Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bob Casey, and Ron Wyden have accused McDonald's of price gouging, claiming that its recent price increases have outpaced inflation while the company's profits have risen significantly. In a letter to McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski, they noted that since the COVID-19 pandemic, McDonald's prices have increased more than the Consumer Price Index, impacting consumers who rely on affordable meals. The senators argued that McDonald's dominant market position exacerbates this issue and questioned the justification of price hikes attributed to inflation and input costs. In response, McDonald's refuted the allegations, maintaining their commitment to keeping prices affordable and criticizing the senators' letter as inaccurate. This scrutiny coincided with former President Donald Trump's campaign stop at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania, where he humorously suggested he had worked there longer than Vice President Kamala Harris, following her contested claim of past employment at the chain.