Smoothie King Employees Fired for Refusing Service to Man in Trump Hoodie

Incident sparks debate over discrimination and political views in customer service

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Two employees at a Smoothie King franchise in Ann Arbor, Michigan were fired after refusing to serve a customer because he was wearing a hoodie with President Trump's name on it. The incident was captured on video and went viral, with the customers claiming they were being discriminated against for their political views. The employees said they felt "uncomfortable" serving the couple due to the Trump hoodie. Smoothie King confirmed the employees were terminated and said the franchise owner will provide mandatory retraining on guest experience standards.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing debate around the intersection of politics, customer service, and discrimination. While businesses have the right to refuse service, doing so based solely on a customer's political affiliation raises concerns about intolerance and the ability for all citizens to access public accommodations regardless of their beliefs.

The details

Erika Lindemyer and her husband Jake visited a Smoothie King location in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Sunday. When they approached the counter, two young female employees told them they did not "feel comfortable" serving them because Jake was wearing a hoodie with President Trump's name on it. The employees asked the couple to leave, leading to a heated exchange captured on video by Erika. The Lindemyers claimed they were being discriminated against, while the employees said they had a "right to refuse service" due to the Trump hoodie.

  • The incident occurred on Sunday, March 2, 2026.
  • Smoothie King confirmed the employees were terminated on Monday, March 3, 2026.

The players

Erika Lindemyer

A customer who visited the Smoothie King location with her husband Jake and was denied service due to his Trump hoodie.

Jake Lindemyer

Erika's husband who was wearing a hoodie with President Trump's name on it, which prompted the employees to refuse them service.

Smoothie King

The national smoothie franchise that owns the Ann Arbor location where the incident occurred. Smoothie King confirmed the employees involved were terminated.

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What they’re saying

“We were just wanting a smoothie and you literally looked at us ... and you said 'We don't feel comfortable serving you' because of my husband's [Trump] hoodie. That is discrimination,”

— Erika Lindemyer (nypost.com)

“I said Trump discriminates [against] us,”

— Unnamed employee (nypost.com)

“Okay, well that's who you support though, that's who you love,”

— Unnamed employee (nypost.com)

What’s next

Smoothie King stated the franchise owner will provide mandatory retraining for all employees on guest experience standards to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions around the role of political affiliation in customer service, and the need for businesses to have clear policies that protect against discrimination while also respecting the rights of all customers regardless of their beliefs.