This archive report was first published on 21 June 2020.
On June 20, 2020, President Donald Trump's highly anticipated rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, turned out to be a dismal affair, with thousands of empty seats and a speech that critics said lacked substance on the COVID-19 pandemic and racial tensions gripping the nation.
The event, which was touted as a major comeback for the Trump campaign, was expected to draw a massive crowd of up to 100,000 people. However, the 19,000-capacity BOK Center was only half full, with many sections of the arena empty.
According to multiple sources, the Trump campaign had been expecting a huge turnout, with over a million ticket requests. However, the reality was far from it, with many attendees unable to get into the BOK Center due to a lack of interest.
Senior Trump campaign aide Mercedes Schlapp attempted to shift the blame, claiming that protesters had blocked the way for attendees, while families were too scared to bring their children due to concerns about the protesters.
However, reporters on the ground disputed this claim, saying that they saw no problems for people trying to get in.
Trump's speech was also widely criticized for lacking substance on the COVID-19 pandemic and racial tensions. He failed to mention the Juneteenth commemoration of the end of slavery in the US, which had been scheduled for the day before the rally.
Instead, Trump chose to fan the flames of racial animus by referring to COVID-19 as the 'Kung Flu.'
The rally was also marred by a series of controversies, including the cancellation of an outdoor event for the overflow crowd due to a lack of interest.
Adding to the sense of chaos, six members of Trump's advance team working in Tulsa tested positive for COVID-19 just hours before the president took the stage.
Coronavirus cases have recently been skyrocketing in Oklahoma, and local health officials had asked the Trump campaign not to go ahead with the rally, fearing it would become a 'superspreader' event.
