Trump can’t stop comparing his crowd size to Vance’s, insiders reveal

Behind closed doors, President Donald Trump has been telling allies that Vice President JD Vance fails to pull big crowds at the events he headlines, The New York Times reports. The remarks come as Republicans brace for a tough showing in next week's midterm elections, with polls unfavorable and the mood inside the White House described as grim. Both men are touring the country to energize voters, and some commentators have noted that their appearances have taken place in smaller venues or with unfilled seats. No official attendance numbers exist for comparison, and The Independent has asked Vance's office for comment.

White House spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez told the Times that both men are raising money, traveling widely and working to help candidates win, and she ranked Trump first in work ethic, with Vance second. Trump has long fixated on crowd size. After Katie Rogers of the Times described empty upper-deck areas at an Ohio rally, he urged that media outlets be arrested and insisted on Truth Social that the arena was full because spectators move down to the floor. A photo of vacant rows at a Vance event in Texas on October 13 also circulated online.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →