Trump’s Asheville Rally Draws Smaller Crowd Compared to 2016: ‘We Have the Biggest Crowds Ever’ He Insists
JOSE LUIS MAGANA/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump faced a noticeably smaller crowd in Asheville, NC, on Wednesday, a stark contrast to the massive gatherings he boasted during the 2016 campaign. According to the Asheville Citizen-Times, Trump’s rally was held at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, which has a seating capacity of 2,431.
The venue choice marked a significant downgrade from the ExploreAsheville.com Arena, where Trump spoke during his 2016 campaign. “That’s about a quarter of the capacity of the ExploreAsheville.com Arena, where Trump spoke in 2016,” the paper pointed out, underscoring the difference in crowd size.
Despite the smaller venue, Trump continued to insist on Wednesday that his rallies draw record-breaking crowds. Speaking to reporters in Florida, the former president maintained, “We have the biggest crowds ever in the history of politics. We have crowds that nobody’s ever seen before. And we continue to have that. We have a level of enthusiasm that nobody’s seen before.”
Trump’s claims of massive crowds were met with skepticism, particularly on social media. USA Today columnist Rex Huppke took to X to highlight events in Asheville that are attracting larger audiences than Trump’s Wednesday rally. Huppke posted a list of upcoming events at the ExploreAsheville venue, which included performances by popular bands and a craft fair.
“Aug. 30: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard,” Huppke listed, followed by, “Sept. 17: Seether and Skillet, Oct. 9: Knocked Loose, with The Garden, Drain, and Military Gun, Oct. 17 – 20: Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands.”
Huppke’s post served as a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the contrast between Trump’s rhetoric and the reality of the turnout at his rallies. He added, “All of which is to say, things are going great for Trump and the largest and biggest and strongest and greatest political movement in history,” highlighting the disconnect between Trump’s narrative and the actual size of his crowds.
As the 2024 campaign progresses, Trump’s ability to draw large crowds will likely continue to be a topic of discussion, especially in comparison to his previous campaigns. Whether his claims will resonate with voters or be dismissed as exaggerations remains to be seen, but the smaller crowd in Asheville suggests that the enthusiasm he once commanded may be waning.
