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Wednesday, Nov 19, 2025
Outside the box.
Trump Uses McDonald’s Summit to Recast Economic Message on Affordability
President Donald Trump addresses franchise owners, touts tax cuts and falling food prices as central to his economic agenda
President Donald Trump delivered remarks on Monday at the McDonald’s Impact Summit in Washington, D.C., where he sought to reframe his administration’s economic record and emphasise affordability for American families.
Speaking to franchise owners, operators and suppliers of the fast-food giant, he declared that “Americans are damn lucky I’m in office” and pledged to continue working until “every family and every small business” is richer, stronger and more successful.
Trump claimed that his stewardship has produced tangible results: he said two million more American-born workers are employed today than when he took office and argued that hourly wages are rising at the fastest pace in six decades.
He further asserted that key food-price categories have fallen in recent months, including breakfast items, bread, dairy and eggs, with egg prices cited as dropping by as much as eighty-six per cent since March.
In his remarks the president credited the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed in July—featuring the largest tax cuts in U.S. history—as a cornerstone of his economic strategy.
He also referenced sweeping regulatory roll-backs and his decision to terminate the so-called “joint employer” rule, linking those actions to stronger franchise-business performance.
The event was framed as a strategic pivot in the president’s messaging ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Trump sought to shift the spotlight to cost-of-living concerns—an area where his opponents have sought advantage—by revisiting his long-standing affinity for the McDonald’s brand.
He quipped that he was “the very first former McDonald’s fry cook ever to become President of the United States,” and noted, with a grin, his preference for the fast-food chain on his campaign aircraft.
Analysts point out that while inflation remains elevated—food-at-home prices rose two point seven per cent in September—the address signalled a clear effort by the administration to reclaim the narrative on affordability and economic strength.
The president’s appeal to franchisees and small-business stakeholders suggests a renewed focus on the grassroots economy as a pillar of his platform.
Trump will follow up the summit with planned rallies in battleground states, underscoring the economic theme as central to his political strategy.
Speaking to franchise owners, operators and suppliers of the fast-food giant, he declared that “Americans are damn lucky I’m in office” and pledged to continue working until “every family and every small business” is richer, stronger and more successful.
Trump claimed that his stewardship has produced tangible results: he said two million more American-born workers are employed today than when he took office and argued that hourly wages are rising at the fastest pace in six decades.
He further asserted that key food-price categories have fallen in recent months, including breakfast items, bread, dairy and eggs, with egg prices cited as dropping by as much as eighty-six per cent since March.
In his remarks the president credited the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed in July—featuring the largest tax cuts in U.S. history—as a cornerstone of his economic strategy.
He also referenced sweeping regulatory roll-backs and his decision to terminate the so-called “joint employer” rule, linking those actions to stronger franchise-business performance.
The event was framed as a strategic pivot in the president’s messaging ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Trump sought to shift the spotlight to cost-of-living concerns—an area where his opponents have sought advantage—by revisiting his long-standing affinity for the McDonald’s brand.
He quipped that he was “the very first former McDonald’s fry cook ever to become President of the United States,” and noted, with a grin, his preference for the fast-food chain on his campaign aircraft.
Analysts point out that while inflation remains elevated—food-at-home prices rose two point seven per cent in September—the address signalled a clear effort by the administration to reclaim the narrative on affordability and economic strength.
The president’s appeal to franchisees and small-business stakeholders suggests a renewed focus on the grassroots economy as a pillar of his platform.
Trump will follow up the summit with planned rallies in battleground states, underscoring the economic theme as central to his political strategy.
