Donald Trump drags McDonalds' into political arena in final days of campaign

With the U.S. Presidential election less than two weeks away, Donald Trump has taken the campaign battleground to an unexpected place-McDonald's.

Trump donning on the McDonald's apron

On October 20, Republican candidate Donald Trump visited the key swing state of Pennsylvania, and participated in a campaign event at a local McDonald's.

While at the event, Trump shocked everyone when he took off his suit and donned on the McDonald's apron, and later was frying and packing French fries under the watchful eyes of staff.

According to NBC News, Trump was amused by the process, particularly fascinated by the fry scoop. His stint lasted around 15 minutes, with The Washington Post pointing out his well-known claim of being a germaphobe, recalling his remark, “Never touched by a human hand, nice and clean!”

Trump visit to McDonald's was not for naught; rather it was a secret dig at his political opponent Kamala Harris, who often shared that she worked at a McDonald's during the summer of 1983 while attending law school in California.

Harris often highlighted her humble beginning as a way to connect herself with the middle class voters and garner their support. VP Harris's upbringing was a stark contrast to Trump's privileged upbringing.

However, skeptics, including reports from The Telegraph, have questioned the validity of her claim, noting that Harris has not provided any documentation for her brief stint. Hence Trump’s appearance at McDonald’s was designed to mock Harris’s work experience, with him joking that he had worked at McDonald’s 15 minutes longer than she ever had.

Is it all just a staged act?

Fox News addressed accusations from other outlets that the event was staged. Trump was shown serving customers at the drive-through, with news footage capturing their surprise.

Many are speculated that all these customers could have been pre-screened supporters who have rehearsed and staged their reactions before Trump arrived. Fox News defended the pre-screening, quoting security concerns, including a prior assassination attempt on Trump.

The New York Times reported on the tensions outside the McDonald’s, where several hundred Trump supporters and about 50 Harris backers gathered. Verbal and occasional physical confrontations broke out between the two groups.

McDonald’s was quite to reiterated its political neutrality in an internal memo, stating the company isn’t aligned with either political party and is instead “golden.”

The event was approved by the local franchise owner, and McDonald’s extended an similar invitation to Harris’s campaign to visit the location as well.

Pennsylvania’s Importance as a swing state

As a crucial swing state, Pennsylvania’s outcome could determine the election. Due to the U.S. Electoral College system, only about six or seven states are expected to play a decisive role, leading both Trump and Harris to focus their efforts there. According to The Washington Post, Harris currently leads in national polls and key states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Trump is ahead in Arizona and Georgia, with Nevada and North Carolina remaining too close to call.