MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace on Thursday said President Donald Trump's kickoff for America's 250th birthday celebration was “off to a very rocky start” as attendees left halfway through his speech. “Not a great look, though, for a guy who worries so much about crowd size,” Wallace said, sharing video from The Bulwark showing people leaving the rally on the National Mall Wednesday night while Trump was still speaking.
Attendees Leave Early Despite Trump's Claims
The video, posted by The Bulwark on June 25, 2026, captured crowds flocking toward the exits during Trump's speech. Trump, who has long been sensitive about crowd sizes and people leaving his events early, posted twice on Truth Social to claim the event was “packed to the brim” and that “everybody stayed right until the end of my Speech,” despite clear evidence to the contrary.
Jared Poland of The Bulwark, who recorded the video, also shared a photo of someone sleeping in the grass during Trump's speech, captioning it: “Trump's speech is literally putting people to sleep.” Poland told Wallace, “A lot of people got their picture of Trump and headed for the gates.”
Jimmy Fallon Mocks the Event
Wallace then played a clip of Jimmy Fallon mocking the event. The late-night host noted that the rally—featuring a military flyover, Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless The USA,” and a Trump speech—felt very familiar. “Even Trump's biggest fans are like, ‘Is this a repeat?’” Fallon cracked. “Because I feel like I've seen this before.”
Wallace called the joke “remarkable,” given that Fallon tends to shy away from politics. “This is where it hurts the most if you're Donald Trump,” she pointed out. “A repeat, a rehash, not so A-list.”
Trump Begs Fans to Attend July 4 Speech
Wallace also aired a clip of Trump begging fans to attend his July 4 speech next week. Trump said that if there were just two empty seats, the “fake news” would claim “he didn't fill out the arena.” That line made Wallace laugh out loud. “The idea that we're the problem?” she said. “He seems to be the problem when it comes to empty seats.”
