Empty State Fair Revealed Moments Before Trump Took Stage

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Daily Beast

Updated Jun. 25 2026 6:00AM EDT
Published Jun. 24 2026 11:38PM EDT


Numbers at President Donald Trump’s much-hyped Great American State Fair appeared underwhelming just moments before the president took the stage on Wednesday night. Reporting live from the event was CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, who spoke to Anderson Cooper from Washington D.C.’s National Mall.

As O’Sullivan spoke to Cooper following Alexis Wilkins’ performance of the national anthem, a relatively sparse crowd could be seen in the background, with significant empty space directly behind O’Sullivan with slightly over twenty minutes to go before the president took the stage.

O’Sullivan mentioned that Wilkins’ performance of the Star-Spangled Banner “seemed to go down pretty well here,” and also noted that military planes had been flying overhead “all night.” “Just to give a sense of what this Great American State Fair feels like, this is a lot of the set-up,” O’Sullivan explained, gesturing to what he described as “fake pillars and fake gold American eagles” where state pavilions are being erected, as well as a miniature version of the president’s proposed “Arc de Trump.”

Having been transformed for the event, the National Mall now hosts a giant Ferris wheel in addition to the stage, pavilions, and plywood replica of Trump’s arch. With an hour to go before the president spoke, the Associated Press noted that the grassy area on the National Mall was about half full, reporting later that crowds increased closer to the president’s expected start time. Empty chairs could also be seen, both in the background of O’Sullivan’s report and in a post shared by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who participated in the proceedings.

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/empty-state-fair-revealed-moments-before-donald-trump-took-stage/

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The Bulwark
@BulwarkOnline
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Crowds flock towards the exit in the middle of Trump's speech.
9:16 PM · Jun 24, 2026

[cstanleytech]

1. What do Trump and Clint Eastwood have in common? They both are old white males that talk to empty chairs.

[crud]

2. Wow

This happened? I had no idea this was going on.

[Maninacan]

16. WoW

Can't get out soon enough!

[purr-rat beauty]

3. Still on those otherwordly percentages

I have yet to be handed any medications cut by 600%

He is out to fucking lunch

[FakeNoose]

4. We have 50 states - which one sponsored a fair for Chump?

I can't find any evidence that this is an actual "state" fair. Most of the state fairs take place near the end of summer, based on normal harvest times etc. State fairs usually include the judging of livestock, produce, various hand-made or baked items, etc. I can't see any of that here. This is all for the glory of Chump, and no other reason.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. This was supposed to be a "50-state showcase" event

in the spirit of a "state fair" and it seems those states that did participate had their tourism groups handle it. The rest knew the thing was hijacked and was a farce, and aren't participating.

I know the closest thing to a "state fair" here in PA is the Farm Show and that is in January. It's usually the County Fairs that mimic the traditional "state fairs".

[FakeNoose]

10. Yes I've been to our PA Farm Show - it's held outside of Harrisburg in icy, snowy January

But it's actually a very cool event, for people who are interested in that kind of thing. Minus the midway Tilt-A-Whirl rides and outdoor rock concerts, the PA Farm Show focuses on the real agricultural activities of our state. I found it enjoyable, but I don't attend every year.

[rubbersole]

12. tsf sounds pretty baked.

[Attilatheblond]

15. Truth in Labeling requires a change in how this is presented:

State of Despair Fair

[Faux pas]

5. He sure gets a huge thrill

out of spending OUR money, WHEN IS IT GOING TO BE STOPPED?????

[Mr.Bee]

6. It's not going to be stopped

trump and the republicants are 'spending like drunken sailors'.
Then when Democrats get in power will shout and stomp their feet about fiscal responsibility!
-and how we can't afford healthcare for all, Social Security and Medicare.
It's the lather, rinse, repeat, formula.

[OMGWTF]

9. The Two Santa Claus Theory -- run up the deficit when in power and bitch about it when you're not.

[in2herbs]

23. He won't be stopped. At best, it will be seized by US after he dies. nt

[Grim Chieftain]

7. Great! I love it!

They should have offered barf bags with the tickets. God, will this ever end?

[UpInArms]

11. that was not a "state fair"

that was a carnival and I could hear the barker in the background

[Farmer-Rick]

17. Yup, pedo Trump has turned

Our national Mall into a circus, just like he did with our democracy.

There will be nothing left of the mall when the pedo is finished killing our democracy.

I suspect that in 2028 he will lose the election....of course the Supreme Dancing Nazis are going to approve a 3rd term. To hell with the US Constitution.....then he'll claim he won and call out his cult followers to prevent a transfer of power.

[Zackzzzz]

19. Way Back, when he first came on the scene,

I called him a Carnival Barker.
I still cannot believe THAT MAN is in the White House.

And it's all Kayfabe*

*New word from DU.

[barbtries]

13. So they turned the National Mall into a carnival?

And what's with the military flying overhead? gawd damn these motherfuckers, they're wasting our money faster than they can print it.

[WestMichRad]

14. Not a state fair

They couldn’t, or didn’t, find a state to host it. It’s a district fair.

Our local county fairs have a higher daily attendance.

[Botany]

18. Is that video real? It looks like it because the crowd was really white.

Trump is bat shit crazy.

Btw a 600% price reduction in pharmaceuticals? So the drug store would give the drugs to me for free
If I have the math right then if the prescription cost was $30 then I would get the drugs for free and
then they would give me $150 too.

30 x 600% =180 so taking off the $30 cost we have 180-30=150

Botany =

[FakeNoose]

20. Big Pharma won't give them away free, they will PAY US to use their drugs

That must be what he means, because there's no other way to explain a 600% price reduction.

[Botany]

22. He just spews shit.

A secret vandal got into the reflecting pool and he had to use scuba gear got into the pool and
cut the bottom of the pool with a box cutter? The bottom of the pool is made of concrete.

Can that mother fucker hurry up and die?

He called President Obama a stupid son of a bitch. Barack Obama was the top of his class @
Harvard Law.

[OC375]

21. I know suburban MAGA "bumper sticker" families who don't know about this even happening at all.

Truly strange times we live in, to me...

I often question who this guy's real target audience is with some of this stuff. I think a lot of folks my age are extremely disconnected from politics, and just do whatever the guy next to them is doing. I did for a long time.

A lot of folks just want to keep their house or apartment or job, and figure all of the "keep on keeping on" will eventually pay off if they work a bit harder, for just a bit longer, making just a bit less than Dad did. That was the amended social contract to them as much as SS was to the one's before.

They still have hope the system of the 1990's and 2000's has enough gas to cross the line for them. It doesn't. It was never really intended to, but denial is hard especially when you are 75% of the way there.

Gen X needs to put 65 million votes behind breaking some china and getting the show rolling if we still expect air locks and flying cars. I think we got busy with work and didn't realize we were the only one's still in the building. Millennials and Gen Z never really got in the door. We need to walk away, adapt, and let the institutions of these old men and women who lied to us fail. There's no cake left for the servants.

It's time for us to politely punch out, to go home, and get a life. Things changed.

[cayugafalls]

24. Magats do not go to rallies to see trump, they go to reinforce their hateful world view.

I really think they a lot of them think trump is a buffoon deep down, but he supports hate so they support him.

The crowd leaving just adds meat to my argument. imho.

Peace