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BumRushDaShow

(170,669 posts)
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 10:51 AM 18 hrs ago

Trump greeted by empty seats at Arizona rally leaving supporters 'totally shocked': report

Source: Raw Story

April 18, 2026 7:36AM ET


Donald Trump's ability to pack arenas is evaporating.The president who once filled sports venues across the country couldn't even come close to filling a 4,500-seat Arizona church on Friday night, exposing the dramatic erosion of his political momentum.

According to the Washington Post, Trump was the featured speaker at a Turning Point USA rally in Phoenix at Dream City Church. Despite his boast earlier in the day on Truth Social about addressing a "BIG CROWD," the turnout was sparse and underwhelming.

The attendance numbers tell the story. A Turning Point USA spokeperson claimed only about 3,000 people attended — meaning the church was roughly two-thirds full at best. For a president who once commanded arena-sized audiences, the half-empty megachurch represents a stunning reversal.

The demographic breakdown was equally telling, reports the Post. The megachurch was supposed to be a venue for Trump to drum up support among young voters. Instead, he found an audience whose members skewed older and were focused on divisions within their own party. Even longtime supporters were shocked by the sparse crowd. One Trump voter, Diane Niemann, a retired dental hygienist, told the Post she was "was not planning to come to the Friday event until she saw there was hardly a line to get in." "I'm totally shocked," Niemann said.

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-rally-flop/

60 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump greeted by empty seats at Arizona rally leaving supporters 'totally shocked': report (Original Post) BumRushDaShow 18 hrs ago OP
Yes,.. totally shocked that everyone is sick of listening to this fabricating prevaricating liar. magicarpet 18 hrs ago #1
Well yes, but also ... they're no longer PAYING people to attend the MAGA rallies FakeNoose 15 hrs ago #42
THANK YOU Skittles 12 hrs ago #50
Totally shocked because she lives in a psychotic fantasy bubble. Irish_Dem 18 hrs ago #2
But the camera didn't capture a crowd of 30,000 waiting outside dalton99a 18 hrs ago #3
The dumbfucks needed 10 years to see what was obvious to us in 2016 Ponietz 18 hrs ago #4
Some of us knew DECADES before that what an asshole he was....... AZ8theist 6 hrs ago #56
There are SOME rightwing-supporting young people in AZ, but it was Friday night Attilatheblond 18 hrs ago #5
Or maybe they can no longer afford to put gas in the tanks. llmart 18 hrs ago #7
Some might be working on developing bone spurs too. Attilatheblond 17 hrs ago #14
Nice. K&R. ck4829 18 hrs ago #6
Good. electric_blue68 18 hrs ago #8
Wait..... SergeStorms 18 hrs ago #9
That shocked me as well Bayard 17 hrs ago #10
We can report them to the IRS I suppose. But Trump controls that. travelingthrulife 15 hrs ago #37
Was The Widow Erica What's-Her-Name there . . . AverageOldGuy 17 hrs ago #11
She is disgusting! enigmania 17 hrs ago #13
She ran off stage after announcing Trump Amethyst Ring 16 hrs ago #26
Thank Darwin the megachurch in my town lies in a very progressive county in a blue state. An Orange Julius Caesar generalbetrayus 17 hrs ago #12
If they said 3000, it's probably 1000. Scrivener7 17 hrs ago #15
A photo or two would be nice. TheRickles 17 hrs ago #18
google "##### supporters show up for red wall event in Phoenix" niyad 16 hrs ago #22
Thanks. Creepy outside, but no good indoor views to see how big the crowd actually is. TheRickles 16 hrs ago #32
That was my guess. niyad 15 hrs ago #38
Sunno, church looks pretty full to me. 3Hotdogs 10 hrs ago #52
That link only had photos of people gathered outside. TheRickles 7 hrs ago #55
Or a video like the one at the TP event that was litterly empty last week Bengus81 16 hrs ago #25
Yes, I saw that one. Which is why I was surprised/pleased to see that Trump drew a similar crowd. TheRickles 16 hrs ago #31
If you look at that jd video, there is no way there were 2,000 people there. niyad 15 hrs ago #39
This message was self-deleted by its author ShazzieB 8 hrs ago #54
More like 300. niyad 16 hrs ago #21
This actually makes me smile more than most odins folly 17 hrs ago #16
Firts "4500 seat" churches scare the fuck out of me. 2nd, she didn't attend "because there was hardly a line" Cheezoholic 17 hrs ago #17
I think you misread. The woman quoted wasn't planning on going, until niyad 16 hrs ago #23
That Olsteen church in Houston seats over 16,000. Bengus81 16 hrs ago #27
Yup. The one that slimy prick Olsteen refused to open up to hurricane victims. AZ8theist 6 hrs ago #57
It's the tribe of stupid. paleotn 15 hrs ago #41
Awww...boo, hoo, hoo, hoo..... electric_blue68 17 hrs ago #19
It's not like he was gonna say anything they never heard before Walleye 16 hrs ago #20
They acted like they were in 2024,walking out on his rallies early Bengus81 16 hrs ago #28
For one, he had to compete against the Phoenix Suns SouthBayDem 16 hrs ago #24
If it was, indeed, 3,000 people, that's still 3,000 people when it should be no more than 30 at this point MIButterfly 16 hrs ago #29
Oh! Oh! I haz a sad! Grim Chieftain 16 hrs ago #30
Let me broad brush this. BidenRocks 16 hrs ago #33
That MAGAt is a special kind of stupid. RockRaven 16 hrs ago #34
Biden's Fault. twodogsbarking 15 hrs ago #35
How does this not violate their tax free status? travelingthrulife 15 hrs ago #36
exactly! niyad 15 hrs ago #40
They were all at Four Seasons Landscaping, with Rudy and Kash. A drunken bash. twodogsbarking 14 hrs ago #43
Seriously? Totally shocked? ananda 13 hrs ago #44
You made a typo. it should be "the half-empty magachurch". Wonder Why 13 hrs ago #45
With BumRushDaShow 13 hrs ago #46
"Church" my Democratic Cha 13 hrs ago #47
Imagine deliberately showing up, in person, to a "rally" headlined by a child rapist* like flvegan 13 hrs ago #48
3000 in attendance, huh? Wednesdays 12 hrs ago #49
I hate seeing young people there. IcyPeas 12 hrs ago #51
I thought about moving to AZ RainCaster 8 hrs ago #53
Promises made, promises broken will do that. Aussie105 6 hrs ago #58
Maybe Trump still believes his own myths about Arizona and the stolen victory of the 2020 election DFW 5 hrs ago #59
It's finally LilElf70 47 min ago #60

