Trump ‘livid’ over crowd size at National Mall state fair, report says: ‘Who thought this was a good idea?’

Trump ‘livid’ over crowd size at National Mall state fair, report says: ‘Who thought this was a good idea?’ ‘It was an ‘if you build it, they will come’ mentality that failed,’ one source close to the White House said - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments President Donald Trump grew “livid” over the crowd size at his kickoff event for the Great American State Fair, a weeks-long celebration of America’s 250th birthday on the National Mall, according to a new report. And White House officials now fear a lackluster turnout could overshadow his Fourth of July speech. The Republican president opened the fair — organized by Freedom 250 — on June 24 with remarks put together after several musical acts dropped out. During his roughly 30-minute address, attended by administration officials and Trump supporters outfitted in MAGA-branded outfits, he claimed America was “back” and “respected by everybody.” Trump, who spoke after sunset, did not initially know how large the crowd was, CNN reported. But he was later shown an aerial photo that depicted vast stretches of empty fields behind the audience. After seeing the image, the president became “enraged,” and White House officials removed it from their social media posts, sources told the outlet. Trump later wrote on Truth Social that the crowd had been “packed to the brim” with “at least 45,000 people.” NBC News reported that, based on their estimates, there were “nowhere near” that many people present. “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.” Some close to the president are now worried of a repeat situation at Trump’s July 4 extravaganza on the National Mall, which he has billed as the “most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen.” Trump has said the evening will feature a keynote “TRUMP RALLY” address, plus fireworks, flyovers and performances by military bands. The event is expected to stretch late into the night, with tight security and high temperatures forecasted. “I do not understand why we are doing this so late,” one White House complained to CNN. “I’m really not sure who thought this was a good idea.” Precautionary measures have been taken: tickets will be sold for the viewing section near the stage to ensure that the area is filled in, a source said. But another official noted that people could still not show up after obtaining tickets. “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 described the fair as an effort to “feature a renewal of patriotism and national pride under this President’s leadership.” The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment. The Great American State Fair has run into several setbacks in recent weeks. In addition to musical acts dropping out, several blue states — including Oregon and Washington — said they would not participate, with some citing cost concerns. Photos taken last week also showed some state booths nearly empty, with only a few chairs inside, and a power outage caused ice cream to melt. On Tuesday, footage of a youth band performance at the fair went viral because only a tiny handful of spectators were there to cheer them on. Freedom 250, the public-private partnership organizing the fair, was established by Trump despite the fact that Congress had already established a bipartisan commission to spearhead celebrations of America’s 250th birthday. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments