtained by Washingtonian, outlined step by step exactly what to do and what to say anytime Trump dined at BLT Prime, the hotel restaurant.

As soon as Trump was seated, the server had to “discreetly present” a mini bottle of Purell hand sanitizer. (This applied long before Covid, mind you.) Next, cue dialogue: “Good (time of day) Mr. President. Would you like your Diet Coke with or without ice?” the server was instructed to recite. A polished tray with chilled bottles and highball glasses was already prepared for either response. Directions for pouring the soda were detailed in a process no fewer than seven steps long—and illustrated with four photo exhibits. The beverage had to be opened in front of the germophobe commander in chief, “never beforehand.” The server was to hold a longneck-bottle opener by the lower third of the handle in one hand and the Diet Coke, also by the lower third, in the other. Once poured, the drink had to be placed at the President’s right-hand side. “Repeat until POTUS departs.”

[BSdetect]

1. What a pompous windbag he is.

[efhmc]

2. Would that the FP had been as meticulous about how he treated the American people.

[tanyev]

3. A Confederacy of A**holes.

[FSogol]

4. You just know that those diet coke bottles wiped a few asses before being presented to the

ass-in-chief.

[Moostache]

5. Instead of pissing on that piece of shit's grave, I have a new plan...

I am going to open Diet Cokes the wrong way and leave them all around it. Half-opened, spilled, boiling hot, flat, dirty smudged glasses....you imagine it, I will do it.

Fuck that piece of shit, fuck his hideously warped off-spring and fuck that family name for all-time. Worst. Person. Ever.

[gratuitous]

6. And what if they found a brown M&M?

Can't help wondering how many gallons of spit were served up to that table over the four years.

[dsc]

7. I will go to my grave utterly mystified at how such a germaphobe so botched a pandemic

I mean, even at the WH, no precautions were being taken or encouraged to be taken. It would be like electing Monk as President and seeing a filthy WH. When the pandemic first hit, I really believed that would be the one thing he might actually be ready to handle. Man was I wrong.

[Cracklin Charlie]

8. Just like everything else...

He’s a fake germaphobe. He fakes everything.

Probably an attempt to hide all the gross, nasty things he has done.

A real germaphobe wouldn’t even eat there.

[modrepub]

15. I Think He Concluded That It Made Him Look Weak

Being over precautious somewhat effeminates him (in his mind) at least on the germaphobe front. Once the Pandemic started to catch fire the orange menace just figured he'd try to ignore it or better yet blame other people for it. At some point it became a way to attack opponents and critics. You're not man enough to stand up to this Pandemic, look at me I'm not afraid (until he got it then he was probably panicked).

He's F-ed up in the head. If there's anything I'd give him credit for it's being able to get this far in his life amassing enough cash flow for appearances all on bluster and bulls-t. He's a prime example why I have my doubts about a higher deity.

[Mike 03]

17. Based on everything I've read I've concluded he isn't really a germaphobe, just

somebody who hates to be touched, not because of germs but for other psychological reasons.

And it's further validated by a chapter in this book I'm reading now called Blood and Oil: Mohammed Bin Salman's Ruthless Quest for Global Power about the preparation for Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia.

All the planning is only about how not to get Trump into a situation where he might look foolish, and the secondary concern is that he not be touched by a stranger. SA wanted to present him with a medal and a major concern was would he allow someone to put it around his neck. They finally reached a compromise where the medal could be put around his neck but that he wouldn't bow his head.

Not a word about avoiding germs, etc...

Germaphobia is an excuse he's used when needed to avoid touching or being touched, especially by people he doesn't know, or just generally to avoid situations that make him anxious.

[live love laugh]

26. Botched nothing ... intentionally sabotaged and created chaos is what he did. And I remain flummoxed

as to why. The only logical answer I can think of is he wanted to cover up his own personal failure.

The economy, for instance, was tanking pre-pandemic with multiple store gain closures, inflation from tariffs, etc .

But letting Covid rage, and letting the death toll climb, caused exponentially more economic damage while covering his economic policy failures.

[C_U_L8R]

9. Hope Hicks... "Do you know who I am!!!???"

Yeah, a nobody.

[Dakota Flint]

10. Too bad

A "server" didn't shove the diet coke up his ass!

[tinrobot]

11. If he was such a germaphobe, why the hell didn't he wear a mask?

Jeez. If you're gonna go germaphobe, do it right.

[lame54]

18. Or raw dog a porn star

[OMGWTF]

20. If Shitler is such a germaphobe why did he raw dog a porn star?

[TeamPooka]

21. he's not a germaphobe. He just knows he's such a huge dick that staff will want to spit

in his food and drinks.

[Mike 03]

25. You're instinct is right. He's not a true germaphobe.

It's something else.

There's a famous producer in Hollywood, and when you go to work for him the first thing you are told is "Don't look him in the eyes or you'll be fired." And he actually has fired assistants for looking him in the eyes, even just to say "Hi" in the hallway. It only applies to people beneath him, though.

I think it really is some strange notion of what makes him feel weak or exposed. And he hates to be touched. It really seems like an excuse not to have to engage with other human beings and risk the feeling of vulnerability during a human encounter.

[msfiddlestix]

12. What interests me is, what's the situation now?

Still reserved for the Crime Boss and his Lieutenants?

[twodogsbarking]

13. His paranoia is real.

He has enemies.

[benld74]

14. NOT gonna read article, cause IDC

[Historic NY]

16. 40 oz tomahawk steak, they are ripping him off

you can't eat a well done bone.

[Politicub]

19. Great article. And, how does someone eat a well-done steak?

It would be tougher than shoe leather.

I’m not a food snob, but I do like my steaks on the rarer side because of taste and texture.

My dad is squeamish when it comes to rare beef, though, and prefers well-done. If he wants steak, we will eat somewhere he can get a chopped steak. He’s happy and so am I.

[Aviation Pro]

22. How the fuck is this shitbag still alive?

Really, how the fuck is he still vertical?

[LaMouffette]

23. Not a germophobe. He was afraid someone might attempt to poison him (and with good reason).

All that time spent playing footsie with the Russian oligarchs, I'm sure it did not escape his attention that so many enemies of the Russian power structure ended up being poisoned.

[BobTheSubgenius]

24. Just a tad OCD, don't you think?

That kind of behaviour ought to disqualify someone from getting anywhere near the nuclear football.