Day: September 10, 2025

President Donald Trump was confronted by chanting protesters as he attended a dinner alongside Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and others in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night.

As Trump and his security detail made their way to a table in Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab restaurant, at least three protesters stood up and began shouting.

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Chants of “Trump, you are not welcome here” can be heard in video footage from the scene, followed by “free D.C., free Palestine, Trump is the Hitler of our time.” The protesters brandished Palestinian flags and banners as they demonstrated.

Some other patrons, who had cheered upon Trump’s arrival, called out in his defense, yelling “yes he is [welcome].”

The President gestured for his security detail to remove the protesters as they approached his table, saying: “Come on, lets go, get them outta here.”

“He is terrorizing communities all over the world, from Puerto Rico… from Palestine… to Venezuela, he is terrorizing communities. He is not welcome to D.C., he is not welcome to Palestine. Palestine is not for sale,” one protester shouted as they were escorted out. “Shame on you all!”

Read More: Anti-Trump Protests Take Place Across U.S. as People Rally Against Billionaires, Federal Takeovers, and More

They continued their chants outside of the restaurant, where they repeated references to Trump’s federal takeover of the police force in D.C.

Code Pink, which describes itself as a “feminist grassroots organization” that protests U.S. wars and militarism, claims to be behind the protest.

Before heading into the restaurant, Trump told reporters outside that he was “not thrilled” about the fact Israel launched an airstrike targeting Hamas officials in Doha, Qatar, earlier in the day. “We want the hostages back, but we are not thrilled about how that went down today.”

When asked if he was surprised by Israel’s actions, Trump replied: “I’m never surprised by anything, especially when it comes to the Middle East.”

Read More: Israel’s Policies and Actions in Gaza ‘Meet Legal Definition of Genocide,’ Says Association of Scholars

The President’s comments echoed those he made on Truth Social, whereby he doubled down on his position that Israel acted alone in its strikes on Qatar.

“I immediately directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did, however, unfortunately, too late to stop the attack,” Trump said online. “I view Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack.”

Israel also continued its expansion of military operations in Gaza City on Tuesday, issuing “urgent” evacuation orders to “all residents of the city of Gaza and those present in all its neighborhoods, from the Old City and Tafah to the east and up to the sea to the west.”

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), meanwhile, has warned that “the coastline is already crammed with makeshift shelters, forcing newly displaced families to sleep dangerously close to the water’s edge.”

• Airport rides make up a significant volume of trips for ride-hailing companies.
• Waymo and Tesla are seeking permits to operate at airports around the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Waymo secured a permit for San Jose Mineta International Airport, while Tesla has just begun talks.

Tesla and Waymo want access to crucial territory that accounts for a significant slice of the ride-hailing pie: airports.

Airports are among the most lucrative areas for ride-hailing businesses because they’re one of the few hubs that provide round-the-clock trips.

Tesla is in the early days of its ride-hailing service and hasn’t been approved to provide autonomous rides for the public in California, but the company is making airports a priority.

In a memo Business Insider obtained in July, roughly a month after Tesla launched Robotaxi in Austin, the EV maker notified the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that it had begun “initiating engagement” to secure permits for “pick-ups/drop-offs” for the Bay Area’s three main airports — San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland.

Spokespeople for each of the airports confirmed to Business Insider that they have been approached by Tesla.

Kaley Skantz, a spokesperson for the Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, told BI that the airport has been in contact with “Tesla’s Public Policy and Business Development team, but we have not yet met with them.”

Similarly, Francis Tsang, a spokesperson for San Francisco International Airport, told BI that the airport has begun “scheduling discussions” on the matter.

At the moment, Tesla has a permit to provide ride-hailing services to the public only with a driver behind the wheel, per state regulations.

Terrie Prosper, a CPUC spokesperson, told BI that Tesla holds a TCP, or Transportation Charter Party, permit, which is distinct from an autonomous vehicle authorization.

Prosper said Tesla does not have a “Drivered Pilot AV” permit, which means the company cannot provide a “passenger service” with an autonomous vehicle, even with a driver behind the wheel.

“AV authorizations (which Tesla does not hold from the CPUC) allow for the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles with or without a driver,” Prosper said.

Julie Jarratt, a spokesperson for the San Jose Mineta International Airport, said that Tesla has inquired about a permit to operate a “TCP ride-hailing service” at the airport, though “none has been issued.”

A Tesla spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Waymo way ahead

Alphabet’s Waymo is the only company to secure a permit for autonomous vehicle operations at two US airports. It began offering public rides at the Phoenix Harbor International Airport in 2022.

On September 4, the company announced it received authorization to offer fully autonomous rides at San Jose’s Mineta International Airport. Waymo said that it will begin testing in the fall and offer commercial rides “later this year.”

The company secured a permit in March to map San Francisco International Airport’s roadways.

Tsang, the SFO spokesperson, said that the airport continues to meet with Waymo “on the terms of a permit for operations.”

“There is no set timeline for this, but we are meeting actively on this,” Tsang said.

A Waymo spokesperson declined to provide further comment.

Ride-hailing is a cash cow for airports

Airports are a money-maker not just for ride-hailing businesses but also for the airports themselves through trip fees and permit fees.

Uber reported in its latest SEC filing that 15% of its “mobility gross bookings” were trips that were started or completed at an airport.

Lyft said in its 2024 economic impact report that 61% of its riders have used its service to get to or from an airport.

“Those are the most lucrative rides,” Lindsey Cameron, a Wharton assistant professor of management, whose research focuses on AI and gig work, previously told BI. “You’ve got a captive audience who wants to go home, and so they’re willing to pay.”

San Francisco International Airport also has seen an uptick in rides provided by ride-hailing companies, which has translated to more revenue for the airport.

The airport reported in its 2024 fiscal year financial statement that the number of pick-ups and drop-offs provided by “transportation network companies” totaled 9.4 million.

That has amounted to $51.7 million in “trip fee revenue,” the report said.