Thursday, October 24, 2024

Opinion: Trump's latest campaign ads attack trans people. Why is Harris still silent?

Sara Pequeño, USA TODAY
Tue, October 22, 2024 

Donald Trump is using the final days of the campaign to exploit fears about yet another group of people.

The Republican presidential nominee's campaign has spent at least $17 million on ads about Vice President Kamala Harris for a 2019 stance on providing trans-affirming health care to people in prison. The issue has not been part of her 2024 campaign, although she was questioned about it in a recent Fox News interview. These anti-trans ads have aired more than 30,000 times.

“Kamala is for they/them,” one ad reads. “Trump is for you.”

The Republicans are no strangers to using a marginalized group of people to stoke fear. We’ve seen how they talk about immigrants in dehumanizing ways. The trans panic talking points are just more hate.

The GOP will continue spreading hatred of transgender people on the road to Election Day. The left can’t keep pretending the issue doesn't exist. It's a good opportunity for Democrats to win voters, like the 38% who told Gallup that transgender rights are "extremely important" or "very important" when making their decision in this election. It might win over a few voters, but that's what it will take to win this election.
Will Democrats find the right messaging to combat GOP hate?

I asked Imara Jones, CEO of the news site TransLash, whether she thought these attacks resonated with voters. The award-winning media outlet shares stories about transgender and gender-nonconforming people. Jones explained that the anti-trans ads could be used to win over suburban white women who were initially fans of Republican former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

“They understand this as a way to eke out close elections, right?” Jones told me. “It’s designed to get one or two votes per precinct in key states.”

Opinion: Melania Trump says she supports abortion rights. Don't forget what her husband did.

In an election this close, less than a handful of votes could make a difference. Jones noted that while Democrats have not found the right messaging for trans issues, not having an answer at all creates a vulnerability that the Republicans can exploit.

“Campaigns don’t normally let attacks go unanswered,” she said. “And so far, there hasn’t been one.”
Harris campaign has touched on the issue through Walz

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz campaigns on Oct. 17, 2024, in Durham, N.C.

Democrats have – briefly – talked about transgender issues on the campaign trail. When asked about her 2019 stance on trans health care by Fox News’ Bret Baier, Harris said she would follow the law and called the issue “really quite remote.”

Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, recently delivered a stronger stance on the issue.

Opinion: Trump said so many stupid things this week, I decided to just round them up

“The closing arguments for Donald Trump is to demonize a group of people for being who they are,” Walz said on the podcast "We Can Do Hard Things" last week. “We’re out there trying to make the case that access to health care, and a clean environment and manufacturing jobs, and keeping your local hospital open ‒ those are things that people are really concerned about.”

Truth be told, that’s the message Democrats should run with. It is the simplest message that appeases most people while still taking a stand for someone’s humanity.
Democrats still have time to turn this into a win before Election Day

Anti-trans ads are only grabbing a marginal number of voters, but this is a presidential race that will be decided on razor-thin margins. Some campaigns have already had to respond to anti-trans attack ads from Republicans.

Rep. Colin Allred, a Texas Democrat running to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz, responded to this line of attack by releasing an ad claiming, “I don’t want boys playing girls sports.” It’s unclear whether this means he supports trans girls playing on girls’ sports teams.

It makes sense that Democrats have some anxiety about this issue. According to Gallup, 69% of Americans believe trans athletes should only be allowed to play on teams that correspond with the gender they were assigned at birth. Democrats always run the risk of isolating more moderate members of the party if they take a clear stance against these transphobic attacks.

















We’re also incredibly close to the election, and Harris’ team probably thinks there are other communities worth targeting with such little time left.

Even so, the Democratic Party could win over reluctant voters who don’t see themselves or the ones they love protected by either party. Even just a point on its campaign platform page would be a step in the right direction. More important, it would show Republicans that they can’t just attack a group of people without repercussions.

Republicans are using fear and bigotry to drive voters to the polls. Democrats may not win on the issue, but an official stance is important.

Follow USA TODAY elections columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Opinion: Trump ramps up anti-trans ads. Harris should stand against it





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Country’s Most-Powerful Banker Is Quietly Backing Kamala Harris

Josh Fiallo
Tue, October 22, 2024 a

Jamie Dimon waves his hand and smirks outdoors.


We may finally know where the country’s most-powerful banker really stands politically this election season.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, 68, is quietly backing a Kamala Harris win on Election Day despite his public praise of Donald Trump earlier this year, according to a report from The New York Times Tuesday.

That’s quite the coup for Harris’ campaign, as Dimon is overwhelmingly viewed as one of the most influential players in the banking world and on Wall Street—areas that tend to back Republicans more often than Democrats.


Word of that support is likely to be largely muffled to the masses, however, as Dimon has stopped short of outright endorsing Harris publicly. Instead, the Times reports he’s merely been “supportive” of the vice president in “private conversations with Wall Street executives.”

