Trump's Rally Attendance Obsession Proves Just How Deep Kamala Harris Got Under His Skin

Donald Trump has had plenty of barbs aimed at him during the course of his political career, but apparently none have stung him more than Vice President Kamala Harris's snark that he can't hold an audience's interest. During their July debate, Harris declared (via YouTube) that "people start leaving his rallies early, out of exhaustion and boredom" — and Trump has been furiously denying it ever since. At the debate, he jabbed back — "we have the biggest, most incredible rallies in the history of politics" — and claimed Harris's own rally audiences are actually paid shills. 

Since then, the former president's hackles have gone up at any suggestion his crowds aren't hanging on his every word right to the very end. Considering the high cost of each Trump rally, he can scarcely afford to lose the momentum that keeps his followers coming to the events. 

During a September 27 event in Walker, Michigan, he addressed the issue directly, once again denying the "boredom" factor. Per Newsweek, Trump began by contradicting himself: "The people that you see leaving — because nobody ever leaves, and when they do, I finish up quick, believe me." He went on to admit some folks might duck out early if a rally gets a late start due to flight delays on Trump Force One, or if they've already gotten their photo op before the event ends.

Donald Trump has been amping up the family act at his rallies lately, even inviting two of his grandchildren on stage with him. It may be his way of keeping the crowd's interest and preventing more rumors about people leaving early. However, despite Trump's efforts, evidence suggests his audience does not, in fact, stay to the very end. At the very event in Walker, Michigan, where the divisive candidate made his denial, people were caught on video (as seen on X, formerly Twitter), showing attendees heading for the exit door while Trump's speech was still heard in the background.

Still, Kamala Harris's claim may not be entirely valid either. In an interview with CNN, Sabrina Carpenter of The Washington Post reported talking to Trump supporters leaving rallies midway through. "A lot of people that go to Trump's rallies are in line for six, seven hours before the rally takes place," she explained. Weather and health play a part, she added: In Tucson, a number of attendees were overcome by intense heat. Others told Carpenter they had family commitments that kept them from sticking around. "And a lot of people [were] jabbing at me ... and saying, 'I'm not leaving because I'm bored, I promise.'" Online, Trump had his defenders, too. Said an X commenter, "If you've been to big events, people always leave early. My brother used to leave Giants games after the seventh inning, even if the game was tied. He can't stand being in traffic."

So if you see people leaving their seats at a Trump rally, rest assured it's not necessarily because they don't want to hear the former prez discuss the late great Hannibal Lecter and blame Kamala Harris for crime and bacon prices. Trump would be the first to agree.