Huge crowds packed the DC National Mall on Wednesday night – but it wasn’t for Trump

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Huge crowds swarmed the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night — but they didn’t turn up for President Donald Trump.

Instead, they came for something distinctly less political: soccer.

Droves of fans gathered to watch on a jumbo screen as the U.S. Men’s National Team beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the World Cup. The scene contrasted with other recent gatherings on the Mall tied to the Great American State Fair, where attendance has often appeared sparse, including at Trump’s kickoff speech late last month.

The energy on Wednesday was lively and youthful: a dense throng of supporters, many clad in jerseys and stars-and-stripes attire, packed into a “FIFA Fan Zone” filled with picnic tables, umbrellas and a large screen.

As the match — played at Levi’s Stadium in California — unfolded, the audience watched in nervous anticipation, some standing while others sat on bleachers and reclined on the lawn.

Huge crowds swarmed the National Mall in Washington, DC, Wednesday night — but they turned up for soccer, not President Donald Trump. (Getty Images)

Photos show what appears to be thousands of people turning up to watch the US-Bosnia game on a large jumbo screen set up in front of the Capitol Building (Reuters)

When the U.S. won — earning them a place in the Round of 16 — the reaction was immediate and raucous: people hoisted one another on shoulders, bottles went flying and American flags snapped through the air as the fan zone erupted in celebration. Photographers captured clusters of shirtless young fans shouting with joy, some drenched by spilled drinks.

A video posted by Freedom 250, the group organizing the fair, showed what appeared to be thousands of supporters cheering, raising their arms and jumping up and down. The caption read: “THE NATIONAL MALL IN WASHINGTON DC IS LOVING IT!!!”

The capital, by comparison, hasn’t been showing the same love to Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair, a weekslong extravaganza meant to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial.

After Trump kicked off the event with a campaign-style speech on June 24, he reportedly became “enraged” after seeing an aerial photo showing large stretches of grass left empty, CNN reported this week.

He later boasted on Truth Social that the crowd — which included administration officials and MAGA enthusiasts — had been “packed to the brim” with “at least 45,000 people.”

NBC News, however, reported that there were “nowhere near” that many attendees. The Washington Post wrote that the crowd was “smaller than some summer outdoor movie screenings.”

The Great American State Fair, held on the National Mall, has appeared to draw modest crowds in recent days. One musical performance, which went viral on social media, was only attended by a handful of people. (Bloomberg/Getty)

In the days since, the fair has often appeared to draw only modest crowds, with live footage at times showing the main grounds nearly empty.

This week, viral footage from the fair showed a musical performance before only a handful of spectators — seemingly fewer than the number of people in the band.

The multiweek event has also been dogged by setbacks beyond attendance. In May, multiple musical acts pulled out, some citing politicization, and several blue states also withdrew. Soon after the grand opening, a power outage caused ice cream to melt.

One of the fair’s marquee attractions, a model of Trump’s proposed 250-foot victory arch, has also drawn scorn after visitors noticed what appeared to be shoddy construction. This week, it seemed to be oozing a yellow substance.

Still, Trump has hailed the fair as a complete success.

“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 wrote on Truth Social on June 29. “Ask yourself this simple question, “DO YOU THINK THAT OBUMA OR SLEEPY JOE BIDEN COULD HAVE DONE IT?” THE ANSWER IS NO!”

The 80-year-old president is set to host a rally-style event on the Mall on July Fourth, complete with flyovers and fireworks. He’s billed it as the “most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen.”

According to CNN, though, some White House officials are concerned the celebration could be overshadowed by lackluster attendance.