Dimon has also reportedly told those close to him that he’d be open to serving in a Walz-Harris administration, perhaps as its Treasury secretary. Harris has said repeatedly that she plans to appoint a Republican to a cabinet position, though its unclear what party—if any—Dimon is a registered member of. He’s been CEO of JPMorgan Chase since 2006.

“I’ve always been an American patriot,” Dimon said on a call earlier this month, hinting at his willingness to work in the federal government, the Times reported. “And my country is more important to me than my company.”

The Times reports that Harris’ campaign approached Dimon about endorsing. Trump’s camp has reportedly done the same, going as far as claiming they’d won over Dimon’s endorsement even when they didn’t have it.


Jamie Dimon was quick to say that he never endorsed Donald Trump, but the former president’s post remained online more than two weeks later.

Trump posted to Truth Social on Oct. 4 that Dimon had endorsed him—a claim that was quickly shot down by Dimon’s camp. Trump denied making the post but, perhaps bizarrely, never took down the false graphic he shared to his personal account.

That endorsement, before it was revealed to be a farce, didn’t appear to come totally out of left field. He said on CNBC’s morning show Squawk Box in January that Trump was “kind of right about NATO, kind of right about immigration,” and that “he grew the economy quite well.”

In that same appearance, Dimon said many Americans recognized Trump was spot-on on certain “critical issues.”



“I don’t like how Trump said things, but he wasn’t wrong about those critical issues,” Dimon said. “That’s why they’re voting for him. People should be more respectful of our fellow citizens. I think this negative talk about MAGA will hurt Biden’s campaign.”

Despite those comments, Trump and Dimon have also bickered with each other over the years.

Among the recent rifts between the two New York-born billionaires—Dimon is worth $2.2 billion, according to Forbes, while Trump is worth $4 billion—came when Dimon urged corporate leaders to support Nikki Haley’s primary bid over Trump.

Trump responded in typical fashion, raging in a post to Truth Social that he was “never a big fan” of Dimon, whom he called a “highly overrated Globalist.”

“I guess I don’t have to live with him anymore, and that’s a really good thing,” Trump said.


Donald Trump and Jamie Dimon shake hands in 2017.

Trump, perhaps realizing the influence Dimon holds, changed his tone when speaking about Dimon in July. That’s when he told Bloomberg Businessweek that he has “a lot of respect” for Dimon and that he’d consider him for Treasury Secretary should he win re-election.

In a statement to the Times on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Dimon said his usually-outspoken boss hasn’t been talking about the election much because his “comments are often weaponized by the left or right when he weighs in on politics or politicians.”

This, the spokesperson added, “is not constructive to helping solve our country’s biggest problems.”

 The Daily Beast.


JPMorgan chief Dimon would consider a role in Harris administration, NYT reports

Reuters
Updated Tue, October 22, 2024 at 5:46 PM MDT·2 min read

(Reuters) -JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon would consider a government role, perhaps that of the Treasury Secretary, if Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris wins the U.S. presidential election, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Dimon is not making his stance known publicly for fear of retribution should Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, win, according to the report.

The CEO of the largest U.S. bank has long been floated for senior positions on U.S. economic policy.

But at JPMorgan's post-earnings call earlier this month, Dimon said the chance of him being asked to take up a government role was "almost nil."

"And I probably am not going to do it. But I always reserve the right" to reconsider, he said.

Dimon's thinking has not changed since then, a source close to him told Reuters.

However, down the road if there is a position where he can have significant impact in the role then he may consider it, irrespective of the political party, the source added.

The source declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the information.

Dimon took the reins at JPMorgan in 2006. He has emphasized that he and the rest of the board will "do the right thing" on succession when he eventually leaves, without specifying details.

He has been outspoken on economic and policy matters and has often celebrated American exceptionalism, including in his widely read annual letter in April.

"I've always been an American patriot and my country is more important to me than my company," he told analysts on a call this month.

The bank declined to comment on the report. Spokespeople for the Harris and Trump campaigns did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

(Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru and Nupur Anand in Washington; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Stephen Coates)

Bill Gates Makes Unprecedented $50 Million Pledge to Back Kamala Harris: ‘This Election Is Different’

Sharon Knolle
Tue, October 22, 2024 



Bill Gates has donated $50 million to Kamala Harris’ campaign, a political backing that was originally intended to be private.

The Microsoft founder confirmed the donation to The New York Times on Tuesday, saying “this election is different,” although he is still not endorsing Harris publicly.

“I support candidates who demonstrate a clear commitment to improving health care, reducing poverty and fighting climate change in the U.S. and around the world,” he said in a statement. “I have a long history of working with leaders across the political spectrum, but this election is different, with unprecedented significance for Americans and the most vulnerable people around the world.”


Two people close to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as the Times phrased it, “expressed concern about what a second Donald Trump presidency would look like.” Among the issues where the philanthropic organization tallies with Harris is on preventing cuts to family planning and global health programs.


Gates made his donation to Future Forward, a fundraising group supporting Harris, according to the Times’ report. Sources told the outlet that the tech giant had discussed his donation with former New York City mayor and one-time Democratic presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg, who “has considered a similarly sized gift.”

