Fox News Spins Empty State Fair as a Thriving Spectacle Amidst Dismal Reality

President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. has been a disaster since its opening last week, plagued by low attendance, vacant booths, rain delays, and musicians dropping out.

Fox News, however, paints a different picture. “It’s really something,” correspondent Peter Doocy declared during an interview with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, while overlooking the rain-soaked grounds that showcased only a handful of attendees scattered across the vast pavilion.

The network suggested viewers might be misled by the visuals, despite video evidence revealing mostly empty fields between booths on the National Mall. “Sometimes the pictures really don’t tell the full story,” reporter Kevin Corke claimed, attempting to downplay the lack of crowds.

Fox News has been broadcasting from a towering booth above the fairgrounds, where correspondents report daily. They’ve praised events like rodeos and chainsaw demonstrations while questioning if carnival food aligns with Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.

Host Sandra Smith insisted there was a “lotta energy” on the fairgrounds, even as live shots displayed a largely empty scene, including in front of a replica of the president’s planned victory arch monument.

As the sparse attendance continued into Monday afternoon, reporter Lucas Tomlinson speculated that the closing of financial markets might bring more attendees to the fair.

On social media, a stark contrast emerged. A clip from the day’s events went viral for all the wrong reasons.

While actor Dean Cain and Dr. Mehmet Oz touted “tons” of attendees onstage, a TMZ camera revealed a crowd of about 20 people watching them, with only a few fairgoers visible near a distant Ferris wheel.

Trump critic and former CNN anchor Jim Acosta slammed the event on X, describing it as “shoddy displays and tiny crowds,” adding, “But lots of Trump worship. Sad.”

The White House has been approached for comment regarding the event's turnout.

Freedom 250, a group assisting in planning the fair and other events for America’s 250th anniversary, claimed over 150,000 people attended in the first three days. However, Trump and his allies continue to assert the event is a resounding success while dismissing crowd size inquiries.

In a post on Truth Social early Monday, Trump declared the fair was “packed with happy people,” echoing his unfounded assertion that his kickoff speech attracted “at least 45,000 people.”

Cain responded to critics on X, labeling those who reacted negatively to his photo of the nearly empty National Mall as “anti-American” and suggesting they should “seek help.”

The apparent low turnout could stem from various factors, including Washington’s fluctuating summer weather and Trump’s poor approval ratings.

During his first term, Trump and his officials infamously insisted they had a historically large inauguration crowd, despite clear photographic evidence showing larger audiences for previous presidents.