GOP leader tells Trump to 'tone it down' as Spanish-born chef Jose Andres cancels restaurant in candidate's new hotel over controversial immigrant remarks

  • Andres has decided to cancel his plans to open an eatery at Trump International Hotel under construction in Washington
  • Donald Trump Jr. issued a statement threatening legal action and noted that Andres has a 10-year lease
  • Meanwhile, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus has responded to demands from party leaders by asking Trump to tone down his immigrant stance

Celebrity chef Jose Andres backed out of plans Wednesday to open a flagship restaurant in Donald Trump's new hotel under construction in Washington amid ongoing fallout from Trump's political statements.

Andres, a Spanish immigrant, cited Trump's statements 'disparaging immigrants' in his decision to cancel plans to open an eatery at the Trump International Hotel. Andres is known for popularizing the small dishes known as tapas in the United States.

Also on Wednesday, RNC Chairman Reince Preibus responded to worried calls from GOP leaders by asking Trump to tone down his immigrant rhetoric.

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Another one dumped Trump: Celebrity chef Jose Andres backed out of plans Wednesday to open a flagship restaurant in Donald Trump's new hotel under construction in Washington amid ongoing fallout from Trump's political statements.

Another one dumped Trump: Celebrity chef Jose Andres backed out of plans Wednesday to open a flagship restaurant in Donald Trump's new hotel under construction in Washington amid ongoing fallout from Trump's political statements.

'Look, I've gotta tell you, I spent four years trying to make inroads with the Hispanic community...how we address illegal immigration is very important,' Priebus told Trump in a pleading phone call Wednesday, reports CNN.

According to NBC, the nearly hour-long conversation came with an order more than a suggestion. 'Tone it down,' Priedbus reportedly said.

Real estate mogul and Republican presidential candidate Trump said in a speech June 16 that some Mexican immigrants bring drugs and crime to the U.S., and some are rapists. Various organizations are severing relationships with Trump.

Andres said Trump's statements 'make it impossible for my company and I to move forward.' More than half of his team is Hispanic, as are many of his restaurant guests, the chef said.

'As a proud Spanish immigrant and recently naturalized American citizen myself, I believe that every human being deserves respect, regardless of immigration status,' Andres said.

The new 270-room Trump International Hotel is being built in the historic Old Post Office Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the Capitol. It is slated to open in 2016 after a $200 million redevelopment.

The new 270-room Trump International Hotel is being built in the historic Old Post Office Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the Capitol. It is slated to open in 2016 after a $200 million redevelopment

The new 270-room Trump International Hotel is being built in the historic Old Post Office Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the Capitol. It is slated to open in 2016 after a $200 million redevelopment

GOP pleads: Also on Wednesday, RNC Chairman Reince Preibus responded to worried calls from GOP leaders by asking Trump to tone down his immigrant rhetoric

GOP pleads: Also on Wednesday, RNC Chairman Reince Preibus responded to worried calls from GOP leaders by asking Trump to tone down his immigrant rhetoric

Donald Trump Jr., Trump's son and a Trump Organization executive, issued a statement threatening legal action and noted that Andres has a 10-year lease. The Trump Organization would seek to recover any unpaid rent for the full 10-year term, he said.

'Our relationship with Jose Andres has always been a good one, but simply put, Jose has no right to terminate or otherwise abandon his obligations under the lease,' Donald Trump Jr. said. 'We will also enforce the exclusivity provisions preventing Mr. Andres from opening a competing restaurant anywhere in the D.C area.'

On Monday, The Washington Post reported some immigrant workers at the hotel construction site said they came to the country illegally and are wary now of working for Trump.

Donald Trump was set to address the report Wednesday in an interview with CNN. Trump said that the buck 'absolutely' stops with him, and he wished The Washington Post had given him names of workers who came to the country illegally.

'We have gone out of our way to make sure that everybody in that building is legal,' he told CNN. 'I wish they would give us some names; we would get them out immediately.'

WHO'S DUMPED TRUMP? CUSTOMERS AND COUNTRIES CONTINUE TO SEVER TIES WITH TRUMP -- THE LIST SO FAR...

Real estate mogul and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said in his campaign kickoff speech that some Mexican immigrants to the U.S. bring drugs and crime, and some are rapists. He has been widely criticized for his June 16 statement, but he has refused to apologize and instead repeated his views. A host of organizations and countries are re-examining or severing their relationships with Trump and businesses connected to him, and their ranks are growing.

July 8

Celebrity chef Jose Andres is backing out of a plan to open a flagship restaurant in Donald Trump's new hotel under construction in Washington. Andres issued a statement Wednesday citing Trump's statements "disparaging immigrants" in his decision to cancel plans for an eatery at the Trump International Hotel. Andres is a Spanish immigrant and recently became a U.S. citizen.

Andres says Trump's statements "make it impossible for my company and I to move forward." Andres says more than half of his team and many of his guests are Hispanic.

July 7

In the wake of Macy's decision to stop carrying Trump menswear, clothing company PVH Corp. says it's winding down its licensing deal with Trump, which was scheduled to run through 2018.

The PGA of America says it is moving its Grand Slam of Golf from Trump's Los Angeles course. The PGA of America says the move was made by mutual agreement with Trump.

July 6

ESPN, a unit of Walt Disney Co., says it won't hold its ESPN Celebrity Golf Classic at Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.

July 4

Panama joins several other Latin American countries in dropping out of the Miss Universe pageant.

July 3

NASCAR says it won't hold its season-ending awards ceremony at the Trump National Doral Miami.

Trump National Doral Miami clubhouse

Trump National Doral Miami clubhouse

July 2

New York City officials say they are reviewing the city's contracts with Trump in light of his comments.

Reelz says it will air the Miss USA pageant but says Trump won't make any money from the telecast.

July 1

Macy's says it will stop carrying an exclusive line of Trump menswear, including shirts and neckties.

Serta says it is winding down a licensing agreement for its Trump Home mattress collection and won't renew the deal when it expires at the end of 2015.

Rapper Flo Rida, scheduled to perform at the July 12 Miss USA pageant, drops out, meaning all of the announced performers have quit. Hosts and several judges also have backed out.

June 30

OraTV, a TV company backed by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, says it's ending a project it was developing with Trump.

June 29

NBC, a unit of Comcast's NBCUniversal, says it's ending its relationship with Trump and won't air the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.

Mexican media giant Televisa also says it won't broadcast Miss Universe or work with Trump.

June 25

Univision says it won't air the Miss USA pageant and will cut all business ties with Trump, who owns the Miss Universe Organization. Trump says he won't allow anyone who works for Univision to use his golf course in Miami, and he later says he is suing Univision for $500 million.

 

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