Former President Donald Trump donned a McDonald’s uniform and manned the fry station at a Pennsylvania franchise on Sunday, igniting a social media frenzy and intensifying his critique of Vice President Kamala Harris.
The unorthodox campaign stop in Feasterville-Trevose, a swing area northeast of Philadelphia, saw Trump swap his signature suit for the fast-food chain’s iconic attire. “I’m going for a job right now at McDonald’s,” Trump told reporters as he disembarked from his plane, adding, “I really wanted to do this all my life.”
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump works behind the counter making french fries during a visit to McDonald’s restaurant on October 20, 2024 in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania. Trump is campaigning the entire day in the state of Pennsylvania. Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris continue to campaign in battleground swing states ahead of the November 5th election. (Photo by Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)
The visit to the Bucks County McDonald’s comes amid Trump’s escalating attacks on Harris’s claims of having worked at the fast-food giant during her college years. Trump has repeatedly questioned the veracity of Harris’s statements about her summer job at McDonald’s while attending Howard University, despite offering no concrete evidence to support his skepticism.
Newsweek contacted Trump and Harris’ campaign via email on Sunday for comment.
The McDonald’s visit quickly became a spectacle, with police closing off surrounding streets and cordoning off the restaurant. A large crowd stretching several blocks gathered across the street, with supporters waving Make American Great Again (MAGA) flags and holding signs as they strained for a glimpse of the former president behind the counter.
Derek Giacomantonio, the owner of the McDonald’s franchise, welcomed Trump’s request to visit. “It is a fundamental value of my organization that we proudly open our doors to everyone who visits the Feasterville community,” he said in a statement.
He added that this was why he accepted Trump’s request “to observe the transformative working experience that 1 in 8 Americans have had: a job at McDonald’s.”
Harris campaign spokesman Ian Sams told the Associated Press, “When Trump feels desperate, all he knows how to do is lie. He can’t understand what it’s like to have a summer job because he was handed millions on a silver platter, only to blow it.”
The vice president herself has previously addressed Trump’s accusations, reaffirming her past employment at McDonald’s. “Part of the reason I even talk about having worked at McDonald’s is because there are people who work at McDonald’s in our country who are trying to raise a family,” Harris stated in a recent MSNBC interview. “I worked there as a student.”
As images of Trump behind the fry cooker circulated online, social media erupted with a mix of support, ridicule, and heated debate.
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump works the drive-through line as he visits a McDonald’s restaurant on October 20, 2024 in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania. Trump is campaigning the entire day in the state of Pennsylvania. Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris continue to campaign in battleground swing states ahead of the November 5th election. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator, shared a video on X, formerly Twitter, of hundreds of supporters lining up at the restaurant: “This is deep blue Philadelphia. These people are gathered to catch a glimpse of Donald Trump trolling Kamala from inside McDonald’s. This movement is unlike any other.”
British broadcaster Piers Morgan also chimed in on X, simply stating: “BREAKING: Donald Trump is currently working in McDonalds.”
Supporters of the former president celebrated the move, with the Trump War Room account on X writing: “President Trump SUITS UP for his shift at McDonald’s. Kamala could never!”
However, critics were quick to point out the irony of the situation. Dash Dobrofsky, host of Gen Z Perspective, wrote on X: “Corrupt billionaire pretending to work at McDonalds while plotting to cut overtime pay for workers in his second term.”
