President Trump wants a blockbuster July 4 rally on the National Mall. His aides are worried they'll get something closer to a rerun of last week. CNN reports that low turnout at Trump's recent speech at the "Great American State Fair" has sparked concern inside the White House that his Independence Day address—pitched by Trump as a signature moment of his presidency—could also look sparse. Trump decided to headline the fair's opening event last week after acts including Milli Vanilli pulled out. He spoke for just 28 minutes, a fraction of his usual rally length, the AP reports.
On Truth Social, Trump said the crowd was "packed to the brim" and claimed 45,000 people were there. Sources tell CNN that the president was furious after seeing aerial photos of empty stretches of the Mall, leading staffers to delete posts that highlighted the scene. For July 4, the section closest to the stage will be ticketed (tickets are free) to ensure it looks full, though officials expect many no-shows amid triple-digit heat, tight security, and a late-running program. The broader semiquincentennial fair has drawn modest crowds, patchy state participation, weather-related closures, and at least one arrest, all of which have fed internal finger-pointing over planning and promotion.
"The mistake here was not driving attendance," a source close to the White House tells CNN. "It was an 'if you build it, they will come' mentality that failed." Organizers insist more than 150,000 people have attended and say critics are wrong about "empty" celebrations. Trump, who sees the 250th anniversary as a key piece of his legacy, is now making a more direct pitch: "Your favorite president will be speaking," he said last week. "So please show up because if we have two empty seats, you know what's going to happen? The fake news is going to say, 'He didn't fill out the arena.'" Organizers say Trump will speak at around 9pm, ahead of a fireworks show, possibly as late as 11pm, that could break a world record.
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