magicarpet

(18,867 posts)
1. Yes,.. totally shocked that everyone is sick of listening to this fabricating prevaricating liar.
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 11:00 AM
18 hrs ago

Except the hardcore MAGA Meatheads.

FakeNoose

(41,936 posts)
42. Well yes, but also ... they're no longer PAYING people to attend the MAGA rallies
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 02:37 PM
15 hrs ago

It's just a guess, but doesn't it look like THAT was the reason for all the people coming before his election?
They showed up to get paid, and then they left. Now they aren't even showing up.

And people are surprised?

Skittles

(172,164 posts)
50. THANK YOU
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 04:55 PM
12 hrs ago

JFC, why would anyone have to GO ANYWHERE to see and hear him, he's in our face EVERY FUCKING DAY

Attilatheblond

(9,029 posts)
5. There are SOME rightwing-supporting young people in AZ, but it was Friday night
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 11:19 AM
18 hrs ago

Whoever planned this shindig didn't think several things thru.

Also, there was a recall of a lot of F150 pickup trucks, so some of those baby boyz might have been without wheels.

SergeStorms

(20,684 posts)
9. Wait.....
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 11:35 AM
18 hrs ago

A 4,500 seat freaking church! And they're hosting a partisan political rally? WTF!

It's past the point where these "christian" nationalists should have their tax-exempt status revoked.

This is freaking sickening!

Bayard

(29,933 posts)
10. That shocked me as well
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 11:48 AM
17 hrs ago

That's a stadium--not a church. No way they should be tax-exempt. Wonder what they charged to get into this event? Maybe the crowd thought he would show up as Jesus.

travelingthrulife

(5,325 posts)
37. We can report them to the IRS I suppose. But Trump controls that.
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:52 PM
15 hrs ago

We need to expand the IRS again so they can go after these religious violations of their tax status.

AverageOldGuy

(3,995 posts)
11. Was The Widow Erica What's-Her-Name there . . .
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 11:52 AM
17 hrs ago

. . . in her skin-tight widow's leather pants, stiletto heels, and see-through blouse?

generalbetrayus

(1,912 posts)
12. Thank Darwin the megachurch in my town lies in a very progressive county in a blue state. An Orange Julius Caesar
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 11:54 AM
17 hrs ago

appearance at our megachurch would have 50 times the number of people outside hurling epithets than the number of people inside praising their Lord and Savior Donald Trump.

niyad

(133,086 posts)
22. google "##### supporters show up for red wall event in Phoenix"
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:01 PM
16 hrs ago

on the AZ central web page. 24 images. creeeeepy.

TheRickles

(3,436 posts)
32. Thanks. Creepy outside, but no good indoor views to see how big the crowd actually is.
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:32 PM
16 hrs ago

Which I suppose suggests that it was a small crowd, too embarrassing to show.

TheRickles

(3,436 posts)
55. That link only had photos of people gathered outside.
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 09:54 PM
7 hrs ago

Please share if you have a link with photos showing the crowd inside the church. Thanks.

Bengus81

(10,238 posts)
25. Or a video like the one at the TP event that was litterly empty last week
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:14 PM
16 hrs ago

So empty that grifter Kirk left JD to BS the few people.

TheRickles

(3,436 posts)
31. Yes, I saw that one. Which is why I was surprised/pleased to see that Trump drew a similar crowd.
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:29 PM
16 hrs ago

niyad

(133,086 posts)
39. If you look at that jd video, there is no way there were 2,000 people there.
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 02:11 PM
15 hrs ago

Barely 200, more like.

