As the election approached, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump escalated their personal attacks – Trump served French fries at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s restaurant on Sunday, the 20th of October, to dispute Harris’ claim that she worked there, while Harris, who was in Georgia, wrote on X that Trump was “exhausted, unstable and unfit” to be president, according to the BBC.
Both candidates campaigned for votes in swing states ahead of the 5th of November elections, with Harris addressing voters in Georgia and Trump campaigning in Pennsylvania.
On Sunday afternoon, speaking in the traditionally Republican-friendly Lancaster County, Trump singled out the economy and immigration, saying that while polls show the economy is the main problem, immigration is even more important to voters and argued that it is “the number one thing people want to talk about”.
Earlier in the day, Trump visited a McDonald’s in the suburbs of Philadelphia, where he learned to fry French fries and served food at a drive-through. The restaurant itself was closed during Trump’s visit
“I love this job,” said the Republican, himself a fan of Big Macs and Filet-o-Fish burgers, once again accusing Harris of “lying” about having once worked for the fast-food chain.
“I’ve now worked at [McDonald’s] 15 minutes longer than Kamala,” Trump said.
im crying Donald Trump is so unserious, someone recorded him working at McDonalds and he said “I’ve now worked 15 more minutes than Kamala” 😭 pic.twitter.com/3JzGNSQp04
— ryan 🤿 (@scubaryan_) October 20, 2024
Donald Trump decided to work at McDonald’s to make fries in Pennsylvania
This is a swing state, so Trump decided to win the hearts of the residents this way. He also trolled Kamala Harris, who said she worked part-time at a diner when she was young – Trump thinks it’s a lie.… pic.twitter.com/5d4UQOdCaC
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 21, 2024
A spokesperson for Harris called Trump’s stunt with McDonald’s a “desperate” move, accusing him of lying and stressing that Harris had worked there in the summer of 1983.
Although a student interviewed by the BBC who was featured in a McDonald’s advertisement in that year’s school yearbook did not recall working with Harris, a high school friend interviewed by The New York Times confirmed that Harris was working at a McDonald’s restaurant at the time.
On Sunday, Harris celebrated her 60th birthday and gave an interview to MSNBC, whose host asked her about Trump’s remark at a rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on Saturday that she was a “shit vice-president”.
Harris said that Trump’s language “disparages the office of the presidency”, adding that “he has not earned the right” to become president again.
Earlier in the day, she called on the congregation of black churchgoers near Atlanta, Georgia, to vote against the “chaos, fear and hatred” that she believes Trump embodies. On Saturday, she said that Trump is “cruel”.
Meanwhile, the billionaire founder of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, who supports Trump, pledged to give one million US dollars every day to voters who sign his pro-US Constitution petition in support of Trump’s bid to return to the White House. The winner is said to be chosen at random.
Polls show the two candidates are in a very tight race across the country, including in the seven swing districts that could decide the election.