search
Sections List
American Journal News

Trump can't stop bragging about his crowd size after one image shows empty seats

Trump’s insecurity about his crowd size is infamous — and it’s not getting any better.

By Kaili Joy Gray - August 19, 2019
Share
Donald Trump

Trump is notoriously obsessed with the size of his crowds, often exaggerating his numbers and falsely claiming to break records when his crowds do nothing of the sort.

So when an image of empty seats at Trump’s MAGA rally in New Hampshire last week went viral — along with the hashtag#EmptySeatMAGATour — Trump didn’t take it well. Several days later, he is still insisting his crowd was the biggest ever, while raging against the “Fake and Corrupt News” for not reporting on his supposedly massive turnout.

“Massive overflow crowds in New Hampshire last week,” he tweeted Monday. “Couldn’t get into packed SNHU Arena. Fake and Corrupt News would like you to believe otherwise. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

It was the fourth time since the rally that Trump tweeted about his crowd, each time insisting there was “tremendous overflow” at the “packed arena” and that “thousands” more gathered outside but could not get into the “maxed out” arena.

It’s the kind of claim Trump regularly makes about his crowds, regardless of facts. In February, Trump claimed his rally in El Paso had 35,000 people in attendance. He made this claim while insulting former Rep. Beto O’Rouke, who was also holding a rally in El Paso at the same time. Trump scoffed that O’Rouke only had a few hundred people at best.

The city’s fire department, however, destroyed Trump’s lie. A spokesperson for the fire department said the venue of Trump’s rally held 6,500 people, and that’s how many were allowed inside. O’Rouke’s rally, on the other hand, was estimated to have 10,000 to 15,000 people.

That kind of fact-checking, though, hasn’t in any way dissuaded Trump from boasting about his crowd sizes. He even bragged about his El Paso rally crowd size when he was there earlier this month, ostensibly to comfort a city grieving the loss of 22 people who were gunned down in a mass shooting by a white supremacist.

Trump is so insecure about the size of his crowds that he triggered an investigation by the inspector general of the Interior Department to determine whether the crowd at his inauguration was larger than the one at President Barack Obama’s inauguration. Trump’s crowd was much smaller, but that didn’t stop his first White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, from baselessly insisting, on his first day on the job back in 2017, that Trump’s “was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period.”

Now, thanks to a silly trending hashtag and a photograph of empty chairs, Trump is desperately trying to convince the world of his latest crowd size, while lashing out at one of his favorite targets — the free press — for letting anyone think otherwise.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


Read More
Biden campaign launches new ad focused on Affordable Care Act

Biden campaign launches new ad focused on Affordable Care Act

By Kim Lyons, Pennsylvania Capital-Star - May 08, 2024
Trump leaves door open to banning medication abortion nationwide

Trump leaves door open to banning medication abortion nationwide

By Jennifer Shutt, States Newsroom - April 30, 2024
Biden on abortion rights: President expects to give speech Tuesday on new Florida 6-week ban

Biden on abortion rights: President expects to give speech Tuesday on new Florida 6-week ban

By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix - April 22, 2024
Biden calls for expanded child tax credit, taxes on wealthy in $7.2 trillion budget plan

Biden calls for expanded child tax credit, taxes on wealthy in $7.2 trillion budget plan

By Jennifer Shutt, States Newsroom - March 11, 2024
Biden rallies Democrats in Las Vegas: ‘Imagine the nightmare’ if Trump reelected

Biden rallies Democrats in Las Vegas: ‘Imagine the nightmare’ if Trump reelected

By April Corbin Girnus, Nevada Current - February 05, 2024
UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

By Ashley Murray, States Newsroom - January 24, 2024
AJ News
Latest
Republican Sam Brown’s assault on teacher unions could backfire

Republican Sam Brown’s assault on teacher unions could backfire

By Jesse Valentine - May 09, 2024
Florida abortion ban puts GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s anti-choice views in spotlight

Florida abortion ban puts GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s anti-choice views in spotlight

By Jesse Valentine - May 07, 2024
Trump leaves door open to banning medication abortion nationwide

Trump leaves door open to banning medication abortion nationwide

By Jennifer Shutt, States Newsroom - April 30, 2024
Republican Caroleene Dobson wants Alabama abortion ban to go nationwide

Republican Caroleene Dobson wants Alabama abortion ban to go nationwide

By Jesse Valentine - April 30, 2024
Ohio Gov. DeWine said he didn’t know of millions in FirstEnergy support. Is it plausible?

Ohio Gov. DeWine said he didn’t know of millions in FirstEnergy support. Is it plausible?

By Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal - April 29, 2024
GOP Rep. Zach Nunn suggests laws against hate crime aren’t needed

GOP Rep. Zach Nunn suggests laws against hate crime aren’t needed

By Jesse Valentine - April 15, 2024
GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao blames racial equity for Baltimore bridge tragedy

GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao blames racial equity for Baltimore bridge tragedy

By Jesse Valentine - March 29, 2024
GOP Rep. Jennifer Kiggans donates thousands to far-right extremists

GOP Rep. Jennifer Kiggans donates thousands to far-right extremists

By Jesse Valentine - March 08, 2024
Ohio senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “Absolute pro-life no exceptions.”

