Bronx Residents Challenge Trump’s Claims of Massive Rally Turnout
By Jake Beardslee ·
May 24, 2024
Former President Donald Trump held a rally on Thursday in the South Bronx, a heavily Democratic area of New York City. His campaign boasted that "25,000 supporters" descended on Crotona Park for what Fox News called a "massive, historic" event. Ryan Garza / USA TODAY NETWORK
However, reporters and local officials questioned those attendance claims and Trump's level of support in Bronx communities. Adam Moss from Tonawanda, New York, United States / Wikimedia
"Donald Trump can now say he held a rally in the South Bronx, home to immigrants and minority communities, and that it was well attended. It's just not clear that the people who attended were from the Bronx. The campaign controlled who got in and the campaign of course, picked only supporters," ABC 7 New York's Jim Dolan reported from the scene. Michael M. Santiago/Pool / USA TODAY NETWORK
Aerial footage from ABC 7 appeared to show a much smaller crowd than the 25,000 claimed by Trump's team. One attendee claimed most cars parked nearby were from out-of-state, telling ABC 7, "Go out there and look at all them cars that are parked and check where they came from? Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Texas." @abc7NY / YouTube
U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, who represents the South Bronx, told ABC 7, "If you did a poll about who's more popular, Donald Trump or lead paint. I suspect lead is more popular than Donald Trump in the Bronx." Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
The contrasting narratives surrounding the Bronx rally attendance highlight the ongoing disputes over Trump's true level of support, especially in Democratic strongholds like New York City, as he mounts another presidential campaign amidst legal troubles. Justin Lane/Pool / USA TODAY NETWORK
While the rally may not have matched the size of Trump's previous event in Wildwood, New Jersey two weeks prior, it was intended to demonstrate that the former president is unafraid to campaign in areas that traditionally support Democratic candidates, according to Trump campaign representative Danielle Alvarez in her comments to The New York Post.Artaxerxes / Wikimedia