Conservative politicians Gates has previously backed include Alaskan Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s Denali Leadership PAC and Arizona’s Charles Horne, according to OpenSecrets. But in the last two years, he has primarily donated to Democrats, including Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker.

An OpenSecrets graph shows that in 2018, he donated more than twice as much to Republican candidates ($4.72 million) as he did to their Democratic opponents ($2.18 million).

On the other side of the political spectrum, X owner and fellow billionaire Elon Musk has pledged to spend $140 million to get GOP rival Donald Trump re-elected.

The post Bill Gates Makes Unprecedented $50 Million Pledge to Back Kamala Harris: ‘This Election Is Different’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Bill Gates privately said he donated $50 million to a pro-Harris super PAC, report says

Thibault Spirlet
Wed, October 23, 2024 


Bill Gates said he donated millions to a pro-Harris super-PAC, three sources told The New York Times.


He reportedly donated $50 million to Future Forward's nonprofit arm, which doesn't disclose donors.


The billionaire didn't confirm or deny this, but told the Times this election was "different."

Bill Gates has privately said he donated about $50 million to a pro-Harris super-PAC, The New York Times reported, citing multiple sources.

The billionaire Microsoft founder, who has not publicly endorsed either candidate for president, made the donation to Future Forward's nonprofit arm, Future Forward USA Action, three people briefed on the matter told the newspaper.

Future Forward USA Action does not disclose its donors, meaning any contributions would not be made public.

Two of the sources said that Gates has talked about his donation with Mike Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor, among others, per the Times.

In a statement to the Times, Gates didn't confirm or deny the donations.

He said that "this election is different," adding that he supports candidates who show a "clear" commitment to improving healthcare, reducing poverty, and fighting climate change in the US and worldwide.

The Gates Foundation didn't immediately respond to a Business Insider request for comment, made outside working hours.

Gates has previously said that he chooses not to make large political donations.

"There are times it might feel tempting to do so, and there are other people who choose to do so, but I just don't want to grab that gigantic megaphone," he said at a New York Times Dealbook conference in 2019.

After Harris announced her candidacy in July, Gates told France 24 it was "great" to have "somebody who's younger, who can think about things like AI."

The views of America's billionaires on the election have been the subject of intense speculation and reporting.

Former President Donald Trump claimed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg called him to say, "There's no way I can vote for a Democrat in this election." A Meta spokesperson denied this and said that Zuckerberg would not be endorsing anyone, nor revealing how he would vote.

Earlier this month, JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon also had to deny he was endorsing the former president after Trump posted a photo on Truth Social with a caption saying he had.

These billionaires' guarded stances are in stark contrast with Elon Musk, who has said he is "all in" supporting a Trump victory.

Elon Musk's super PAC, America PAC, has spent more than $100 million on the election, most of which went toward supporting former President Donald Trump and opposing Harris.

The latest available ad-revenue data from X, the social media company Musk bought in 2022, shows America PAC has spent $201,021 on advertising on X since July.

Last Sunday, Musk also said in an X post that he planned to give away $1 million a day to a different swing-state voter who has signed his petition to support free speech and the right to bear arms.


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23 Nobel economic experts say Harris' plan 'vastly superior' to Trump's

Chris Benson
Wed, October 23, 2024

Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Nearly two dozen winners of the renowned Nobel Prize in economics said Vice President Kamala Harris' economic agenda is "vastly superior" to that of the current Republican presidential nominee.

"Simply put, Harris' policies will result in a stronger economic performance, with economic growth that is more robust, more sustainable, and more equitable," wrote 23 Nobel Prize laureates in an open letter obtained Wednesday.

The list of 23 Nobel recipients represents more than half of the living U.S. holders of the coveted international award.


The Federal Reserve's recent interest rate cut and September's employment data that shows hiring has increased with a dropping rate of unemployment indicates to experts a robust U.S. economy moving in the right direction.

Economists widely view former President Donald Trump's tariff and tax policies as inflationary and will keep expanding the already trillion-dollar federal deficit.

Meanwhile, compared to Trump's policies, Harris would be "a far better steward of our economy," the letter said, although both campaigns have yet to outline specifics. But Trump, they note, "threatens" the rule of law which they added is key to economic success.

Harris has made an "opportunity economy" a centerpiece of her presidential campaign that, among other things, looks at future entrepreneurs to help jumpstart small businesses, cutting inflation, price gouging and first-time homebuyer incentives.

Trump economic policies, the noted economic experts wrote, "including high tariffs even on goods from our friends and allies and regressive tax cuts for corporations and individuals, will lead to higher prices, larger deficits, and greater inequality."

This new letter was led by the noted economist Joseph Stiglitz, a Columbia University professor who won the Nobel Prize in 2001. And it marks the second such letter Stiglitz has spearheaded with other laureates.

In June, 16 Noble Prize-winning economists also wrote that if Trump wins the presidency on Nov. 5., it will "reignite inflation."

At the time, the Trump campaign was dismissive and critical, calling the economic experts "worthless" and "out of touch."

"Harris' economic agenda will improve our nation's health, investment, sustainability, resilience, employment opportunities, and fairness," according to this new letter.

