In a recent podcast appearance, former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made a startling claim: Google CEO Sundar Pichai had personally contacted him to praise his recent McDonald’s stunt. Trump, who donned an apron and served french fries at a Philadelphia McDonald’s last week as part of his campaign strategy, alleged that Pichai had said the event was “one of the biggest things we ever had on Google.”
However, this claim is yet to be independently verified. Trump has not provided any evidence to support his statement, and Google has not publicly commented on the matter.
This claim comes on the heels of Trump’s repeated allegations that Google is manipulating search results to his detriment. He contends that searches for his name primarily yield negative results, while positive stories are suppressed. Trump has gone so far as to call Google “rigged”, echoing his familiar narrative of a corrupt system working against him.
Trump’s McDonald’s visit was a direct response to opponent Kamala Harris’s assertion that she worked at the fast-food chain in her youth. Trump, using this opportunity to appeal to working-class voters, framed his 15-minute stint as a demonstration of his own dedication to the “job” – a clear jab at Harris.
These accusations, coupled with the highly unusual claim of a personal call from the Google CEO, have sparked controversy. Some see it as a further example of Trump’s penchant for hyperbole and his attempt to cast himself as a victim of a rigged system. Others see it as a reflection of the growing tension between politicians and technology giants, with each side accusing the other of manipulation and bias.
It remains to be seen whether Trump’s allegations will have any tangible impact on Google’s operations or whether they will simply be another chapter in the ongoing saga of the former president’s turbulent relationship with the tech industry.