Ohio senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “Absolute pro-life no exceptions.”

By Jesse Valentine - March 07, 2024
Anti-China Republicans pocket thousands from Chinese owned conglomerate

Anti-China Republicans pocket thousands from Chinese owned conglomerate

By Jesse Valentine - March 04, 2024
Republican Eric Hovde makes inconsistent statements about family history

Republican Eric Hovde makes inconsistent statements about family history

By Jesse Valentine - February 26, 2024
Republican David McCormick invests millions in website that platforms Holocaust denial

Republican David McCormick invests millions in website that platforms Holocaust denial

By Jesse Valentine - February 09, 2024
Lawmakers will again take up bills expanding, tightening gun laws

Lawmakers will again take up bills expanding, tightening gun laws

By Annmarie Timmins, New Hampshire Bulletin - January 31, 2024
UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

By Ashley Murray, States Newsroom - January 24, 2024
Republicans Sam Brown and Jeff Gunter sling mud in Nevada senate primary

Republicans Sam Brown and Jeff Gunter sling mud in Nevada senate primary

By Jesse Valentine - January 17, 2024
A Young Texas Woman Almost Died Due To The Texas Abortion Bans – Now She’s Battling To Save Other Women

A Young Texas Woman Almost Died Due To The Texas Abortion Bans – Now She’s Battling To Save Other Women

By Bonnie Fuller - January 10, 2024
Health care legislation preview: Maryland advocates want to focus on access, patients in 2024 session

Health care legislation preview: Maryland advocates want to focus on access, patients in 2024 session

By Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters - January 08, 2024
How GOP senate hopefuls try to excuse the  January 6 insurrection

How GOP senate hopefuls try to excuse the  January 6 insurrection

By Jesse Valentine - January 05, 2024
NH lawmakers will be taking up major voting bills this year. Here are some to watch for.

NH lawmakers will be taking up major voting bills this year. Here are some to watch for.

By Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin - January 04, 2024
Republican US Senate candidates want to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent 

Republican US Senate candidates want to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent 

By Jesse Valentine - December 22, 2023
Rand Paul went all in on the Kentucky governor’s race. It didn’t work.

Rand Paul went all in on the Kentucky governor’s race. It didn’t work.

By - December 15, 2023
Texas governor and attorney general do little to curb state’s chemical plant crisis

Texas governor and attorney general do little to curb state’s chemical plant crisis

By Jesse Valentine - December 08, 2023
Likely GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde proposed tax hike for poorer workers and retirees

Likely GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde proposed tax hike for poorer workers and retirees

By Jesse Valentine - December 07, 2023
Whitmer signs specific criminal penalties for assaulting health care workers into law

Whitmer signs specific criminal penalties for assaulting health care workers into law

By Anna Liz Nichols, Michigan Advance - December 06, 2023
105 Republicans voted to expel Santos for things Trump has also done

105 Republicans voted to expel Santos for things Trump has also done

By Jesse Valentine - December 05, 2023
For Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another Trump term is another chance to kill Obamacare

For Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another Trump term is another chance to kill Obamacare

By Jesse Valentine - December 04, 2023
Florida Sen. Rick Scott backs Donald Trump in revived push to repeal Obamacare

Florida Sen. Rick Scott backs Donald Trump in revived push to repeal Obamacare

By Jesse Valentine - November 30, 2023
Tate Reeves took donations from power company that hiked customer rates

Tate Reeves took donations from power company that hiked customer rates

By Jesse Valentine - November 06, 2023
Daniel Cameron ran on depoliticizing the Kentucky AG’s office. He made it more political.

Daniel Cameron ran on depoliticizing the Kentucky AG’s office. He made it more political.

By Jesse Valentine - November 03, 2023
Republican operatives sound every alarm on current trajectory of 2023 governor’s race

Republican operatives sound every alarm on current trajectory of 2023 governor’s race

By Adam Ganucheau, Mississippi Today - October 24, 2023
Veto overrides push Kansas anti-abortion bills into law, while Louisiana seeks to protect IVF

Veto overrides push Kansas anti-abortion bills into law, while Louisiana seeks to protect IVF

By Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Idaho Capital Sun - May 10, 2024
Ted Cruz’s wildfire relief reversal sparks accusations of hypocrisy

Ted Cruz’s wildfire relief reversal sparks accusations of hypocrisy

By Jesse Valentine - May 10, 2024
Missouri Planned Parenthood clinics remain ‘open to all’ despite new Medicaid restrictions

Missouri Planned Parenthood clinics remain ‘open to all’ despite new Medicaid restrictions

By Anna Spoerre, Missouri Independent - May 09, 2024
SC governor to sign bill banning hormone therapy for transgender youth into law

SC governor to sign bill banning hormone therapy for transgender youth into law

By Skylar Laird, South Carolina Daily Gazette - May 09, 2024
Biden campaign launches new ad focused on Affordable Care Act

Biden campaign launches new ad focused on Affordable Care Act

By Kim Lyons, Pennsylvania Capital-Star - May 08, 2024