Former President Donald Trump’s recent stop at a Philadelphia McDonald’s stirred a flurry of outrage from mainstream media outlets, accusing him of taking shots at Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump, who donned an apron and learned how to make fries, also greeted[1] drive-through customers and handed out orders, which led left-wing outlets like The New York Times, Business Insider, and Rolling Stone to accuse him of “trolling” Harris.
President Trump becomes the first and only 2024 presidential nominee to work at McDonald's pic.twitter.com/hySlBqQLhi[2]
The media’s frenzy stemmed from Harris’s repeated claims that she once worked at McDonald’s during her college days, a story she has pushed since her 2020 presidential run.
Harris’s claim of working at McDonald’s was highlighted in an August campaign ad.
“She grew up in a middle-class home. She was the daughter of a working mom, and she worked at McDonald’s while she got her degree. Kamala Harris knows what it’s like to be middle-class.”
Democratic presidential nominee and current U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a rally at Erie Insurance Arena in Erie on Oct. 14, 2024.
The New York Times ran a headline reading, “Trump Slings McDonald’s Fries as He Smears Harris in Pennsylvania,” while Business Insider claimed, “Trump cooks fries at McDonald’s as he attempts to cast doubt on Harris’ earlier employment at the chain,” as reported by Breitbart[6].
June 25, 2021; El Paso, Texas, USA; Vice President Kamala Harris meets with civic leaders during her visit to El Paso, Texas to tour the U.S./Mexico border. Mandatory Credit: Omar Ornelas-USA Today Network
Despite her claims, a report by The Washington Free Beacon raises questions, pointing out that there’s no verifiable proof Harris ever worked at McDonald’s. According to the outlet, her employment at McDonald’s wasn’t mentioned in public records, resumes, or even her two memoirs.
It only emerged during her 2020 campaign, raising suspicions that the story may be more about political optics than reality.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Harris ally, rushed to her defense on social media, slamming Trump for allegedly “stiffing workers” and opposing efforts to raise the minimum wage, as reported by Breitbart[11].
This guy spent decades stiffing workers pay, cut overtime benefits for millions of people, and opposed any effort to raise the minimum wage.
You know who has actually worked at McDonald's, joined workers on picket lines, and fights for working people? @KamalaHarris[12]. https://t.co/QzFMVLiuaj[13]
Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno on Oct. 11, 2024.
One customer at the McDonald’s drive-through expressed gratitude, thanking Trump for his efforts and saying, “We pray for you, and you are the type of person we want to be president.”
While the left-leaning media piled on Trump for what they saw as a cheap shot at Harris, the fact that her own claim about working at McDonald’s remains unverified is noteworthy.
Without any supporting evidence, many are left wondering if this is just another piece of Harris’s carefully constructed political narrative.
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