The vice president pushed back on former President Donald Trump’s insistence that she never worked at the fast-food chain when she was a student.

Sept. 25, 2024, 4:34 PM PDT / Updated Sept. 25, 2024, 7:38 PM PDT
By Megan Lebowitz

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday again confirmed that she once worked at McDonald's, pushing back against former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly claimed she never worked there.

In an interview with Harris, MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle said, "I just want to ask you, yes or no: At any point in your life have you served two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions — "

"On a sesame seed bun?" Harris said in unison with Ruhle.

She then added that "I have" worked at a McDonald's.

"Part of the reason I even talk about having worked at McDonald's is because there are people who work at McDonald's in our country who are trying to raise a family," she said. "I worked there as a student."

"I think part of the difference between me and my opponent includes our perspective on the needs of the American people and what our responsibility, then, is to meet those needs," she added.

The Trump campaign responded Wednesday night to Harris' interview by bashing both her performance and economic record under the Biden administration.
Harris and Trump focus on the economy less than six weeks before election
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Trump has said he would end all taxes on overtime pay, though his campaign has not shared details about the plan. He has also touted a proposal to eliminate taxes on tips, a policy Harris later said she supported.

Trump has also insisted that Harris' anecdote about having worked at the fast-food chain is a "fake story."

In stump speeches, Harris often describes coming from the middle class and how that shaped her worldview.

During Wednesday's interview, Harris said: "My mother raised my sister and me. She worked hard; she saved up. By the time I was a teenager, she was able to buy her first home. And, you know, homeownership for too many people in our country now is elusive.

"Gone is the day of everyone thinking they could actually live the American dream. So part of my vision for the economy is let's deal with some of the everyday challenges that people face and address them with commonsense solutions, such as affordable housing," she added.

An NBC News poll conducted this month found that 50% of registered voters believed Trump would be better at dealing with the economy, while 41% selected Harris. The results were outside the 3.1-percentage-point margin of error.
Megan Lebowitz