José Andrés Dumps Trump and Backs Out of Hotel Restaurant

José Andrés has officially ended plans to open a restaurant inside the forthcoming Trump Hotel. The restaurant was to open in 2016 inside the hotel in the Old Post Office building.

In a statement, Andrés cites Donald Trump's recent disparaging comments about Mexican immigrants as the reason for his decision. He says Trump's stance makes it "impossible" for him to move forward with the restaurant. More than half of Andrés' team is Hispanic, and the chef himself is a Spanish immigrant who became a naturalized American citizen in 2013. The move was first reported by The Washington Post.

The announcement comes on the heels of a Change.org petition that called for Andrés to sever ties with Trump. It currently has more than 2,500 supporters.

UPDATE: Donald Trump Jr. said in a statement: ""In the event Mr. Andrés defaults in the performance of his obligations, we will not hesitate to take legal action to recover all unpaid rent for the entire 10 year term together with all attorneys' fees and additional damages we may sustain." The statement said they would also try to enforce exclusivity provisions keeping Andrés from opening future restaurants.