Empty State Fair Revealed Moments Before Trump Took Stage [View all]

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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