President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair continues to be experiencing dwindling crowd numbers.
Trump’s celebration on the National Mall has already been beleaguered by musical artists canceling, electrical outages and extreme weather even causing the event to be postponed.
However, despite improved weather conditions on Monday, the free event is still failing to attract visitors.
Former CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta visited the State Fair, posting a damning video that showed the stark reality of Trump’s supporters staying away in droves.
Acosta, who now works as an independent journalist, captioned his video, “Shoddy displays and tiny crowds. But lots of Trump worship. Sad.”
Acosta found one positive at the deserted event, noting, “If you’re looking for a place with really no lines whatsoever, then you better come down to the mall.”
Filming at 1 p.m. on Monday, Acosta said, “We’re on the National Mall. Probably the nicest weather of the week. And there are no lines to get in. Hardly anybody in line.”
Acosta also examined the miniature version of Trump’s proposed Triumphal Arch, calling out the “shoddy construction.” His footage captured almost zero people waiting in line for food inside a tent.
The journalist visited some of the State Fair’s exhibits, including a booth set up by the Treasury Department, where visitors can sign up for Trump savings accounts, and a panel discussion about the fossil fuel industry where “there’s nobody listening, just a few people.”
He also documented Trump’s favorite network who has been reporting live from the flop event.
“Where would the Great American State Fair be without their own propagandists?,” Acosta said. “Yes, there they are, there’s Fox News doing their programming from down here on the National Mall, probably telling everybody what a massive celebration there is going on down here.”
Indeed, Fox News was desperately trying to put a positive spin on the State Fair on Monday, despite regularly showing scenes of sparse crowds to contradict their glowing praise.
Just after 1 p.m, Sandra Smith cut to reporter Mark Meredith on the lawn at the National Mall after claiming there was “a lot of energy down there.”
Meredith, standing in front of the Ferris wheel with minimal people visible, claimed, “There is a big energy here on the National Mall. The crowd sizes were smaller in the morning, it has picked up quite a bit.”
He also said reporting on the State Fair had meant “a lot of people are coming to see it for themselves,” before claiming attendees had told Fox News that “this isn’t about politics, but a chance to celebrate what America offers coast to coast.”
Shortly after, Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum appeared, where Fox host John Roberts claimed it was a “great scene behind us” despite the lawn behind them being almost deserted.
Later, Fox Business also covered the State Fair, with reporter Lucas Tomlinson optimistically stating at 4 p.m, “Perhaps now that the closing bell is here we’re gonna get more people coming out here now that work is done.”
As part of the Make America Healthy Again theme for Monday’s State Fair, former TV doctor, now Administrator for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr Mehmet Oz, interviewed MAGA-friendly actor Dean Cain.
In video filmed by TMZ, Cain says “there are tonnes of people here, it’s a huge space, and it’s just gonna get more and more crowded as the week goes on.”
Oz adds, “Not only do we have a lot of people here,” before TMZ turns the camera around as the pair are talking, showing a decidedly empty area listening to them.
TMZ interviewed Cain, who insisted, “I think there’s a lot of people who do want nobody here so they can own Trump. That’s ridiculous. They should be celebrating America.”
Dr. Oz also told TMZ, “This is a loud place with lots of people excited to be here.”
Trump bragged about his event in a 6:27 a.m. Truth Social post.
“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?” he wrote.
DC News Now sent a reporter to the State Fair after Trump’s claim, writing “Packed? Not particularly.”
The publication said there were “long stretches of open space across parts of the National Mall” on Monday, with activity concentrated around key attractions such as the Ferris wheel.
They also interviewed attendees, some unimpressed with seeing Trump’s mini-arch up close and personal.
“The photos just make it seem like it’s going to be this big, beautiful thing,” Maggie of D.C. said. “It looks plastic.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and Freedom 250 for comment.
