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Food

Trump Supporter Says She Was Bullied By Barista

Employees allegedly used a coffee cup to mock a customer wearing a Trump shirt.

Donald Trump and his supporters have a complicated relationship with Starbucks. Trump himself once suggested a boycott of the coffee giant because of its red non-denominational holiday cups, and his most rabid fans tried to organize a Starbucks ban after CEO Howard Schultz pledged to hire 10,000 refugees. Last November, Trump supporters tried a weirdly misguided protest that involved demanding that baristas write "Trump" on their to-go cups, because there is no way to show a business the error of its ways like paying for its goods and services.

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But some Team #MAGA members have continued to get their daily caffeine fix at Starbucks—or at least they did until Kayla Hart shared her experience. Hart said that she was wearing a Donald Trump shirt when she walked into a Starbucks in Charlotte, North Carolina, and she was swiftly mocked by the baristas for doing so. According to Hart, she just wanted a green tea with peach syrup, but got a shot of Being Bullied that she didn't ask for.

"They shouted out 'Build a Wall' and shoved a drink at me and then all the baristas in the back started cracking up laughing," Hart told FOX46. "I just walked out because everyone was staring."

She shared a photo of her drink with the news station and, sure enough, instead of a name, her cup said 'Build a Wall.' Hart says that she thinks it's "really sad" that she would be mocked for wearing a t-shirt supporting President Trump, and says that she isn't calling for a boycott of Starbucks—but she did call the district manager.

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"This experience is not consistent with our standards or the welcoming and respectful experience we aim to provide every customer who visit our stores," a Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement. "We have spoken with our store partners about this situation and are using this as a coaching opportunity for the future."