McDonald's clarifies its political stance following Trump visit to its restaurant.

• McDonald's clarified that it is not a political brand and does not support any presidential candidate, despite former President Donald Trump's visit to a location in Feasterville, Pennsylvania.
• Trump frequently claims that Harris lied about her summer job at McDonald's in her twenties, but he has not provided any evidence to support this assertion.
• Fear of backlash from customers has made Corporate America more cautious about engaging in political activities.

Despite President Donald Trump's visit to a Pennsylvania location on Sunday, the fast-food giant is attempting to remain impartial in the presidential race.

Our brand has been a topic of discussion during this election cycle, despite not actively seeking it. This demonstrates how much McDonald's connects with many Americans. McDonald's does not support political candidates, and this policy remains unchanged in the current presidential race, as stated in an internal message viewed by CNBC and confirmed by a source familiar with the matter.

During his brief stint as a fry cook at a restaurant in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, Trump utilized his time to criticize his political opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, through his actions.

Trump frequently alleges that Harris lied about her summer job at McDonald's in her twenties, but has not provided any evidence to support his claim. Harris has refuted the accusation. McDonald's and its franchisees do not possess all of their employment records for workers from the early 1980s, when Harris would have worked there, the company stated in a Sunday memo.

McDonald's stated that despite not being a political brand, they are proud to have heard former President Trump's love for their restaurant and Vice President Harris's fond memories of working under their arches.

Both McDonald's and the franchisee who runs the location highlighted that the restaurant welcomes "all customers."

"Derek Giacomantonio, a small business owner, values welcoming everyone in the Feasterville community and proudly opened his doors to all visitors. As a result, he accepted former President Trump's invitation to observe the transformative experience of having a job at McDonald's, which 1 in 8 Americans have had."

McDonald's publicly supported the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 but has since tried to present itself as an apolitical brand to avoid alienating customers. This shift is part of a broader trend in Corporate America to avoid politics or initiatives perceived as ideological.

This year, several corporations, including Ford, Lowe's, and Harley-Davidson, have reversed their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and practices.

A Gallup-University of Bentley study found that only 38% of U.S. adults believe businesses should take public stances, a decrease from 48% in 2022.

But McDonald's has already been involved with another controversy this election cycle.

In May, several social media posts criticized McDonald's affordability, with some citing an $18 Big Mac meal in Connecticut and charts claiming prices had doubled over five years. Republicans seized on the controversy, linking rising menu prices to Biden's economic policy in an attempt to appeal to voters frustrated by inflation.

In order to address the debate, McDonald's U.S. President Joe Erlinger published an open letter and distributed information on the company's pricing.

— CNBC's Kate Rogers contributed reporting