Response to TheRickles (Reply #18)

odins folly

(617 posts)
16. This actually makes me smile more than most
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 12:21 PM
17 hrs ago

We went to see Bruce on Thursday night, downtown Phoenix, venue has a 12k+ seating for concerts, can’t find out how many seats were sold but it looked packed from where we were. Didn’t see or hear any negative voices for his message, so that then the dismal turnout for the hitler youth turning point rally really makes me believe that AZ is actually turning the corner…

😃😅

Cheezoholic

(3,786 posts)
17. Firts "4500 seat" churches scare the fuck out of me. 2nd, she didn't attend "because there was hardly a line"
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 12:24 PM
17 hrs ago

That's all you need to know about these people. Vanity.

niyad

(133,086 posts)
23. I think you misread. The woman quoted wasn't planning on going, until
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:04 PM
16 hrs ago

she saw that there was hardly a line, which shocked her.

Walleye

(45,075 posts)
20. It's not like he was gonna say anything they never heard before
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 12:49 PM
16 hrs ago

Do you think they’re actually getting tired of the repetition. That would be nice

Bengus81

(10,238 posts)
28. They acted like they were in 2024,walking out on his rallies early
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:18 PM
16 hrs ago

Then...go vote for his orange ass anyway.

SouthBayDem

(33,311 posts)
24. For one, he had to compete against the Phoenix Suns
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:06 PM
16 hrs ago

whooping my Golden State Warriors. The Diamondbacks won last night too over Toronto.

MIButterfly

(2,879 posts)
29. If it was, indeed, 3,000 people, that's still 3,000 people when it should be no more than 30 at this point
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:19 PM
16 hrs ago

I understand that 3,000 in a room that holds 4,500 is not a large turnout, but 3,000 sounds like way too many that still believe in him.

What will it take for people to wake up? If they haven't by now, they never will. It must be a cult, only usually cult leaders are charismatic. DJT doesn't have a charismatic bone in his body.

Edited to add: I personally can't believe anyone would actually leave their house, get in their car and drive to see him. I don't even want to want to see him on my TV and that's just across the room.

BidenRocks

(3,373 posts)
33. Let me broad brush this.
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:34 PM
16 hrs ago

How many (other than white) folk were in attendance.
Go to a rally, get deported!

Where was his private army? ICE had to be there for the chickenshit warhawk!

RockRaven

(19,549 posts)
34. That MAGAt is a special kind of stupid.
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 01:37 PM
16 hrs ago

If you don't understand that people, even MAGAts, are disillusioned then you are beyond reaching.

Cha

(319,560 posts)
47. "Church" my Democratic
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 04:10 PM
13 hrs ago

Last edited Sun Apr 19, 2026, 12:49 AM - Edit history (1)

Promoting a PEDO, Homicidal Maniac, Rapist, Treasonous asshole.. what kind of "church" is that?

This is the WaPo? What will Greedy Zombie Bezos think about his Cult god getting racked with real reporting?

flvegan

(66,370 posts)
48. Imagine deliberately showing up, in person, to a "rally" headlined by a child rapist* like
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 04:40 PM
13 hrs ago

"that's my guy, right there, and I'm here for him" type of thing.

What utter shit people. I mean stupid is stupid, and that's unfortunate, but there's a line you have to cross to become an utterly useless, waste of humanity shit person.

*allegedly, of course

Wednesdays

(22,813 posts)
49. 3000 in attendance, huh?
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 04:46 PM
12 hrs ago

I've seen better attendance at junior high school basketball games.

IcyPeas

(25,596 posts)
51. I hate seeing young people there.
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 05:03 PM
12 hrs ago

Ask them why they're there.

Ask them a history question.

Ask them to name all the wars he's stopped.



RainCaster

(13,770 posts)
53. I thought about moving to AZ
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 09:20 PM
8 hrs ago

But then I visited this spring and saw way too many ugly people, as defined by the bumper stickers on their golf carts. Nope, not for me.

Aussie105

(8,029 posts)
58. Promises made, promises broken will do that.
Sat Apr 18, 2026, 11:06 PM
6 hrs ago

Most people are so sick of Trump and his destructive game playing that it isn't funny.

How many true believers are still out there?
Hopefully, fewer and fewer every day.

DFW

(60,312 posts)
59. Maybe Trump still believes his own myths about Arizona and the stolen victory of the 2020 election
Sun Apr 19, 2026, 12:13 AM
5 hrs ago

But that doesn't mean that the people of Arizona are obligated to believe it.

After all, Governor Katie Hobbs and both U.S. Senators (Kelly and Gallego) are all Democrats. Maybe Trump hasn't yet figured out the meaning of that, but that doesn't mean that the rest of the state is forced to walk around in the same fog.

LilElf70

(1,594 posts)
60. It's finally
Sun Apr 19, 2026, 04:55 AM
47 min ago

the beginning of the end.

There's hope for us after all. Now we have to win everything in November and shut him down for good.

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