Trump rages at critics slamming Great American State Fair after patriotic event gets dismal reviews

By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT Published: 16:06, 29 June 2026 | Updated: 16:29, 29 June 2026 Donald Trump has raged at critics of his Great American State Fair after he was accused of failing to draw crowds to the National Mall.  '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 posted to his MAGA base on social media. 'Ask yourself this simple question, "Do you think that Obuma or sleepy Joe Biden could have done it?" The answer is no!' Trump, who kicked off celebrations at the fair last Wednesday with a speech that he claims drew 45,000 attendees, was accused of squandering taxpayer funds as photos showed the lawns of the National Mall largely empty. 'Did the rapture happen overnight?' one journalist reacted on Monday. 'Fox & Friends is broadcasting from a completely empty Trump state fair on the National Mall.'  Democratic Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury wrote: 'I went to the Great American State Fair this weekend…and it really was as empty as reported. **And where did the rest of our taxpayer dollars go?' But it's not just the small crowds that have drawn concern from attendees.  'Food hall at Great American State Fair has lost power - they have food but tell me all their ice cream has melted,' Homa Bash, a Fox 5 DC reporter, noted on the fair's first full day.  White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt with her son at the fair over the weekend Gabriel Hernandez of Oklahoma City, performs at Rodeo250 at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Saturday, June 27 The Freedom 250 Ferris Wheel and the US Capitol are seen on the National Mall from the Washington Monument during the Great American State Fair on Friday, June 26 People dance with a U.S. Army robotic dog at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Sunday June 28 Rain falls on people attending the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Sunday June 28 The U.S. Capitol is seen through fog behind the ferris wheel at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Sunday June 28 Visitors queue in the rain to ride the Freedom 250 Wheel at The Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 28 Visitors stand in line to ride the 110-foot "Freedom 250" ferris wheel on the fourth day of the "Great American State Fair" on the National Mall on June 28 Will Stites of Jonestown, Pa., participates in the Saddle Bronc Riding demonstration at Rodeo 250 at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Saturday, June 27 Nic Jackson of Upper Marlboro, Md., is thrown from a bull during the Bull Riding demonstration at Rodeo 250 at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Saturday, June 27 The Great American State Fair on the National Mall has caught criticism for small crowds, faulty electrical equipment leading to food vendor issues and lack luster exhibits Trump appeared to respond to the fair's critics on Monday in a social media post, saying it has been packed with people who are loving it. Above, Trump is shown speaking at the opening ceremony for the fair last Wednesday Crowds were sparse at the fair on Saturday. The Ferris wheel, Arizona's booth and the exhibit for the Department of War were the only displays with lines witnessed by the Daily Mail  A vendor selling pretzels and other food options told the Daily Mail on Saturday that he had issues with power generators that have caused outages. In one instance, he could not get his ovens to turn on, which forced him to throw out all of the dough he had purchased for the day since he could not bake it. The prices are not particularly family-friendly either. Waters and sodas cost $5 a pop, alcoholic beverages hover around $15 per drink (before tax and tip) and food options range from $10 to $25 per portion.  'Went to the Great American State “Fair” yesterday so you don’t have to. Not a funnel cake, corn dog, bucket lemonade, or fried Snickers in sight. The only ride is the Ferris Wheel. It’s not that kind of state fair, y’all,' said DC Councilmember Christina Henderson. Attendees have also pointed out the questionable quality of the booths and materials used to build them.  Some exhibits remain sparsely decorated with just pictures on the walls or TV monitors playing montages of the state being represented.  Alaska's, for example, simply featured a carpet and some posters on the walls with few other trappings, despite being the largest and one of the most ecologically diverse states.  The booths themselves, which are temporary structures, were sticky with humidity during DC's hot summer as air conditioning units failed to keep some enclosures cool. Some had stapled-on wallpaper that could be seen peeling back from the wooden frames.  The Great American State Fair on Saturday at 2:15pm. What do you make of the crowd? pic.twitter.com/bgON0b1cGI The Department of War exhibit had a long line on Saturday  The Ferris wheel at the fair was a main attraction on Saturday. A long line made riders wair nearly 40 minutes to get on  Workers in some booths were visibly sweating and cooling themselves down with souvenir fans handed out at some booths.  However, some were also delighted by the event and its patriotic displays.  Two Ohio women lauded the fair to the Daily Mail, specifically mentioning the grandeur of the space and the rows of booths and activities, including live musical performances, rodeos, a Ferris wheel and exhibits on US history and major American corporations.  'Fun day at the Great American State Fair!' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on social media alongside a photo of her and her son at the event.  'How cool is it that we are alive during this historic time and we get to experience America’s 250th birthday!?' The White House did not respond to questions about the event's attendance, nor did Freedom 250, the Trump-backed nonprofit group that is running the fair. The comments below have not been moderated. 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