Donald Trump flips fries at McDonald’s, hosts drive-thru news conference

In a unique campaign moment, former President Donald Trump took a turn behind the fry station at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s on 20th October (yesterday), before addressing reporters from the drive-thru window.

Mr Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, was shown how to cook and salt fries by restaurant staff before serving food to customers and hosting an impromptu press conference.

Sporting an apron over his suit and tie, Mr Trump remarked that preparing fast food required "great expertise."

The visit was part of Mr Trump’s effort to counter Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’s claims of working at McDonald’s while in college, which Mr Trump has questioned, without providing any proof.

A crowd gathered outside the McDonald’s located in a key swing district just north of Philadelphia. The restaurant was closed to the public for the event.

During the brief drive-thru conference, Mr Trump fielded questions while still wearing the apron.

As aides urged Mr Trump to move on to his next event, he joked about the unusual setting for a news conference, describing the experience as “a strange place” but also calling the process of making fries “beautiful.”

Mr Trump’s ongoing criticism of Ms Harris

Mr Trump has frequently attacked Ms Harris over her story of working at McDonald’s during her college years. He has repeatedly claimed that the vice president fabricated the experience, though he has provided no evidence to support his accusations.

McDonald’s has not commented on whether employment records from four decades ago could confirm Ms Harris’s claims.

In response, her team dismissed Mr Trump’s McDonald’s appearance as a publicity stunt, with a spokesman from Ms Harris's team, Joseph Costello, stating that Trump was merely exploiting working people for political gain.

Ms Harris defended her work experience in a recent interview, emphasising that many Americans work in fast food to support their families.

As the race for the presidency continues, Mr Trump’s McDonald’s stop adds another unconventional moment to his campaign.