Trump: very 1st former McDonald cook ever to become President; I even got RFK to eat Big Mac🤣

President Trump addressed McDonald’s franchisees with characteristic humor and policy substance. Trump proudly called himself “the very first former McDonald’s fry cook ever to become president of the United States” — referring to his October 2024 campaign stunt working the drive-thru. He mocked Kamala Harris: “I actually was there for about 30 minutes, and that was 30 minutes longer than Kamala was there” — noting a McDonald’s insider had confirmed Harris never actually worked there despite claiming she did in her biography. Trump revealed he’s a devoted McDonald’s customer: on Trump Force One (his campaign plane) “we served only McDonald’s almost every time.” Trump even got HHS Secretary RFK Jr. to eat a Big Mac, despite Kennedy’s health-food reputation. Substantively, Trump took credit for terminating Obama’s “joint employer rule” in his first term — which McDonald’s franchisees had called “death to businesses like yours.” Trump pledged to every family and small business: “I will not rest until you are richer, stronger, more successful, happier, until you’ve gotten a piece of the American dream.” Trump emphasized “affordable” must be the Republican word, not Democrats’ — Democrats gave Americans “the worst inflation in history, the highest energy prices in history.” Trump: “I’m honored to stand before you as the very first former McDonald’s fry cook ever to become president of the United States. And I actually was there for about 30 minutes, and that was 30 minutes longer than Kamala was there.” On RFK: “I even got Bobby Kennedy to eat a Big Mac. And he told me he loved it."

"First Fry Cook President”

Trump opened his McDonald’s franchisee speech. “I’m thrilled to be here with the men and the women who are really the heart and soul of one of the greatest, most admired, and most successful companies in the history of the world, frankly, the one and only McDonald’s. I’ve gone there a couple of times.”

The typical Trump opener — superlatives and personal testimony.

“And I’m honored to stand before you as the very first former McDonald’s fry cook ever to become president of the United States.”

Trump’s October 20, 2024 campaign appearance at a McDonald’s in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania. He worked the fry station and drive-thru window, handing out meals to customers. The stunt was widely covered and immediately iconic.

McDonald’s had effectively inducted Trump into their unofficial history. The “first fry cook president” framework — tongue-in-cheek but culturally potent.

Kamala Mockery

“And I actually was there for about 30 minutes, and that was 30 minutes longer than Kamala was there, right? Despite her job at McDonald’s, that didn’t work out too well.”

Kamala Harris had repeatedly claimed she worked at McDonald’s during college. Her biography and campaign materials cited this working-class experience. McDonald’s corporate records, however, reportedly had no evidence she ever worked there.

“And the person at McDonald’s that informed us off the record that she never worked there, whoever you are, we appreciate that. That was very nice.”

Trump thanked an anonymous McDonald’s insider who apparently leaked Harris’s false employment claim to Trump’s team. The employee’s identity was protected, but Trump publicly acknowledged the tip.

The political damage to Harris was substantial. Her working-class credentials — already thin for a California Attorney General / Senator / VP — collapsed under the McDonald’s scrutiny.

Loyal Customer

“As you may have heard, I’m also one of your all time most loyal customers, I really am. Well, I think that’s good. I’m pretty sure that’s good.”

Trump’s trademark self-deprecating humor about his own eating habits. McDonald’s is one of his known favorites. The self-aware “I’m pretty sure that’s good” acknowledges healthier-eating advocates would disagree.

“While other politicians fly around on campaign planes stocked with expensive catering on Trump Force One prior to ascending to Air Force One, which is quite a nice plan also, we served only McDonald’s almost every time.”

Trump Force One = Trump’s 757 campaign plane. Air Force One = official presidential aircraft.

The framework: campaign plane served only McDonald’s. Not expensive catering. Not fancy cuisine. Fast food.

The political signaling is clear: Trump eats what working-class Americans eat. His campaign team joined him in eating McDonald’s. The authenticity reads.

“On occasion, we couldn’t find one, which is pretty hard to believe, we’d go another route. But we really did. You fed us very well.”

The humor: the only time they didn’t eat McDonald’s was when they couldn’t find a location. 38,000+ U.S. McDonald’s locations make finding one nearly automatic.

RFK Eating Big Mac

“And I even got Bobby Kennedy to eat a Big Mac. And he told me he loved it.”

RFK Jr. is famous for health-focused diet. MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) framework. Advocates for reducing processed foods.

Trump getting Kennedy to eat a Big Mac — the iconic processed food — is a humorous contradiction Kennedy-fans would enjoy. Kennedy saying he “loved it” reinforces that even health advocates enjoy occasional McDonald’s.

The framework shows Trump-Kennedy personal relationship. Kennedy accommodated Trump’s food preferences. Kennedy showed willingness to enjoy what Trump likes.

Joint Employer Rule

Trump then pivoted to substantive policy. “As you know, in my first time, I also stopped a mortal threat to the franchise business model by terminating Obama’s infamous joint employer rule.”

The Joint Employer Rule — proposed by Obama’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) — would have made franchise corporations liable for labor violations at individual franchises. This would have fundamentally changed the franchise business model.

