Topline

Former President Donald Trump visited a McDonald's in Pennsylvania on Sunday, manning the drive-thru window and frying machine as part of his campaign through the key battleground state – while continuing to claim without evidence that Vice President Kamala Harris lied about the job at the franchise in college.

Important facts

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Crucial quote

“I've now worked 15 minutes longer than Kamala … she never worked here,” former President Donald Trump said through a McDonald's drive-thru window on Sunday.

When did Harris say she worked at McDonald's?

Harris apparently first mentioned a summer job at the fast food chain in 2019 during her first presidential campaign. The New York Times reported that she joined striking McDonald's workers on a strike line in Las Vegas at the time to support a $15 minimum wage. “If we want to talk about these golden arches being a symbol of the best of America, then the arches fall short,” Harris reportedly said. Harris has also mentioned working for the company during this year's general election, including in an interview with MSNBC. Harris' campaign told the Times that in 1983, the summer after she was a freshman at Howard University, she worked at a franchise on Central Avenue in Alameda, California. They said she worked at several stations at the restaurant, including at the french fry machine, but did not provide further details. Her campaign did not provide the Times with details of friends or family members who could vouch for the claim that she worked there, but they did identify one of Harris' teenage friends who said, “She remembered Ms. Harris working there.” “At that time there was McDonald's,” Harris' mother told the newspaper, mentioning the summer job.

Where did Trump's allegations come from?

The allegation that Harris was lying about working at McDonald's began circulating after the conservative newspaper The Washington Free Beacon published an article in August pointing out that McDonald's was not listed on an application or resume that she submitted after graduating from college – even though the job was for a law clerk position, to which the McDonald's experience may not have been applicable. While the article acknowledged that Harris may have worked at McDonald's, it said: “The absence of this detail in public records and her campaign's reticence and refusal to provide further details raise questions about what is now a basic narrative.” is.”

tangent

Derek Giacomantonio, the owner and operator of the McDonald's Trump frequented, said in a statement that he accepted Trump's request to watch at his store so the former president could “see the transformative work experience that one in eight Americans have had: a job at McDonald’s.” .” Giacomantonio added, “As a small, independent business owner, it is a core value of my organization that we proudly open our doors to all who visit the Feasterville community.”

Important background

Trump campaigned heavily last week in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state in November. After working at McDonald's on Sunday, Trump was scheduled to attend a town hall in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, before attending the Pittsburgh Steelers football game. On Saturday, Trump made a stop in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he made headlines for discussing the genitals of the late golfer Arnold Palmer. Harris also made several stops in Pennsylvania last week and will return on Monday alongside Liz Cheney to host an event in Chester County. A Commonwealth poll last week showed Harris with a 50-47% lead (closer to four points if not rounded up), although an Oct. 11 Wall Street Journal poll showed Trump with a one-point lead. As of Sunday afternoon, Harris had a 1.8-point lead over Trump in the FiveThirtyEight national average, but Trump led by 0.3 points in Pennsylvania.

Further reading

NytimesKamala Harris and McDonald's: A college job and a Trump attackhttps://www.inquirer.comThe Trump and Harris campaigns are sweeping the Pennsylvania zone this weekForbesSwing state polls for the 2024 election: Trump leads in Arizona and Georgia, Harris leads in North Carolina (Update)From Sara Dorn