FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 9, 2025
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
“THEY FEAST WHILE GAZA STARVES:” CODEPINK Disrupts President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and War Secretary Pete Hegseth Dinner
WASHINGTON – CODEPINK disrupted a private dinner attended by President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other officials, directly calling out the Trump administration’s policies, both foreign and domestic.
The activists chanted, “They feast while Gaza starves.” “Trump is the Hitler of our time.” “Free DC. Free Palestine!” and “Stop terrorizing communities all over the world! “
“While Trump, JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and others feasted at a steakhouse, we stood our ground and told them the truth,” explained CODEPINK’s DC organizer Olivia DiNucci. “Two years into genocide, Gaza is under evacuation orders, Puerto Rico and Venezuela are in the crosshairs, and the Pentagon proudly calls itself the Department of War. Trump looked us in the eyes, and we made sure he would never dine in peace while communities are under siege,” she continued.
CODEPINK’s message is clear: the administration is prioritizing war and the wealthy over the needs of the American people and human rights abroad. CODEPINK condemns U.S. support for the genocide in Gaza, reckless and illegal military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean, and the deployment of troops and ICE agents within U.S. borders. As well as the growing threat of occupying U.S. cities with the deployment of the National Guard.
Meanwhile, the very programs that support struggling Americans—healthcare, education, and addiction treatment—face severe cuts. This agenda, funded by a bill providing massive tax cuts for the super-rich, is being paid for by a working class that cannot afford it. CODEPINK's disruption represents the frustration of a majority of Americans who reject these priorities.
For more information about this disruption or to request an interview or unbranded video, please contact Melissa at [email protected].
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