Screwing up simple ceremonial duties. [View all]

Jun. 26, 2026, 12:22 PM EDT
By Steve Benen

... Not only did musical acts withdraw from the gathering, but roughly a fifth of the nation’s states decided not to send official delegations or spend public money on participating in the fair.

... Not only did Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mock the musicians who chose not to perform — the former Fox News host labeled the artists “libtards,” an offensive term that combines the words “liberal” and “retard” — but he was soon followed by Donald Trump, who delivered a campaign-style speech ...

The fact that Trump appears to have lied about a crowd size is pitiful but predictable ...

But stepping back, it’s also worth appreciating the fact that the incumbent president is doing something inherently difficult: screwing up simple ceremonial duties ...

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-scrambles-to-exaggerate-pitiful-crowd-size-at-great-american-state-fair-event