Trump Bought Cheesecake Factory Stock During Renovation
Financial records show the president acquired up to $175,000 in the chain during his major White House redecorations.
By Kaito Sokolov ·
President Donald Trump purchased up to $175,000 in stock from the Cheesecake Factory during the same period he launched extensive gold-themed renovations of the Oval Office and a new ballroom. New reporting from The Daily Beast cited financial disclosures to reveal the timing of these acquisitions. The purchases coincided with the president's return to office in January 2025.
The revelation adds context to a sharp exchange between Trump and former President Barack Obama. Obama mocked Trump during a Saturday rally in Cleveland, Ohio, comparing the White House interior to a dining establishment run by Saddam Hussein. He told the crowd that the excessive use of gold suggested the administration was more focused on home renovations than on lowering prices.
Trump reacted to the jab on Monday during a rally in Mississippi. He argued that the restaurant is a successful business and stated that only a "stupid person" or "lousy president" would run the country the way Obama did. Trump suggested that Obama would not understand the logic behind the renovations.
The financial disclosures detail the specific transactions. Trump bought between $1,001 and $15,000 in shares on three occasions in January and February 2025. He purchased another $15,001 to $50,000 in shares in March and April, followed by a smaller buy in April. Sales occurred in May and November of the same year, with each sale ranging from $15,001 to $50,000.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle addressed the portfolio structure in a statement to HuffPost. Ingle said that all investments for the president and his immediate family are managed by independent third-party institutions. The spokesperson stated that neither the president nor family members can direct or influence investment decisions.
Ingle asserted that there are no conflicts of interest because all investment choices are made entirely by independent managers. The disclosures indicate that Trump held up to $50,000 in Cheesecake Factory shares as of December 31, 2025.
The stock holdings are part of a larger accumulation of wealth for Trump since his 2025 return to office. He has frequently described the nationwide affordability crisis as a Democratic con, a view critics say is complicated by the costs of his ongoing war on Iran.
