Trump jokes he’s first former McDonald’s fry cook to become president
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President Donald Trump said Monday that he was the first former McDonald’s cook to become president — joking that a 30-minute shift was “longer than Kamala’s.”
Speaking at the McDonald’s Impact Summit 2025 in Washington, D.C., Trump used his fast food experience to connect with franchisees and reinforce a theme he introduced on the campaign trail last fall: his humor and work ethic distinguishing him from former Vice President Kamala Harris.
The president told the crowd that his brief time behind the fryer gave him bragging rights as the only commander in chief to wear an apron under the golden arches. He also thanked the McDonald’s employee who confirmed that Harris had never worked there.
“I am honored to stand before you as the first former McDonald’s cook to become President of the United States,” Trump said. “I was actually there for about 30 minutes, which was 30 minutes longer than Kamala was there, despite her job at McDonald’s. That didn’t help.”
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President Donald Trump watches an employee serve fries during a visit to McDonald’s in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa., Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Doug Mills/The New York Times, AP, Pool)
The joke was relayed from an October 2024 campaign stop in Pennsylvania, where Trump wore a McDonald’s apron and turned on the fryer while cameras rolled. He used the visit to rebuke Harris and emphasize her connection to working Americans.
He entered the restaurant to cheers, greeted staff and supporters, then grabbed a spatula and headed for the frying station.
While shaking hands with the owner of the restaurant, Trump said, “Hello everyone. This is my first day at McDonald’s; I’m looking for a job.” “I’ve now worked 15 minutes longer at McDonald’s than Kamala.”
TRUMP DRAWED THE MOMENTS WHICH WORLD LEADERS LAUGHED INTO HIS UN SPEECH
President Donald Trump works behind the counter during a campaign event at a McDonald’s restaurant on October 20, 2024 in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania. (Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)
He delivered fries, took drive-thru orders and talked to reporters about wages and what he calls his lifelong desire to flip fries under the golden arches. He also wished Harris a happy birthday and took another jab at her.
At the Impact Summit, Trump praised McDonald’s as a symbol of affordability and American success, calling himself one of the company’s most loyal customers and noting that its planes were filled with burgers and fries rather than expensive treats.
He cited the chain’s global reach and food value as evidence of American innovation, saying McDonald’s has done more than most companies to support workers and keep prices stable for families.
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President Donald Trump works the drive-thru line during a campaign photo shoot while visiting a McDonald’s restaurant in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 20, 2024. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“I am also one of the most loyal customers of all time,” Trump said. “Other politicians fly in campaign planes filled with expensive food items. When Trump Force One — before it upgraded to Air Force One — flew during the campaign, we almost always served only McDonald’s. Sometimes we couldn’t find one, which is pretty hard to believe, but we really did. You fed us so well, and I even fed Bobby Kennedy a Big Mac. He told me he loved it.”
Trump tied his praise for McDonald’s to his broader argument that the economy is recovering and prices are easing. He said McDonald’s helps lower costs for consumers while preserving jobs in the United States.
“The price of breakfast items has dropped 14% in the last six months,” Trump said. “Bread prices are down, dairy prices are down, and egg prices are down 86% since March. I want to give a very special thank you to McDonald’s for lowering the prices of their most popular items. We’re lowering prices for this country, and there’s no better leader or advocate than McDonald’s.”
He closed by calling McDonald’s “the cornerstone of the American dream” and urging franchisees to focus on quality and affordability.
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“From the cashier starting her first job, to the franchisee opening her first location, to the young family waiting in the drive-thru line, this is the American dream,” Trump said. “I made french fries and my reaction was love.”
Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
