By Kolby LaMarche

Members of the Burlington Republican Party are gearing up to converge on Pho Hong for a solidarity dinner they’re calling “MAGA Tuesday,” a direct response to the online backlash engulfing the Vietnamese restaurant’s owner over her “MAGA” social media activity, as broken last week by Burlington Daily News. 

Since publishing the story last week, readers from across the state, both in BDN and its parent, the Vermont Daily Chronicle, have commented and shared the news, with many committing to do the same as the Burlington GOP and enjoy a meal at Pho Hong. 

“The owner has been attacked online with calls for boycotting due to her online support for our president and his administration,” the party wrote in a statement. They praised the eatery’s “excellent” menu of fresh, homemade Vietnamese and Asian cuisine – think steaming pho soups, stir-fries, vermicelli salads, egg rolls, curries, and other rice dishes. 

The move to eat there came so quickly, party members say, they had to cancel their monthly meeting, rescheduling, in order to enjoy Pho amongst friends.

Lan Hong, the owner accused of making the posts, is no stranger to adversity. A refugee who fled Vietnam’s communist regime in 1992 via a federal resettlement program, she began her journey as a street vendor before establishing roots in Vermont. Pho Hong, which she opened in 2008 at 325 North Winooski Avenue, has evolved into a beloved fixture of downtown, both with students and residents. 

The cozy space features wooden tables under warm lighting, walls lined with snapshots of bustling Hanoi markets and serene Vermont landscapes, and a menu highlighting authentic gems like pho tai nam. For some however, the sour taste of politics is their cuppa–tea. 

Screenshots of her Facebook reposts – endorsing tough border controls and critiquing left-leaning policies – went viral last week in local online groups, prompting accusations of “spreading hate” and whispers of boycotts. Many online have said, despite the owner’s status as a woman and refugee, they will still not be going, ever again, because they refuse to support a business that, financially, supports Republicans or President Trump. 

Some residents, including members of the Burlington GOP, say they plan to make dinner at Pho Hongs a routine activity.