But Wednesday's 228-word letter is shorter, more pointed and included two of the three most recent Nobel recipients, Simon Johnson and Daron Acemoglu of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"Among the most important determinants of economic success are the rule of law and economic and political certainty, and Trump threatens all of these," the economists wrote.


Nobel laureates endorse Harris economic agenda
Tobias Burns
Wed, October 23, 2024

Winners of the Nobel Prize in economics are backing Vice President Harris’s vision for the economy, calling it “vastly better” to that of former President Trump.

“Harris’s economic agenda will improve our nation’s health, investment, sustainability, resilience, employment opportunities, and fairness,” economic laureates Daron Acemoglu, Esther Duflo, William Nordhaus and 20 others wrote in an open letter.

The economists criticized Trump’s plan for the economy, calling out his plans to greatly increase tariffs, which has been met with staunch resistance from many policy experts in Washington.

“His policies, including high tariffs even on goods from our friends and allies and regressive tax cuts for corporations and individuals, will lead to higher prices, larger deficits, and greater inequality,” they wrote.

Economic agendas from both Harris and Trump have not been fully laid out yet, but they have been given a few defining features.

Harris wants to go after price gouging, help aspiring entrepreneurs start small businesses and provide incentives for first-time homebuyers, among other proposals.

Trump is promising to alter the U.S. revenue structure by imposing a general tariff on imported goods. He has also pledged a number of new tax breaks.

Trump’s plans would add significantly more to the U.S. deficit than Harris’s, according to various budgetary summaries and analyses.

U.S. debt levels ballooned following the pandemic, as the government under both the Trump and Biden administrations sent out trillions in fiscal stimulus, both to individuals and businesses.

That stimulus contributed to the inflation that weighed on President Biden’s economic approval ratings throughout his term. As supply chains returned to normal and the stimulus was absorbed into the economy, prices have since fallen back down toward a 2-percent annual increase.

A monetary tightening cycle undertaken by the Federal Reserve helped to keep inflation expectations anchored.

The fact that inflation has come down without a recession has been hailed by economists as a serious achievement and could be a hallmark of the Biden administration’s legacy.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The Hill.
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McDonald’s workers roast Trump over ‘insulting cosplay’ stunt at restaurant that failed health inspection

Kelly Rissman
Mon, October 21, 2024 at 10:52 PM MDT·4 min read

Donald Trump’s obsession with questioning Kamala Harris’ work experience at McDonald’s peaked over the weekend when he worked the fry cooker at a Pennsylvania branch — without a hairnet or gloves.

McDonald’s workers have now given their verdict on the former president’s performance - and came away less than impressed.

Trump has baselessly called his Democratic opponent’s summer stint at a McDonald’s “a lie,” so he decided to try his hand at the fast-food chain himself, shutting down a Bucks County restaurant to do so.

While serving food through the drive-thru window and working the fry cooker, some have pointed out that he wasn’t taking proper precautions — at a location that has previously been cited for health code violations.


NO PPE: HAIRNET, MASK, NITRILE GLOVES
Donald Trump works behind the counter during a visit to McDonalds in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania (via REUTERS)

Earlier this year, this location didn’t meet the compliance requirements of the Bucks County Health Department. A health inspection in March at the Feasterville-Trevose location resulted in four violations, including citing employees not having their “hands clean & properly washed.”

“Food employees are not washing their hands as required before putting on gloves, after handling soiled tableware, after handling raw meat, before handling clean tableware, equipment, utensils. CFSM must review hand washing requirements with staff. Observed employees handling raw beef with gloves and then switching gloves without hand washing step in-between,” the health inspector wrote.

The report also noted a lack of hairnets: “Food workers are not wearing hair restraints as required, which includes management that assists in packaging and preparing food. Employees shall wear hair restraints such as hats, hair coverings or nets, that are effectively designed and worn to keep their hair from contacting exposed food; clean equipment, utensils and linens; and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles.”

Trump handed at food at the drive through window (REUTERS)

This Sunday’s photoshoot of the former president captured him in a white button-down shirt, ketchup-colored tie and a blue apron with yellow stripes — but without gloves or a hairnet while working at the McDonald’s stop in the swing state.

The Independent has reached out to the Bucks County Health Department and a representative for McDonald’s for comment.

Workers for the fast food chain shared their opinions in the Reddit thread r/McDonaldsEmployees and were quick to point out that Trump did not seem to meet the chain’s typical requirements.

DodgyRogue asked: “Where’s his approved uniform shirt? His hat?”

Adinnieken added: “As evidenced by other pictures, he’s not wearing non-slips shoes, and he wasn’t wearing a hairnet.”

And Rofflewafflelol wrote: “Great, so he passed out bags of food for 5 minutes for a photo op..... now let’s see him actually take on the responsibility of a full shift every day for a few years.

“This is cosplay and insulting to people who have actually worked any amount of time in their lives.”

