Tim Walz Calls Donald Trump’s McDonald’s Stunt ‘Pandering’ and ‘Disrespect’

Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz was the featured guest on The View on Monday (October 21), and he had a lot to say about his running mate, Kamala Harris, and her competition, Donald Trump.

The conversation between Walz and the panelists — Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Joy Behar, Ana Navarro, and Alyssa Farah Griffin were on hand, while Sunny Hostin was traveling — was wide-ranging. First, they talked about the hilarious viral moment when he declined Harris’ call, with Walz explaining, “I thought it was one of those warranty calls for your car, so I didn’t take it.” Then, they talked about the tight state of the race, according to polls, and certain policy positions of his party, like gun sense laws and home health care assistance.

When the subject of the economy came up, Walz decided to segue from his talk about Trump’s former administration’s impact on the national debt and the tax cuts he got that disproportionately benefited billionaires to a nod to Trump’s latest campaign stunt at a Pennsylvania-area McDonald’s franchise.

On Sunday, Trump appeared at the fast food stop to learn how to cook some fries and talk to those supporters who were selected to participate as drive-through patrons (since the restaurant itself was closed to the public at the time). The event came in response to Harris revealing that she worked the fry line at a McDonald’s location when she was younger to help her family make ends meet — a claim that Trump has, without evidence, said is untrue.

About that, Walz said on The View, “Vice President Harris and I grew up middle class. We understand that. She actually worked in a McDonald’s. She didn’t go and pander and disrespect McDonald’s workers by standing there in your red tie and take a picture. His policies are the ones that undermine those very workers that were in that McDonald’s, whether it’s home ownership, healthcare, reproductive rights, or cost of products.”

Walz also weighed in on the recent revelation that Elon Musk will be giving away $1 million to Pennsylvania residents who will sign his petition — a ploy that is of dubious legality for him or those who participate. “That’s what you do when you have no plan for the public,” Walz said in response. “When you have no economic plan that’s going to benefit the middle class, when you have no plan to protect reproductive rights, when you have no plan to address climate change and produce American energy, you go to these type of tactics.”

Navarro then pointed out, “Frankly there’s nothing that can stop people from signing the petition, getting the million bucks, and then voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”

“Yeah, do that!” Walz said with a laugh.

Goldberg then took the mantle of Hostin with the legal note, warning listeners, “Make sure you’re not putting yourself in the trick bag where they say, ‘Oh by the way, you didn’t read this little tiny print.’ Don’t sign jack until you know what you’re signing and how it’s goin gto affect you.” 

The View, weekdays, 11 a.m. ET, ABC