Donald Trump has reportedly been left 'livid' after seeing the puny crowds who turned out for his Great American State Fair, according to a new report. The event, put on to celebrate America's 250th birthday, has been running for weeks on the National Mall, but the lacklustre turnout has caused White House officials to fear sparse crowds will show up for Trump's upcoming Fourth of July speech.
Event organization and fallout
The fair was organised by Freedom 250, a public-private partnership established by Trump, despite Congress having already set up a bipartisan commission to run America's birthday celebrations. After several musical acts dropped out of the opening performance on June 24, Trump decided he would be main billing, treating those gathered to a 30-minute series of remarks thrown together after advertised performers abandoned the show due to its close links to the divisive leader.
Addressing gathered spectators, many of whom were administration officials and Trump supporters in MAGA-branded clothing, Trump boasted of his accomplishments in office and insisted America was 'back' and 'respected by everybody.'
Crowd size and reaction
Speaking after sunset, the president was unaware just how small his crowd was, CNN reported. However, after seeing an aerial photo that showed vast stretches of empty space behind the first few rows of attendees, the president became 'enraged' and White House officials removed the snap from their social media posts, sources told the outlet. Trump later took to Truth Social telling his followers the crowd had been 'packed to the brim' with 'at least 45,000 people.' Based on estimates from NBC News, 'nowhere near' that number of people turned up, the broadcaster said.
'The mistake here was not driving attendance,' one unnamed source close to the White House told the outlet. 'It was an 'if you build it, they will come' mentality that failed.'
Fears for July 4 event
Sources close to the president have reportedly expressed their fears that the same thing could happen at Trump's July 4 celebration on the National Mall. The evening, billed by Trump as the 'most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen,' is set to feature a keynote 'TRUMP RALLY' address, plus fireworks, flyovers and performances by military bands. The event, which unlike previous years will not allow guests to bring coolers into the Mall as temperatures are forecast to hit 37C (100F), is planned to stretch on late into the evening, raising fears that many will avoid coming or leave early.
'I do not understand why we are doing this so late,' one White House official complained to CNN. 'I'm really not sure who thought this was a good idea.'
Mitigation efforts
In a bid to avoid presidential hurt feelings, the viewing section nearest the stage will be ticketed to try and ensure Trump has a good sized crowd to look at, a source said. However, another official noted tickets would be free, which could lead to many people getting them or reserving a spot and then deciding not to show up. 'President Trump is ensuring that America gets the spectacular 250th birthday it deserves — and Freedom 250 will execute on the president's historic vision,' White House spokesman Davis Ingle told CNN. He said the fair was an effort to 'feature a renewal of patriotism and national pride under this President's leadership.' The Mirror has approached the White House for a comment.