Trump has baselessly accused Kamala Harris of lying about her own McDonald’s experience (AP)

The restaurant closed down for 30 minutes while Trump played dress up. It’s unclear if the branch’s workers were paid during that interim.

The average fast foodworker earns $13 to $15 per hour nationwide, federal data shows. While Harris has earned endorsements from several influential unions, including Service Employees International Union, which supported the nationwide Fight for $15 campaign, Trump dodged a question on Sunday about whether he supported increasing the minimum wage.

“Well, I think this. These people work hard,” Trump replied instead. “They’re great. And I just saw something - a process that’s beautiful.”

The unorthodox campaign stop was Trump’s latest attempt at a personal jab at Harris, who he has baselessly claimed never worked at the fast-food chain.

“I’ve now worked 15 minutes more than Kamala” at a McDonald’s, a blue apron-clad Trump told reporters out of a drive-thru window on Sunday.

Last week, the former president’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr also repeated this claim, saying he believed she was discussing her McDonald’s job “to seem relatable and likable.”

Don Jr then boasted: “I think my father knows the McDonald’s menu much better than Kamala Harris ever did.”



McDonald's distances itself from Donald Trump and his dubious claim about Kamala Harris

Marin Scotten
Tue, October 22, 2024 

The McDonald's logo is pictured in front of a store in Dearborn, Michigan on October 17, 2024. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images


Despite hosting former President Donald Trump for a shift, McDonald's does not support his claims that Vice President Kamala Harris is lying about her stint working at a California McDonald's in the summer of 1983, The Washington Post reported.

Throughout her campaign, Harris has mentioned her time as a McDonald's employee, an experience shared by one in eight Americans.

Trump hasn’t let go of the mention of Harris’ teenage summer job, repeatedly telling Americans that she never worked at McDonald's and is making the whole thing up. As Harris’ employment was 41 years ago, in the pre-digital era, there are no official records of her employment at the Bay Area McDonald's.

“We have checked with McDonald’s, and they say, definitively, that there is no record of Lyin’ Kamala Harris ever having worked there,” he wrote Sunday afternoon. “In other words, she never worked there, and has lied about this ‘job’ for years.”

On Sunday, the Republican nominee took the attack a step further and pretended to work a shift at a Pennsylvania McDonald's. He stood in the drive-thru window and handed food to “customers,” who were in fact supporters pre-screened by the Secret Service.

“I’m looking for a job,” Trump said to the owner of McDonalds location. “And I’ve always wanted to work at McDonald’s, but I never did. I’m running against somebody that said she did, but it turned out to be a totally phony story.”

McDonalds has welcomed the attention, but its staying neutral in the debate about Harris’ employment, according to a statement obtained by The Washington Post.

“Though we are not a political brand, we've been proud to hear former President Trump’s love for McDonald’s and Vice President Harris’s fond memories working under the Arches,” the message to its employees reads. “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.”

The multi-billion dollar franchise also told the Associated Press it is an apolitical company and does not support either candidate.

“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.”



Here's What We Know About Trump's 'Shift' at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania and Claims It Was 'Staged'

Aleksandra Wrona
Tue, October 22, 2024 

Reddit u/Lifegoesonforever, C-SPAN


Former U.S. President Donald Trump spent about 15 minutes scooping French fries into containers and handing them to drive-thru "customers" at a McDonald's restaurant in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 20, 2024, in a publicity stunt arranged by his presidential campaign.

"I worked 15 minutes longer than Kamala Harris ever did," Trump told reporters after the photo op, doubling down on his claims that the vice president lied when she said she worked at a McDonald's in her youth.

When video of Trump's 15-minute stint as a fast-food worker was released, social media platforms erupted with partisan posts claiming it was was "fake," "staged" and merely a "stunt."

It's crucial to note that photo ops and publicity stunts are always, by definition, staged. That said, here are examples of some of the online comments about Trump's McDonald's outing:

"You mean to tell me this was all staged, and that these 'customers' rehearsed in advance to make it seem like a genuine interaction and that the McDonald's was actually closed to the public!" one X post read. Another X post, with more than 1.7 million views, stated: "Who else was NOT surprised to learn that Trump's event at a closed McDonald's was totally staged and as fraudulent as he is?"
The News Media on Trump's 'Shift' At McDonald's

Multiple reliable news outlets, such as The Associated Press, Reuters and the BBC, reported on Trump's visit to the fast-food restaurant. The New York Times rightly called it a "campaign photo op," reporting that Trump handed food to preselected customers.

C-SPAN recorded the visit, stating Trump "worked a 30-minute shift. … He first met with the owner and received a uniform and name tag, and then learned how to make and package french fries before serving some drive-thru customers and answering questions from the press."

You can see the footage of Trump's visit below:

Trump's involvement was limited to a short interaction with staff and customers, learning how to make and package French fries, and serving a few drive-thru customers, rather than a normal employee's full workday involving numerous tasks.
Was the Location Closed?

The primary argument circulating on social media accusing the event of being staged was centered around a printed notice supposedly displayed at the restaurant, stating it was closed. A photograph of the notice was shared on platforms including X, Threads, Facebook and Reddit. "So the place wasn't even open. It was all staged and fake. He didn't work for real at a McDonalds. It was a staged fraud just like every other event," one X user captioned it.

