Two employees at a Smoothie King in Ann Arbor, Michigan were fired after they refused to serve a couple because the man was wearing a sweatshirt with President Donald Trump’s name on it, according to the company.

“As a brand, Smoothie King is committed to ensuring our stores are a place free of discrimination of any kind, where every guest and team member is treated with care and respect,” the company said in a Monday X post. “Following an investigation into an incident involving a guest who was refused service at a franchised location in Michigan yesterday, the franchise owner has taken immediate action and the two employees involved are no longer with the business.” 

The couple, Erika Lindemyer and Jake Lindemyer, were asked to leave the Ann Arbor franchise location after they got into a back-and-forth argument with two employees after one said she was uncomfortable with the man’s Trump sweatshirt. Her co-worker defended the other employee’s stance and told the couple to leave.

“We were just wanting a smoothie, and you literally looked at us and I asked you if everything was OK and you said, ‘We don’t feel comfortable serving you’ because of my husband’s hoodie. That is discrimination,” Erika Lindemyer said.

“OK, well, have a great day,” one former employee is heard saying.

In the video, the other employee is heard saying, “Trump discriminates [against] us,” to which Erika Lindemyer responded, “That has nothing to do with us wanting a smoothie!”

‘I DON’T SUPPORT ICE’: GAS STATION REFUSAL IGNITES DEBATE OVER DENYING SERVICE TO FEDERAL AGENTS

One employee said they had the right to refuse service.

“You asked a question and [her co-worker] gave you an answer. Have a great day. Have a great day. The door’s right there,” the worker said.

That same employee also posted the encounter from her perspective on TikTok.

In a Monday Facebook post, Erika Lindemyer wrote, “I’m disgusted as a AMERICAN CITIZEN! I loved Smoothie King and was refused service over my husbands sweatshirt!!!! Talk about DISCRIMINATION!!!! Jake Lindemyer Please share this video. Let’s make these 2 famous.”

A GoFundMe page was reportedly set up by one of the employees entitled, “Support for Safety After Online Harassment,” but later taken down.

Smoothie King gave a similar statement to Fox News Digital, saying, “As a brand, Smoothie King is committed to ensuring our stores are a place free of discrimination of any kind, where every guest and team member is treated with kindness and respect. Following an investigation into an incident involving a guest who was refused service at a franchised location in Michigan on Sunday, the franchise owner has taken immediate action and the two employees involved are no longer with the business.”

A THERAPIST’S WARNING: TRUMP DIDN’T BREAK AMERICA — PERMANENT OUTRAGE DID

The company also stated they have reached out to the couple to apologize and that they will be retraining employees. 

“Both the franchise owner and Smoothie King corporate have reached out to the guest several times to apologize and will continue to follow up,” the company said. “The local owner is also taking further action and enforcing mandatory retraining for all employees that outlines our guest experience standards. We care for everyone who wants to live a healthy and active lifestyle regardless of their race, gender, religion and political affiliation.” 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Janiyah Mishelle, one of the former employees, said, “My political opinions are very complex. I do not stand on behalf of any political party. I merely refused service because of the alleged affiliations the Trump administration has to [pedophiles]. I believe in the United States & want to see our citizens standing up against binary political logic.”

She added, “In my opinion, in this specific instance, I had the right to refuse service due to discomfort with a customer interaction – just as he had the right to wear the political merchandise. I would like to clarify that my statements were/are NOT on behalf of Smoothie King. I would also like to thank everyone who is currently supporting me through the digital harassment, political re-framing, and job-loss.”

She said her co-worker wished to remain private on the matter.

Fox News Digital attempted to reach Jake Lindemyer for comment. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP 

Related Article

UDM is two wins away from its first NCAA tournament berth since 2012.

Calling what Detroit Mercy basketball has done this season a resurgence may be an undersell.

UDM (16-14, 12-8 Horizon), the No. 3-seed in the Horizon League Tournament, is playing No. 2 Robert Morris (22-10, 13-7) in the conference semifinals at Corteva Coliseum in Indianapolis on Monday, March 9. The game is scheduled to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN2.

For a team that went 8-24 in the 2024-25 season, and a program-worst 1-31 in 2023-24, that the Titans are just two wins away from an NCAA Tournament appearance represents nothing short of a rebirth. That possibility looked distant even on Jan. 24, when a 95-87 loss to rival Oakland brought the Titans to 8-12 overall.

Watch Horizon League tournament on Fubo

But UDM responded by winning seven of its last nine regular-season games, including a 95-89 win against Oakland at the O’Rena to secure the team’s first 16-win season since 2016.

“We all found out who we were as players and as people. So now we know what positions to put the right people in at the right time,” said Titans senior point guard Orlando Lovejoy of the team’s late-season surge. “Once we figured that out, it was game on.”

