Trump's Chicago Hotel Restaurant Failed Its Health Inspection (And Not For The First Time)

Donald Trump is a self-described germaphobe: It's one of the reasons why the President is such a big McDonald's fan. "I'm a very clean person. I like cleanliness, and I think you're better off going there than maybe someplace that you have no idea where the food's coming from," he told CNN in 2016. "It's a certain standard."

Trump received plenty of flack for the statement since conventional wisdom has it that chain restaurants are dirty and disease-infested. The President had a point, though. Studies have repeatedly shown that chain restaurants have higher safety standards than mom and pop joints.

Unfortunately, those safety standards don't seem to extend to Trump's own properties. On December 17, 2025, the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago's Terrace 16 restaurant failed its health inspection. According to reports, the kitchen was had small flies in the kitchen and wastewater draining onto the floor. The dishwasher was also "not properly sanitizing," perishable foods were held at dangerous temperatures, and shellfish were not labeled with a sold or serve-by date. By the time the inspector returned on December 23, the restaurant had cleaned up its act.

This isn't the first time the Chicago branch of Trump International Hotel has failed a health inspection. The hotel's restaurants have failed health inspections six times since 2017 — and had a few close calls, too. In 2024, Terrace 16 failed inspection after officials found the chef was re-using oyster shells as plates. Inspectors also found flies, missing hand soap, and improper food storage.

Other Trump properties have fallen afoul of local health departments, too. In November 2025, the Trump National Golf Club Westchester received a long list of health code violations, including reports of insects and rodents, dirty surfaces, and improperly stored food. The club received a 32 out of 100, the lowest score in the county. When inspectors returned, the club passed inspection — but just barely. In 2017, the president's Mar-A-Largo resort likewise received a long list of health violations.

The famous germaphobe seems to trust his own restaurants, even if health inspectors don't. The Trump Hotel's steakhouse is the only D.C. restaurant the president has ever visited over the course of his two terms. Still, if the president wants to keep eating well-done steak in his own kitchens, his properties need to start upping their game.