The Washington Post and Philadelphia TV station WCAU also reported the restaurant was closed to the public during Trump's visit.

The text on the notice read:

Dear Feasterville Community,

We plan to be closed on Sunday, October 20 until 4 p.m., to accommodate a visit at the request of former President Trump and his campaign.

While we are not a political organization, we proudly open our doors to everyone and as a locally owned and operated location, this visit provides a unique opportunity to shine a light on the positive impact of small businesses here in Feasterville. We're equally honored to share the significance of what 1 in 8 Americans have experienced: that a job at McDonald's is more than just a job. It's a pathway to critical skills development and meaningful career opportunities. Having started my McDonald's joumey as a crew member in New York nearly 30 years ago. This path to economic opportunity is especially meaningful to me.

I apologize for the inconvenience of closing our restaurant and sincerely look forward to serving you very soon.

Derek Giacomantonio and my team at Feasterville McDonald's

Giacomantonio was shown in the C-SPAN video as an owner of the restaurant.

We have reached out to McDonald's and Giacomantonio to confirm the notice's authenticity.
Photos From the Event

Apart from the printed notice, social media users shared other photographs from the event along with their claims the event was fake. "It was all STAGED!! Trump did not work. McDonald's closed for the day & there was a car rehearsal," one Reddit user wrote. One X post claimed that customers were "handpicked," while another alleged the customers were "pre-selected supporters of his campaign who had practiced how to use the drive-through."

WCAU reported that "it was not immediately clear how the drive-through customers served by Trump were selected." According to The Washington Post, "the motorists whom Trump served were screened by the U.S. Secret Service and positioned before his arrival. No one ordered food. Instead, the attendees received whatever Trump gave them."

These photographs were initially shared by local journalist Tom Sofield, who captioned them with: "Cars rehearsing ahead of former Pres. Trump, who is expected to be serving supporters McDonald's food" and "The supporters who will be served food by Trump are in place and screened by USSS."



(X user @BuxMontNews)

"The fact that you present this like it's some big shock makes me wonder who ties your shoes for you. The USSS didn't let a bunch of random people in their personal vehicles drive up to a drive-thru window with a former President and Presidential candidate," one X user commented, pointing to the fact that screening people in high-security situations is a standard practice.

Sofield confirmed to Snopes that he took the pictures. He said the "rehearsals" involved staging the cars in line and brief conversations with campaign staff, adding that the people in the vehicles waited about an hour or an hour and a half before Trump arrived and handed out food.

We also reached out to Trump's campaign, which did not respond to questions about whether there were rehearsals, how customers were chosen and screened, or whether the notice about the store's closure was real, instead repeating the line that "President Trump has now worked at McDonald's longer than Kamala Harris ever did."

Additionally, we reached out to the Secret Service for comment about how the customers were selected and whether they were screened by the agency, and we will update this report if we receive a response.
Sources:

Contact. https://www.secretservice.gov/contact. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.

Contact Information | McDonald's Corporation. https://www.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/contact.html. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.

Former President Trump Works at McDonald's in Bucks County, PA | C-SPAN.Org. https://www.c-span.org/video/?539376-1/president-trump-works-mcdonalds-bucks-county-pa. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.

Gold, Michael. "Trump Slings McDonald's Fries as He Smears Harris in Pennsylvania." The New York Times, 20 Oct. 2024. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/20/us/politics/trump-mcdonalds-fries.html.

Shalal, Andrea, and Steve Holland. "Trump Hands out French Fries, Harris Visits Georgia Churches." Reuters, 21 Oct. 2024. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/harris-mark-60th-birthday-with-atlanta-church-visits-trump-hits-mcdonalds-2024-10-20/.

"Tom Sofield, Author at LevittownNow.Com." LevittownNow.Com, 21 Oct. 2024, https://levittownnow.com/author/tomsofield/.

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"Trump Works the Fry Station and Holds a Drive-Thru News Conference at a Pennsylvania McDonald's." AP News, 20 Oct. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-mcdonalds-2024-presidential-election-pennsylvania-73e55c8c1db4adc2a547b62bd5142be3.

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Israel names Al Jazeera reporters as Gaza militants, network condemns 'unfounded allegations'

Reuters
Wed, October 23, 2024

Israeli army raids Al Jazeera Ramallah's office

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Israeli military named on Wednesday six Palestinians in Gaza as Al Jazeera reporters who it said were also members of the Hamas or Islamic Jihad militant groups, an allegation which the Qatari network rejected as an attempt to silence journalists.

"Al Jazeera condemns Israeli accusations against its journalists in Gaza and warns against (this) being a justification for targeting them," the network said in a statement.

The Israeli military published documents which it said it had found in Gaza that proved the men had a military affiliation to the groups. Reuters was not able to immediately verify the authenticity of the documents.


The Israeli military said the papers included Hamas and Islamic Jihad lists of personnel details, salaries and militant training courses, phone directories and injury reports.

