A surprising revelation from McDonald’s has reignited a debate surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris’ past employment claims.
The Western Journal reported that the company’s inability to verify Harris' employment stems from incomplete records dating back that far.
In response to an ongoing controversy about Harris’ alleged work at McDonald’s during the 1980s, the fast food giant issued an internal memo explaining why it cannot confirm whether she worked for the company.
The statement from McDonald’s was released after growing speculation over whether Harris ever worked at a McDonald’s location in Alameda, California, as she has claimed in speeches since 2019.
The company cited a lack of employee records from the early 1980s as the main reason they could not verify her employment. This explanation came amidst heightened attention following former President Donald Trump’s recent stint working briefly at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, where he lightheartedly referenced Harris’ unverified claim.
“I’ve now worked here 15 minutes more than Kamala. She never worked here,” Trump quipped during his visit, a moment that quickly went viral.
The controversy originated from Harris' comments during her 2019 presidential campaign. Speaking at a labor rally in Las Vegas, she mentioned working at McDonald’s during her youth, describing the experience as a testament to her connection with the working class.
However, since then, her story has evolved, with earlier claims suggesting she worked to help pay her way through law school, while later statements framed the job as a way to earn spending money. Despite McDonald’s inability to verify her employment, the company acknowledged Harris’ “fond memories” of working for the chain.
In August, The Washington Free Beacon reported that no evidence, such as pay stubs, photographs, or testimonies from coworkers, has surfaced to corroborate Harris’ claim. Additionally, Harris did not mention her time at McDonald’s in her 2019 memoir, The Truths We Hold, even though the book includes an entire chapter dedicated to the struggles of the working class.
Further complicating the narrative is the fact that Harris’ 1987 job application for a legal clerk position in Alameda County makes no mention of her McDonald’s employment. The form, which required her to list every position she had held over the previous ten years, did not include any reference to McDonald’s, adding to doubts about her claim.
Despite the ongoing controversy, McDonald’s internal memo sought to strike a neutral tone. While addressing the lack of records, the company refrained from taking a political stance, stating that it is not a “political brand.” The memo also highlighted that McDonald’s franchisees had invited both Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to visit their restaurants in the spirit of inclusivity.
The company underscored the shared experience many Americans have had in working for McDonald’s, pointing out that the lack of records from the early 1980s does not negate Harris’ potential employment. It reiterated that McDonald’s is proud of its history of welcoming a diverse workforce, including both former President Trump and Vice President Harris.
Despite McDonald’s explanation for the missing records, the controversy surrounding Kamala Harris’ claim that she worked for the fast food chain remains unresolved. The lack of corroborating evidence and conflicting details in her narrative continues to raise doubts, even as McDonald’s emphasizes its welcoming work environment and the possibility that records from the early 1980s may be incomplete.
