Fact Check: Did Trump's campaign stop at McDonald's lead to 200% surge in company's stock?
FEASTERVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA: Recent online rumors suggested that McDonald's stock surged by 200% following a campaign stop by former President Donald Trump, which featured a photo opportunity at one of the fast-food chain's locations.
The SpaceX Fanclub Facebook page shared an image of Trump operating the fry station at a McDonald's restaurant, accompanied by a caption, "McDonald's stocks skyrocket 200%. 'Making McDonald's great again.'"
The post included a link to an article on the Esspots website, which elaborated on the claim and featured a purported comment from the company.
According to Esspots, McDonald's executives were left bewildered by the company's stock price soaring faster than a drive-thru order on a slow Tuesday evening, October 22, as they struggled to comprehend the sudden rise.
"I think we've finally found our new marketing strategy," McDonald's spokesperson reportedly said. "Forget celebrity endorsements or TikTok influencers—we're thinking about giving Trump a permanent fry position. Heck, we'll even rename the Big Mac to the Trump Tower Special if this keeps up."
Rumors of McDonald's stock surge debunked
While some readers may have believed the rumor, there is no evidence to support that McDonald's stock prices increased following Donald Trump's widely circulated photo opportunity.
No credible sources have confirmed such an event. In fact, the reality was quite the opposite, according to the fact-checking website Snopes.
McDonald's stock experienced a decline after Trump's visit, although an expert mentioned that the event did not significantly impact the company,
as per Newsweek.
"This was an isolated incident at one of the restaurant chain's locations and wasn't a part of a business relationship between the company and Trump," Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin said.
He added, "The broader market was down today, as well, meaning McDonald's got dragged down with most of the other consumer stocks."
Rumors of McDonald's stock surge trace back to a satirical article
The claim that McDonald's stock rose originated from an article by Esspots, a site recognized for its satirical content and associated with the SpaceX Fanclub Facebook page.
The article from Esspots was marked as satire, similar to the image in the SpaceX Fanclub's Facebook post. The SpaceX Fanclub has also identified itself as an account for "Satire/Parody."
The fictional story gained traction following a highly publicized Trump campaign visit to a McDonald's in Pennsylvania, which reportedly led the company to clarify its political stance.
During the 2024 election, Vice President Kamala Harris, a vocal opponent of Trump, drew attention by sharing her experience of working at McDonald's in the 1980s.