"These documents serve as proof of the integration of Hamas terrorists within the Qatari Al Jazeera media network," the military said.

Al Jazeera said that "The Network views these fabricated accusations as a blatant attempt to silence the few remaining journalists in the region, thereby obscuring the harsh realities of the war from audiences worldwide."

Israel has long accused Al Jazeera of being a Hamas mouthpiece and over the past year its authorities have ordered it to shut down its operations for security reasons, raided its offices and confiscated equipment.

Al Jazeera has said the Israeli actions against it were criminal, draconian and irresponsible and that the latest allegations were "part of a wider pattern of hostility" towards it.

The network says it has no affiliation with militant groups and has accused Israeli forces of deliberately killing several of its journalists in the Gaza war, including Samer Abu Daqqa and Hamza AlDahdooh. Israel says it does not target journalists.

Qatar established Al Jazeera in 1996 and sees the network as a way to bolster its global profile.

Along with Egypt and the United States it has mediated ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, though the talks have been deadlocked for months.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Andrew Mills in Doha; Editing by James Mackenzie and William Maclean)

Israel's military accuses 6 Al Jazeera journalists of acting as Hamas operatives

Chris Benson
Wed, October 23, 2024 

Participants hold a poster that reads, 'Targeting Journalists is a Crime.' (Pictured in Malaysia, 2024) According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, as of May of this year, preliminary investigations showed at least 97 journalists and media workers were among the more than 35,000 killed since the war October 2023 Gaza war began. File Photo by Fazry Ismail/EPA-EFE


Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Israel's military said it uncovered documents that it says proves six journalists with the Middle East-based news source Al Jazeera are operatives with Hamas and other Palestinian-linked terror squads.

However, a New York-based international journalism association was skeptical of Israel's accusations against the journalists.

On Wednesday, the Israeli Defense Forces said documents recovered in the Gaza Strip -- including spreadsheets, training course lists, telephone and salary records -- "unequivocally prove" that six journalists with Al-Jazeera were operatives who also functioned as members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist syndicates.

The IDF named Anas Al-Sharif, Alaa Salama, Hossam Shabat, Ashraf Saraj, Ismail Abu Amr, and Talal Aruki as the accused.

In May, the Israeli government banned Al Jazeera from the country because of its coverage of Israel's war in Gaza. The ban was extended, too.

"These documents are proof of the involvement of Hamas terrorists in the Qatari media network, Al Jazeera," Israel's military said in a statement.

Israel claimed the accused staff journalists are "spearheading" propaganda for Hamas by using Al Jazeera's global platform.

It's alleged that al-Sharif was head of a rocket launching squad. Salameh, IDF officials claimed, was deputy head of a propaganda outfit and a sniper. And al-Sarraj, according to the IDF, was a member of an Islamic Jihadist military unit while Abu Omar had been a training company commander previously wounded in an IDF airstrike several months prior. It's also alleged that al-Arrouqi was a team commander in a Hamas batallion.

On Wednesday, the international Committee to Protect Journalists took to social media to say it was aware of the IDF's accusations against the Al Jazeera reporters and it voiced skepticism over the IDF claims.

"Israel has repeatedly made similar unproven claims without producing credible evidence," the New York City-based nonprofit posted on X close to noon.

The global Al Jazeera network has fiercely denied Israel's claims and accused the IDF of targeting Al Jazeera staff working in Gaza.

In January, the Israeli government iclaimed that an Al Jazeera staff reporter and a freelancer killed in an airstrike also were Hamas operatives. That was followed a month later by accusations that another Al Jazeera journalist who had been wounded in a different IDF strike was a Hamas leader, as well.

According to the CPJ, Israel was responsible for the July killing of Al Jazeera correspondent Ismail Al-Ghoul.

However, Israel's military "previously produced a similar document, which contained contradictory information, showing that Al-Ghoul, born in 1997, received a Hamas military ranking in 2007 -- when he would have been 10 years old," the journalist watchdog group added on Wednesday.

This follows an incident in May this year when Israeli officials wrongly detained journalists it incorrectly believed were working for the Israeli-banned Al Jazeera news broadcaster
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Germany's Baerbock demands Israel allow aid into Gaza on Beirut visit

DPA
Wed, October 23, 2024 

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock holds a press conference at the German Embassy in Beirut. Baerbock is in the Lebanese capital Beirut to gain an impression of the situation amid the war between Israel and Hezbollah. Jörg Blank/dpa


German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday called on the Israeli government to allow more humanitarian aid into northern Gaza, as she defended ongoing arms deliveries to Israel.

On a visit to Beirut, Baerbock said the situation "especially in northern Gaza is becoming more desperate by the day" amid a fresh Israeli offensive.

Northern Gaza has been cut off for 19 days, Baerbock said, with humanitarian aid "only trickling in."

Earlier this year, the Israeli government promised to "flood" the Gaza Strip with aid, Baerbock recalled. "This humanitarian aid must arrive in Gaza," she insisted.

"There is an obligation under international law to provide humanitarian aid," the German foreign minister said.

