McDonald’s says it does not support any candidate after Trump event

McDonald’s Corp. agreed to host a campaign event for former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania restaurant over the weekend, but the company says it is not endorsing any particular candidate during the presidential race.

Trump manned the fryer at a McDonald’s in suburban Philadelphia on Sunday, and later took questions from the drive-thru window. The restaurant was closed to the public to receive the Republican candidate.

In a message to employees to whom The Associated Press Accessed Monday, McDonald’s said the restaurant’s owner-operator, Derek Giacomantonio, contacted the company after being informed that Trump wanted to visit the Pennsylvania restaurant. McDonald’s agreed to the event taking place.

“After learning of the former president’s request, our stance was to maintain one of our core values: our doors are open to all,” the company said. “McDonald’s does not support elected candidates and that remains the case in this presidential race. We are not red or blue. We are gold.”

Standing invitation for Kamala Harris

The Chicago-based burger company said franchisees have also invited Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, to visit their restaurants.

The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press looking for comments.

McDonald’s noted that it has been “part of the conversation this election cycle” despite not seeking such a distinction. At various campaign events and interviews, Harris has mentioned that she worked at McDonald’s while in college. Trump has said, without presenting evidence, that the vice president is lying.

The company did not address the issue in its message to its employees.

She noted that she is proud of Harris’s “fond memories of working under the arches” and highlighted an oft-cited figure that one in eight Americans worked at McDonald’s at some point in their lives.

“While neither we nor our franchisees have records of all employees from the early 1980s, what makes ‘one in eight’ so significant is the shared experience for so many Americans,” the company said.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels YouTube, WhatsApp and to newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.