Getty Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to hold a rally on July 3, 2021.
Former President Donald Trump hosted his second rally since President Joe Biden won the election. His rally on Saturday, July 3, 2021, was held in Sarasota, Florida. This was part of what Trump is calling a “Save America” tour. Read on to learn more about how many people attended Trump’s Florida rally.
Thousands Attended the Rally, Which Included Fireworks
GettyPeople listen as former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally on July 3, 2021, in Sarasota, Florida.
Trump’s second post-presidency rally was held at Sarasota Fairgrounds on Ringling Boulevard in Sarasota, Florida. The event was sponsored by Save America, according to his website. At the time of this article’s publication, Trump did not have another rally on his schedule.
The Guardian reported that the event was expected to draw several thousand people. The Herald-Tribune reported after the rally that officials had estimated the crowd “numbered in the thousands.”
GettyPeople wait in line to enter a rally hosted by former U.S. President Donald Trump on July 3, 2021, in Sarasota, Florida.
Ryan McKinnon, reporting for the Herald-Tribune, shared this video of what the crowd looked like when Trump took the stage:
Tweets weren’t loading during rally but here is look at crowd when Trump took the stage.
Leonardo Feldman of the conservative outlet Newsmax shared a video of the crowd at the rally before it began. Feldman tweeted that “thousands” were expected.
Getting packed here in #Sarasota ahead of the #TrumpRally
He later shared this video of the crowd:
Derek Gilliam of the Herald-Tribune shared that Congressman Matt Gaetz spoke at the rally before Trump. In late March, Axios reported that Gaetz was considering early retirement to take a Newsmax job, but Gaetz did not confirm the report. There is an ongoing federal investigation involving Gaetz, ABC News reported. Prosecutors told ABC News that a decision on whether or not to bring charges against Gaetz could be reached as early as this month.
Congrassman Matt Gaetz just finished speaking. He hit several republican talking points, including second amendment rights, critical race theory and winning back congress from democrats in 2022.
Gilliam said thousands showed up and were waiting in line before the rally.
Trump’s speech was scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern time, although doors opened earlier at 2 p.m. The rally also hosted a fireworks display at 9 p.m. Eastern, and the event was billed as an independence celebration, Herald-Tribune reported. Trump spoke for about 90 minutes, roughly the same length of time he typically spoke during his campaign rallies.
GettyFormer U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally on July 3, 2021, in Sarasota, Florida.
McKinnon shared that rain started to fall on the crowd while Gaetz was speaking and a couple of hours before Trump was scheduled to take the stage.
Dark clouds getting closer at Sarasota Trump rally.
But, he later added, the crowd didn’t dissipate much despite the rain.
Still raining. Crowd hasn’t dissipated much, if at all. Macho Man being played again.
Trump’s Ohio Rally Had Thousands in Attendance
Trump’s first post-presidency rally was in Ohio last weekend. The Ohio rally was in support of Max Miller, a former White House adviser who is running in the 16th Congressional District primary against incumbent Anthony Gonzalez, Fox 8 reported. Reuters estimated actual attendance being in the “thousands.”
Trump told Newsmax that he will decide whether he’s running for the 2024 election in the “not too distant future.” He added, “Right now, I’m helping a lot of people get into office, and we’re fighting the deep state, and we’re fighting radical left. They’re after me. They’re after Rudy, they’re after you, probably. They’re after anybody.”
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is possibly considering a 2024 run for president, USA Today reported. He was not expected to be at the rally, but is instead continuing to help with recovery efforts after a 12-story condominium collapsed near Miami. More than 100 people are still missing.
Two days before the Florida rally, The Trump Organization and chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg pleaded not guilty to criminal charges, The Guardian reported.
READ NEXT: The latest COVID-19 vaccine updates and variant news