Former U.S. President Donald Trump spent about quarter-hour scooping French fries into containers and handing them to drive-thru “clients” at a McDonald’s restaurant in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 20, 2024, in a publicity stunt organized by his presidential marketing campaign.
“I labored quarter-hour longer than Kamala Harris ever did,” Trump instructed reporters after the photograph op, doubling down on his claims that the vice chairman lied when she said she worked at a McDonald’s in her youth.
When video of Trump’s 15-minute stint as a fast-food employee was launched, social media platforms erupted with partisan posts claiming it was was “pretend,” “staged” and merely a “stunt.”
It is essential to notice that photograph ops and publicity stunts are at all times, by definition, staged. That stated, listed here are examples of a number of the on-line feedback about Trump’s McDonald’s outing:
“You imply to inform me this was all staged, and that these ‘clients’ rehearsed upfront to make it appear to be a real interplay and that the McDonald’s was truly closed to the general public!” one X publish read. One other X publish, with greater than 1.7 million views, stated: “Who else was NOT stunned to be taught that Trump’s occasion at a closed McDonald’s was completely staged and as fraudulent as he’s?”
The Information Media on Trump’s ‘Shift’ At McDonald’s
A number of dependable information shops, similar to The Associated Press, Reuters and the BBC, reported on Trump’s go to to the fast-food restaurant. The New York Occasions rightly called it a “marketing campaign photograph op,” reporting that Trump handed meals to preselected clients.
C-SPAN recorded the go to, stating Trump “labored a 30-minute shift. … He first met with the proprietor and acquired a uniform and title tag, after which realized how you can make and package deal french fries earlier than serving some drive-thru clients and answering questions from the press.”
You may see the footage of Trump’s go to under:
Trump’s involvement was restricted to a brief interplay with workers and clients, studying how you can make and package deal French fries, and serving a number of drive-thru clients, fairly than a traditional worker’s full workday involving quite a few duties.
Was the Location Closed?
The first argument circulating on social media accusing the occasion of being staged was centered round a printed notice supposedly displayed on the restaurant, stating it was closed. {A photograph} of the discover was shared on platforms together with X, Threads, Facebook and Reddit. “So the place wasn’t even open. It was all staged and faux. He did not work for actual at a McDonalds. It was a staged fraud similar to each different occasion,” one X consumer captioned it.
The Washington Post and Philadelphia TV station WCAU additionally reported the restaurant was closed to the general public throughout Trump’s go to.
The textual content on the discover learn:
Pricey Feasterville Group,
We plan to be closed on Sunday, October 20 till 4 p.m., to accommodate a go to on the request of former President Trump and his marketing campaign.
Whereas we aren’t a political group, we proudly open our doorways to everybody and as a domestically owned and operated location, this go to offers a novel alternative to shine a lightweight on the optimistic affect of small companies right here in Feasterville. We’re equally honored to share the importance of what 1 in 8 People have skilled: {that a} job at McDonald’s is greater than only a job. It is a pathway to essential abilities improvement and significant profession alternatives. Having began my McDonald’s joumey as a crew member in New York practically 30 years in the past. This path to financial alternative is very significant to me.
I apologize for the inconvenience of closing our restaurant and sincerely stay up for serving you very quickly.
Derek Giacomantonio and my workforce at Feasterville McDonald’s
Giacomantonio was proven within the C-SPAN video as an proprietor of the restaurant.
Now we have reached out to McDonald’s and Giacomantonio to verify the discover’s authenticity.
Pictures From the Occasion
Aside from the printed discover, social media customers shared different pictures from the occasion together with their claims the occasion was pretend. “It was all STAGED!! Trump didn’t work. McDonald’s closed for the day & there was a automobile rehearsal,” one Reddit consumer wrote. One X publish claimed that clients have been “handpicked,” whereas one other alleged the purchasers have been “pre-selected supporters of his marketing campaign who had practiced how you can use the drive-through.”
WCAU reported that “it was not instantly clear how the drive-through clients served by Trump have been chosen.” Based on The Washington Post, “the motorists whom Trump served have been screened by the U.S. Secret Service and positioned earlier than his arrival. Nobody ordered meals. As an alternative, the attendees acquired no matter Trump gave them.”
These pictures have been initially shared by local journalist Tom Sofield, who captioned them with: “Vehicles rehearsing forward of former Pres. Trump, who is anticipated to be serving supporters McDonald’s meals” and “The supporters who can be served meals by Trump are in place and screened by USSS.”
(X consumer @BuxMontNews)
“The truth that you current this prefer it’s some large shock makes me surprise who ties your sneakers for you. The us did not let a bunch of random individuals of their private automobiles drive as much as a drive-thru window with a former President and Presidential candidate,” one X consumer commented, pointing to the truth that screening individuals in high-security conditions is a typical observe.
Sofield confirmed to Snopes that he took the images. He stated the “rehearsals” concerned staging the automobiles in line and temporary conversations with marketing campaign workers, including that the individuals within the automobiles waited about an hour or an hour and a half earlier than Trump arrived and handed out meals.
We additionally reached out to Trump’s marketing campaign, which didn’t reply to questions on whether or not there have been rehearsals, how clients have been chosen and screened, or whether or not the discover in regards to the retailer’s closure was actual, as an alternative repeating the road that “President Trump has now labored at McDonald’s longer than Kamala Harris ever did.”
Moreover, we reached out to the Secret Service for remark about how the purchasers have been chosen and whether or not they have been screened by the company, and we are going to replace this report if we obtain a response.