The Detroit native Lovejoy has put up exceptional numbers in his senior season with the Titans, putting up a career-high 33 points in a 74-70 win over Green Bay on Feb. 22 and 29 points on 13-for-16 shooting against Oakland in the regular-season finale.

“He scores in phases. He can score on the fast break, he can post up, he can get to his spots,” said UDM coach Mark Montgomery. “He also brings the, ‘Gimme the ball in the biggest moments, and I’ll take over.’”

Lovejoy might have to take over more than usual against a tough Robert Morris team. The Colonials are the defending Horizon League champions and have beaten the Titans twice this year, with an 85-77 win in Detroit on March 2 and a 73-62 win at home on Feb. 25.

“We turned the ball over in key moments in those games, and then we have to keep them off the offensive glass,” said Montgomery of the Colonials. “We’re gonna get down to Indy, we’re going to enjoy a day, and then we’re going to lock in and know it’s one-and-done time.”

As for Lovejoy, who only gets four tickets to give to friends and family for the upcoming game, he expects to have a big travelling crowd to support him and the local team.

“I don’t know who I’m not bringing to Indianapolis,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of people coming to support as they did ever since I started playing basketball.”

Detroit Mercy basketball time vs Robert Morris in Horizon League semifinal

• Date: Monday, March 9.
• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET.
• Location: Corteva Coliseum, Indianapolis.

UDM is looking for its fourth conference tournament win and first since 2012.

Detroit Mercy basketball channel vs Robert Morris in Horizon League semifinal

• Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. ET.
• Channel: ESPN2.
• Streaming: Fubo.

Monday’s Horizon League semifinal game featuring UDM and Robert Morris will be televised on ESPN2 and can be streamed on Fubo, which carries ESPN channels.

Watch Detroit Mercy-Robert Morris on Fubo

Horizon League tournament results

• Play-in: No. 11 Cleveland State 101, No. 10 IU Indianapolis 93.
• First round: No. 5 Green Bay 64, No. 6 Purdue.
• First round: No. 1 Wright State 90, No. 10 Cleveland State 61.
• First round: No. 2 Robert Morris 68, Youngstown State 53.
• First round: No. 3 UDM 84, No. 8 Milwaukee 63.
• First round: No. 7 Northern Kentucky 85, No. 4 Oakland 84.
• Sunday, March 8, Second round: No. 5 Green Bay vs No. 7 Northern Kentucky, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+).
• Monday, March 9, Semifinal: No. 1 Wright State vs TBD, 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU).
• Monday, March 9, Semifinal: No. 2 Robert Morris vs No. 3 UDM, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2).
• Tuesday, March 10, Final: TBD vs TBD, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN).

WISN radio host Dan O’Donnell casually jokes about harming an elected official. This is hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy. Language like this does not belong in any civil society.

Advertisement

I am appalled by WISN-AM host Dan O’Donnell’s recent social media posts, in which he suggested “taking out the Supreme Leader of Minnesota” and shared a mocking image of Gov. Tim Walz (“Milwaukee radio host says to ‘take out’ Gov. Tim Walz,” March 4).

This is not political commentary — it is dangerous, irresponsible, and disgusting.

Even more outrageous, O’Donnell has publicly defended pardons for convicted or alleged fraudsters, including high-profile cases from the Trump administration, yet he casually jokes about harming an elected official. This is hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy. Language like this does not belong in any civil society.

Our community deserves media voices that uphold decency, honesty and public safety, not ones that normalize threats and spread fear. I demand that leaders and media outlets reject this kind of rhetoric and make it clear that it will not be tolerated.

Laura J. Nigh, Wauwatosa

Opinion: Public doesn’t have to accept trash coming from White House

Opinion: Senate must pass bill so WI athletics can stay in the game

I am disappointed Dan O’Donnell is still on air at WISN

I am disappointed that Dan O’Donnell is still on the air. I further ask the Milwaukee County District Attorney to charge him for calling for violence against a public official. His apology is not enough.

David Schmitz, Baileys Harbor

Here are some tips to get your views shared with your friends, family, neighbors and across our state:

• Please include your name, street address and daytime phone.
• Generally, we limit letters to 200 words. 
• Cite sources of where you found information or the article that prompted your letter.
• Be civil and constructive, especially when criticizing. 
• Avoid ad hominem attacks, take issue with a position, not a person.
• We cannot acknowledge receipt of submissions.
• We don’t publish poetry, anonymous or open letters.
• Each writer is limited to one published letter every two months.
• All letters are subject to editing.

Write: Letters to the editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 330 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 500, Milwaukee, WI, 53202. Fax: (414)-223-5444. E-mail: jsedit@jrn.com or submit using the form that can be found on the on the bottom of this page.