President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Monday to defend the Freedom 250 Great American State Fair, which opened June 25 on the National Mall to celebrate the U.
S. 250th birthday.
The 16-day event has faced low attendance, extreme heat, electrical outages, and multiple performer cancellations.
MS NOW anchor Nicolle Wallace ridiculed official claims of high attendance during a Monday broadcast of Deadline: White House after viewing a Fox News segment that reported thousands of attendees despite showing empty grounds.
"Don't believe your eyes. Don't believe your ears.
I put on my glasses to get a closer look," Wallace said.
She highlighted logistical problems over the opening weekend, including power disruptions that halted food vendors and forced temporary closures during severe weather.
"The live shot literally behind all those people saying all those things tells a totally different story from the things coming out of their mouths," Wallace added.
The anchor noted that widespread online posts documenting empty fairgrounds had clearly frustrated the president, prompting his immediate response.
"The viral posts about his itty-bitty little crowds have gotten under Donald Trump’s skin in a big way," she said.
Wallace laughed while reading Trump's defense, comparing his crowd sizes unfavorably to past events by other political figures.
"Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m reading this," she said.
The broadcast concluded that the troubled launch did not improve the administration's standing amid broader economic concerns.
"It was all part of a weekend that did little to turn around Donald Trump’s political fortunes and dispel the belief among Americans that Trump is obsessed on himself and his vanity projects," Wallace said.
Trump's Social Media Response
Trump posted a statement on Truth Social challenging the media narrative and asserting the festival's success, describing it as "packed with happy people."
He questioned whether the public appreciated the administration's efforts in building and operating the fair, which features a Ferris wheel and state pavilions.
"Do you think people appreciate what a fantastic job we did in building and operating the Great American State Fair at the National Mall, packed with happy people, and everybody loving it?"
Trump wrote.
He concluded by comparing his capabilities to his predecessors: "DO YOU THINK THAT OBUMA [sic] OR SLEEPY JOE BIDEN COULD HAVE DONE IT?
THE ANSWER IS NO!"
According to an NPR, PBS News, and Marist poll from June 8-11, Trump's approval rating stands at 36 percent amid rising inflation linked to the ongoing military conflict with Iran.
