McDonald's agreed to Trump event but says it isn't endorsing a presidential candidate

McDonald’s Corp. agreed to host former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania store over the weekend but said it isn’t endorsing a candidate in the U.S. presidential race.

Trump staffed the fry station at a McDonald’s in suburban Philadelphia on Sunday before answering questions through the drive-thru window. The restaurant was closed to the public for the Republican nominee's visit.

In a message to employees obtained Monday by The Associated Press, McDonald's said the owner-operator of the location, Derek Giacomantonio reached out after he learned of Trump’s desire to visit a Pennsylvania restaurant. McDonald’s agreed to the event.

“Upon learning of the former president’s request, we approached it through the lens of one of our core values: we open our doors to everyone,” the company said. “McDonald’s does not endorse candidates for elected office and that remains true in this race for the next president. We are not red or blue – we are golden."

The Chicago burger giant said franchisees have also invited Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, to their restaurants. The Associated Press left a message seeking comment with the Harris campaign.

McDonald’s said it has “been a fixture of conversation this election cycle” even though it hasn’t sought that attention. At several campaign stops and during interviews, Harris has recalled working at McDonald’s for spending money during her college years. Trump has claimed – without evidence – that Harris is lying.

McDonald’s sidestepped that issue in its employee message. The company said it is proud of “Harris’s fond memories working under the arches” and noted the often-cited figure that 1 in 8 Americans works at McDonald’s at some point.

“While we and our franchisees don’t have records for all positions dating back to the early ‘80s, what makes ‘1 in 8’ so powerful is the shared experience so many Americans have had,” McDonald’s said.

Trump’s appearance led to some backlash on social media. Google searches for “boycott McDonald’s” briefly surged Monday morning, and some Twitter users vowed not to return to the chain after Trump’s event.

But Lori Rosen, president of the public relations firm Rosen Group, said McDonald’s won’t likely see long-term damage from the event.

“The coverage and publicity alone generated from McDonald’s agreeing to have former President Trump work at one of their franchises already surpasses the negative chatter on social media ,” Rosen said. “I am not sure if the American people will benefit from this publicity stunt. However, McDonald’s comes out ahead.”

Bruce Newman, a professor in business ethics and marketing at DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business, agrees.

“They look like the company that’s getting the attention of the presidential candidates, and it heightens the awareness of the brand,” he said.

Newman added that Trump was likely trying to put a different, more casual face on his campaign, wearing a smile and an apron instead of a suit jacket.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks from a drive-thru window during a campaign stop at a McDonald's, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump cheer outside of a McDonald's in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa., after Trump made a campaign stop, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump poses with employees during a campaign stop at a McDonald's in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa., Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, uses a frier as an employee looks on during a visit to McDonald's in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa., Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump stands at a drive-thru window during a campaign stop at a McDonald's in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa., Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump hands a customer an order at a drive-thru window during a campaign stop at a McDonald's in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa., Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks from a drive-thru window during a campaign stop at a McDonald's, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump hands an order to a customer at a drive-thru window during a campaign stop at a McDonald's, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)