Global Food Institute Founder José Andrés responded via social media to his “dismissal” by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, three weeks after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President Joe Biden.
Trump posted an “Official Notice of Dismissal” for four individuals, including Andrés — who served on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition under Biden — on Truth Social as part of his intended removal of “over a thousand” of Biden’s political appointees. Andrés partnered with the University in 2023 to launch the Global Food Institute, a culinary institute focused on using education and research to improve global food sustainability, security and distribution.
Andrés responded to Trump’s post on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating “I submitted my resignation last week…my 2 year term was already up.”
Trump also dismissed retired Gen. Mark Milley from the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, Trump’s former envoy to Iran Brian Hook from the Wilson Center for Scholars and former Mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms from the President’s Export Council.
On Jan. 4, Biden awarded Andrés the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest honor a civilian can receive — for his work providing food aid to communities impacted by natural disasters and conflict. Andrés, who delivered GW’s Commencement keynote address in 2014, founded the nonprofit World Central Kitchen, which collaborates with chefs in local communities to prepare regional cuisine and provide food relief in areas of disaster, following Haiti’s 2010 earthquake.
“I’m proud of what we accomplished on behalf of the American people…like a historic partnership between the White House and every major sports league to increase access to sports and health programs for kids,” Andrés stated in his post.
In 2020, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser tapped Andrés to co-chair a committee of ReOpen D.C. Advisory Group, a task force committed to outlining recovery plans for local restaurants during the pandemic. Andrés oversaw 12 members of the committee tasked with addressing food accessibility challenges throughout D.C.