Nicolle Wallace highlighted a scene on the National Mall Wednesday night where attendees left halfway through President Donald Trump’s America’s 250th birthday kickoff speech, despite Trump posting twice on Truth Social claiming the event was “packed to the br
On the National Mall Wednesday night, the cameras caught the moment the story began to undercut itself: attendees were already heading for the gates while President Donald Trump was still speaking from the stage.
MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace said Trump’s kickoff for America’s 250th birthday celebration was “off to a very rocky start” as people left “halfway through his kickoff speech.” She shared video showing the departures with Trump still speaking in the background.
The contrast was sharper because Trump—who has been sensitive about crowd size and people leaving events early—took to Truth Social to insist the opposite. He posted not just once but twice claiming the event was “packed to the brim.” In his post. Trump wrote. “Everybody stayed right until the end of my Speech. ” despite video evidence showing attendees leaving before he finished.
Wallace then played a clip tied to a second image from The Bulwark, a conservative “never Trump” organization. The Bulwark’s Jared Poland, who recorded the video of people leaving, also posted a photo of someone snoozing in the grass during Trump’s speech.
After that, Wallace turned to a punchline that landed like a second timestamp on the same moment. She rolled a clip of Jimmy Fallon mocking the rally. which included a military flyover. Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless The USA. ” and a Trump speech. Fallon said the event felt “very familiar. ” and cracked that even Trump’s biggest fans seemed to be asking. “Is this a repeat?” He added. “Because I feel like I’ve seen this before.”.
Wallace called the joke “remarkable,” saying Fallon tends to shy away from politics. Then she brought the focus back to Trump himself. “This is where it hurts the most if you’re Donald Trump,” she said, framing it as “a repeat, a rehash, not so A-list.”
The segment also surfaced Trump’s pitch for next week. Wallace aired a clip of Trump begging fans to attend his July 4 speech. Trump told the crowd that if there were just two empty seats. the “fake news” would claim “he didn’t fill out the arena.” Wallace laughed out loud at the line. then asked what the logic really suggests. “The idea that we’re the problem?” she said. “He seems to be the problem when it comes to empty seats.”.
Wallace ended by directing viewers to more of her conversation with Poland.
United States politics Trump America’s 250th birthday July 4 National Mall Nicolle Wallace Truth Social crowd size The Bulwark Jared Poland Jimmy Fallon Lee Greenwood God Bless The USA military flyover
Packed to the brim my butt… people left like halfway through??
So he posts twice saying it was packed, but cameras show people heading out early. I mean that just sounds like he’s trying to control the narrative again. Also the Jimmy Fallon part was kinda hilarious though.
Wait I’m confused, the video of people snoozing in the grass… was that at the same event or like, a different 4th of July thing? Cuz if it’s the same crowd then yeah that’s embarrassing, but if not then it’s just clickbait. And why would anyone leave before the end if they’re gonna see the flyover and Lee Greenwood… unless traffic was insane (which it always is).
Isn’t this what happens at literally every big speech? People get up, go to the bathroom, get snacks, and then come back later. The article makes it sound like he got exposed but cameras can catch someone leaving for like 2 minutes and then everyone acts like the whole crowd abandoned him. Plus “fake news” is probably right there too, everybody knows the media cuts stuff. I’m not even saying he’s perfect, I just think the takeaway is being spun.