She further highlighted the International Court of Justice's ruling that Israel must provide civilians in Gaza with aid.

"This order is binding on Israel, on its government, under international law," she emphasized.

However, Baerbock insisted that Germany continues to support Israel "including with weapons" in its right to self-defence.

All arms deliveries are subject to international humanitarian law, she maintained.

"The Israeli government bears responsibility for ensuring that international humanitarian law is observed," Baerbock said.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock holds a press conference at the German Embassy in Beirut. Baerbock is in the Lebanese capital Beirut to gain an impression of the situation amid the war between Israel and Hezbollah. Jörg Blank/dpa

Germany's Baerbock says arms exports to Israel pose 'dilemma' amid risks to international law

Wed, October 23, 2024 

Smoke billows over the UNESCO-listed port city of Tyre after Israeli strikes


By Timour Azhari and Riham Alkousaa

BEIRUT/BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's foreign minister said on Wednesday Israel has the right to defend itself against Hezbollah attacks but supplying it with weapons had posed "a dilemma" amid concerns over international law violations.

Annalena Baerbock spoke after arriving in Lebanon for talks on how to defuse escalating Israel-Hezbollah hostilities, five days after the U.N. said its peacekeepers had been targeted by Israeli forces in south Lebanon's conflict zone.


"On the one hand, Israel is attacked every day and not supporting it would mean that people are not (being) protected ... On the other, it is also Germany's responsibility to stand up for international humanitarian law," Baerbock said.

She made no indication that Germany was reconsidering its longtime policy of supplying arms to Israel. Chancellor Olaf Scholz last week said Germany, one of Israel's staunchest Western allies, would continue to provide such military aid.

Baerbock said Israel had the right to defend itself against Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah but also a responsibility to ensure it adheres to international humanitarian law.

Baerbock spoke to journalists in Beirut after meeting Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a close ally of Hezbollah who has been engaging in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

The U.N. mission in Lebanon said last week its outposts near Lebanon's border with Israel had come under several "deliberate" Israeli attacks and that efforts to help civilians in villages in the war zone were being hampered by Israeli shelling.

"Any deliberate attack on U.N. peacekeepers violates humanitarian law," said Baerbock.

Israel says U.N. forces in south Lebanon have effectively provided a human shield for Hezbollah fighters and has told UNIFIL to evacuate peacekeepers for their own safety - a request that it has refused.

Baerbock said the key to achieving peace is the full implementation of the 18-year-old U.N. Resolution 1701, which entails a Hezbollah withdrawal behind Lebanon's Litani River and Israeli forces back from the "Blue Line" demarcating the border.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has a crucial role in maintaining stability in the region, and all parties involved must protect UNIFIL soldiers, she added.

Baerbock was set to have a video conference with UNIFIL Commanding General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz later in the afternoon.

"Our common message to the people of Lebanon is that we will not look away, we will not leave them alone," Baerbock said.

"We are working on a diplomatic solution that respects the security interests of both Israel and Lebanon," she added.

Germany's DPA news agency said Berlin approved arms exports to Israel worth around 31 million euros ($34 million) over the past eight weeks, more than twice as much as in the first 7-1/2 months of this year.

(Reporting by Timor Azhari in Beirut, Riham Alkousaa in Berlin, Editing by Rachel More and Miranda Murray)

France defends restrictions on Israeli firms supplying Middle East wars and says it's not a boycott

Associated Press
Updated Tue, October 22, 2024 

File - Smoke rises following Israeli bombardment on the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov, File)

PARIS (AP) — France's government on Tuesday defended its decision to bar Israeli companies supplying the wars in the Middle East from exhibiting at an upcoming trade fair outside Paris.

Organizers of the Nov. 4-7 naval defense exhibition, called Euronaval, posted on the event's website that Israeli firms can take part in the show and “may have an exhibition stand, provided that their products are not used in military operations in Gaza and Lebanon.”

The organizers attributed the restrictions to French government decisions taken earlier this month.


Addressing parliament Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the policy doesn't amount to a boycott of Israeli firms.

But he also said it would be “incoherent” for France to allow the promotion of weapons used in the wars when Paris is also pushing for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon.

“Therefore, we have indicated to the Israeli authorities, with whom we communicate very regularly, that the participation in the form of stands by companies should respect this balance,” Barrot said.

“Also, companies whose equipment is not used in offensive actions in Gaza and Lebanon will naturally be able to have stands at the exhibition," he said.

In a post Sunday on X, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz urged French President Emmanuel Macron to rescind the restrictions, calling them “unacceptable” and “anti-democratic.”

“France, as well as the entire Western world, should stand with us -- not against us,” Katz posted.

Barrot reiterated that France supports Israel's right to defend itself. The minister cited, as an example, France's decision to continue exporting components that he said are used in Israel's “Iron Dome” air-defense system.

“On the other hand, it would be incoherent to enable any promotion of weapons used in Gaza and Lebanon, which lead to unacceptable damage for the civilian populations, when this government and our country is calling for an immediate cease-fire,” the French minister said.


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