General Discussion

In case that weren’t quite enough, turnout for the event was — how do I put this gently — underwhelming.

An NBC News report noted, “Roughly half of those in Wednesday’s crowd of more than 1,000 wore Trump’s slogans or likeness on their clothes. For them, America’s 250th birthday was secondary to an opportunity to see the president.” The Washington Post ran a related report that noted, in reference to attendees, “The crowd thinly covered an area about the length of the National Museum of American History, smaller than some summer outdoor movie screenings.”

The New Republic added, “Dozens of attendees Wednesday were seen flocking toward the exits in the middle of Trump’s address, which was meant to kick-start the two-week event.”

Take a wild guess who did not appreciate the reporting.

On Thursday afternoon, the day after the poorly attended event, the president wrote on his social media platform:

The Crowd was incredible last night, packed to the brim — At least 45,000 people were there, with a huge Television and online audience. I wish we were able to have an even larger area, which we will be able to do on July 4th when I’ll be speaking again. The airplane flyovers and music were fantastic. Everybody stayed right until the end of my Speech because they loved hearing about a truly successful America.

Five hours later, either trying to convince the public or himself, he published a follow-up item, which read in part, “Last night’s Rally was packed — 45,000 people.”

An NBC News report described the president’s claim as “false,” adding that the actual total was “nowhere near 45,000 people.”

The fact that Trump appears to have lied about a crowd size is pitiful but predictable. He has, after all, been doing this since literally the first day of his first term.

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