Head of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs Will Host a Trump Fundraiser

Howard Lorber, the executive chairman of New York City hot dog icon Nathan’s Famous, will host a fundraiser on Friday for President Donald Trump, Bloomberg reports.

The fundraiser will reportedly take place at Lorber’s Southampton home and include a roundtable with supporters and a luncheon, with proceeds benefiting Trump Victory, which is a joint committee for Trump’s 2020 campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Lorber and Trump are best buds, with the President last year calling Lorber one of his two best friends. The pair’s relationship goes back 30 years; the two traveled to Moscow in 1996 “to explore business opportunities.” Trump also named Lorber chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council’s governing board and had him as an economic adviser to his presidential campaign. In addition to heading up Nathan’s, Lorber is also chief executive officer of the Vector Group, which owns Douglas Elliman Realty.

There’s already been backlash to the news on social media, with many people voicing the decision to switch to Hebrew National. Nathan’s is a now-global enterprise and the official hot dog of Major League Baseball, but it has its roots in Coney Island since 1916. The brand has not been family-owned since 1987.

New Yorkers have a long tradition of hosting presidential fundraisers, with others for Trump and the Republican National Committee have occurred at Le Cirque, while some for President Barack Obama have been held at ABC Kitchen and Red Rooster.

• Nathan’s Hot Dog Honcho to Host Trump Fundraiser in the Hamptons [Bloomberg]