“Joint employer. In other words, you were screwed. You were, you would have been mortally wounded, perhaps.”

Trump characterized what the rule would have done. “Mortally wounded” — the franchise business model dies without local franchisee independence.

“I said to a couple of the people, what would have happened if that, sure, please, I’d rather not talk about, they don’t want to talk about, I ended it.”

Trump asked franchisees about the hypothetical impact. They preferred not to discuss it — the contemplated outcome was too damaging to remember.

“You got lucky on that one. Let me tell you because I said, really, I asked one of my guys, because when I was coming over, I saw that in the speech, I said, what does that mean?”

Trump’s authentic process:

Saw reference in speech notes
Asked aide for explanation
Aide explained significance

“He said, that would have been death to businesses like yours and others.”

Trump’s first-term policy reversal was substantive protection for franchise industry.

“It was just these people don’t care. They didn’t care. But I ended it. And I think that’s one of the biggest things that you’ll ever have done for yourselves.”

The political framework: Democrats pushed the rule knowing it would hurt franchisees. Trump ended it. Franchisees benefited enormously.

“That’s, I think it’s the biggest thing that will ever, it can’t ever be done for you. We mentioned all these different items, but that’s the biggest by far for you.”

Small Business Defense

“As long as I’m present, I’ll always defend your right to run your own small business and do it well.”

Trump’s framework: franchisees are small business owners. Each McDonald’s location is independently owned and operated in the franchise model. Trump defending that structure.

“In my first term, we built the greatest economy in the history of the world. And now we’re doing it again. But this time it’s, it really is, as I said, much stronger, much better.”

Trump’s economic framework continues. First term = greatest economy. Second term = even better.

“I think it’s going to be something that nobody has ever seen before.”

American Dream Pledge

“My pledge to every family and every small business is that I will not rest until you are richer, stronger, more successful, happier, until you’ve gotten a piece of the American dream.”

Trump’s comprehensive pledge:

Richer (economic prosperity)
Stronger (economic resilience)
More successful (business growth)
Happier (subjective wellbeing)
American dream (the full package)

“Some of you in this room have really gotten a piece of it because you made a great decision to go with a great, great company years ago. And it’s really pretty amazing.”

McDonald’s franchisees as American dream exemplars. Buying a franchise, building it, succeeding — classic American dream trajectory.

”Affordable”

“And that begins with making America. We have to do the word is affordable and affordable as it should be our word, not theirs, because the Democrats got up and took affordability and affordability.”

Trump’s framework: “affordable” must become Republican word.

“And they don’t say that they had the worst inflation in history, the highest energy prices in history. Everything was the worst.”

The Democrat record:

Worst inflation in history (9.1% peak)
Highest energy prices (peak 2022 gasoline)
Multiple category worsts

Democrats trying to reclaim “affordability” framework after causing affordability crisis is inauthentic. Trump wants Republicans to own the word.

Significance

The McDonald’s speech combines:

Humor and humanization: McDonald’s fry cook, Kamala mockery, RFK Big Mac
Authenticity: Actually eats McDonald’s, genuine customer
Working-class framework: Trump Force One ate McDonald’s; not fancy catering
Substantive policy: Joint Employer Rule termination (first term)
Political framework: “Affordable” must be Republican word
Economic vision: Richer, stronger, more successful, happier

The audience — McDonald’s franchisees — are small business owners. Trump appeals to them through:

Policy (Joint Employer Rule elimination)
Relatability (eats their food)
Working-class culture (McDonald’s over catering)
Economic aspirations (American dream)

This is effective political communication. Franchise owners tend to vote Republican; Trump solidifies support rather than competing for swing voters.

The Kamala McDonald’s lie matter is worth noting. Harris spent months claiming work history that didn’t exist. When McDonald’s insiders contradicted her claim, media attention to the lie was muted. Trump keeping the story alive maintains political damage to Harris.

The Joint Employer Rule substance matters too. It’s an example of Trump-era deregulation that benefits specific constituencies (franchise industry). Franchise franchisee groups remember which president protected their business model.

Key Takeaways

Trump on fry cook presidency: “I’m honored to stand before you as the very first former McDonald’s fry cook ever to become president of the United States. And I actually was there for about 30 minutes, and that was 30 minutes longer than Kamala was there.”
Trump on Harris McDonald’s lie: “The person at McDonald’s that informed us off the record that she never worked there, whoever you are, we appreciate that. That was very nice.”
Trump on eating habits: “While other politicians fly around on campaign planes stocked with expensive catering on Trump Force One … we served only McDonald’s almost every time … I even got Bobby Kennedy to eat a Big Mac. And he told me he loved it.”
Trump on Joint Employer Rule: “I also stopped a mortal threat to the franchise business model by terminating Obama’s infamous joint employer rule … You would have been mortally wounded, perhaps … that would have been death to businesses like yours.”
Trump’s pledge: “My pledge to every family and every small business is that I will not rest until you are richer, stronger, more successful, happier, until you’ve gotten a piece of the American dream.”