Former President Donald Trump’s planned campaign stop in Brooklyn this Thursday was canceled following the unexpected death of a local restaurant owner.
Trump was scheduled to make an appearance at Gottlieb’s Restaurant, an event that had been anticipated by supporters and local media. However, according to police sources speaking with PIX11 News, the sudden death of the restaurant’s owner prompted the cancellation of the visit.
The passing of 75-year-old Sholem Yosef Gottlieb has led to the cancellation of former President Trump’s visit to the family-owned Kosher business in South Williamsburg. Police barricades and posters remain around the venue, as the Hasidic community, a strong base of Trump’s support, processes the abrupt alteration in plans.
Yosef, the longtime proprietor of the beloved food establishment, was revered for his kindness and extensive private acts of charity (chesed b’tzina). Earlier in the week, Secret Service agents had inspected the restaurant to confirm it met security standards for the visit of the Republican nominee
“It’s upsetting, community was looking [forward] to seeing him over here,” Moses Weiser, a friend of the Gottlieb family, expressed to NBC New York. A sign posted on the restaurant indicates it will remain closed until September 25 while the family grieves.
As an NBC New York crew interviewed family and neighbors about Gottlieb’s passing, a food tour arrived with tourists from across the globe, who were then informed of the unfortunate news. Founded in 1962 by Sholem Yosef Gottlieb’s father, a Holocaust survivor, the restaurant quickly became a community pillar in South Williamsburg. Gottlieb’s was renowned for its commitment to helping those in need by providing meals.
