Health code violations were so severe at one of President Donald Trump's golf resorts that Trump himself complained, according to a new lawsuit.
The Daily Beast reported Friday on a lawsuit recently filed by a former manager at Trump's Bedminster, New Jersey club, who claims she was fired for bringing attention to persistent health and safety issues at the club's restaurant, and for calling out the culture of male managers' predatory behavior toward female employees.
Former clubhouse manager Justine Sacks alleged in her lawsuit — which was filed in Monmouth County, New Jersey Superior Court — that guests were routinely served expired food, that kitchen staff were often intoxicated on the job and that there were even "maggots and mold" in the restaurant's soft serve ice cream machine. Additionally, male managers once allegedly made a combined 20 phone calls to female staff inviting them to their homes late at night.
In May of 2023, county health department officials cited the Bedminster club's restaurant for 18 violations, and gave it the lowest inspection grade in the county, according to the Beast. Some of the violations included expired milk in the kitchen and a sink without any soap available. And half of those violations were categorized as "critical," with inspectors calling them "an unacceptable health risk."
Trump's complaint was lodged in September of 2023, when, according to the lawsuit, the then-former president "complained about the flies in the Clubhouse" after swarms of flies were seen throughout the facility due to "unkempt, unsanitary working areas." Sacks alleged that while Eric Trump emailed staff and urged them to keep all facilities in compliance with health and safety guidelines, he only communicated the message to male managers.
Sacks then accused management of firing her three days after the damning health inspection, even though she had made complaints to her superiors for years. According to the lawsuit, Bedminster general manager David Schutzenhofer told Sacks to back off her complaints about drunk kitchen staff, saying their behavior was "commonplace" in the restaurant industry and thaty she was "wrapped too tight."
This isn't the first time a former Bedminster employee has sued the golf course. In 2023, former employee Alice Bianco also sued the club alleging sexual harassment from her superiors, and alleged that former Trump lawyer Alina Habba manipulated her into signing a non-disclosure agreement and offered her a "paltry" sum of money in exchange for her signature. Bianco filed an official ethics complaint against Habba in New Jersey.
Click here to read the Beast's report in its entirety (subscription required).
