Former President Donald Trump hosted a “Save America” rally on Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Selma, North Carolina. It’s part of a series of “Save America” rallies that he’s hosting. Here’s a look at how many people attended Trump’s rally, including crowd photos, updates about what happened, and comparisons to his rally at the same venue in 2016.
Thousands Attended the Rally, But the Number Was Significantly Less than Attended in 2016
The rally took place at The Farm at 95 in Selma, North Carolina. Although doors opened in the afternoon, Trump’s speech was scheduled to begin around 7 p.m. Eastern.
Newsweek reported that The Farm at 95 has a capacity of only about 400 people. However, local news publication The News & Observer did not agree with this capacity estimate. The News & Observer noted that there were about 1,000 to 2,000 people in attendance, and reported that the same venue had hosted about 15,000 people at a Trump rally in 2016. (Heavy reviewed an article from the News & Observer published on November 5, 2016, and confirmed that Trump did indeed speak to a crowd of more than 15,000 in Selma at The Farm on that date.)
Lars Dolder of The News & Observer emphasized that the attendance was between 1,000 to 2,000 and nowhere near the 20,000 that Rightside Broadcasting had estimated.
Apparently Right Side Broadcasting Network is saying 20,000 people are here. No chance. More than 1,000 but probably not quite 2,000. I’ll put together a more scientific estimate later when I get to my laptop.
CBS 17 reported that hundreds of people camped out the day before the event. WRAL referred to the rally as being attended by “several thousand” people.
Kyleigh Panetta of Spectrum News 1 RDU shared a crowd video below.
HAPPENING NOW: Here’s a look at the crowd at former president Donald Trump’s “Save America” rally in Selma. It’s set to start at 5 PM and Trump is expected to make a speech at 7 PM. @SpecNews1RDU
During his speech, Trump bragged that he was “the most honest human being, perhaps, that God ever created.” He also continued to claim that he won the 2020 election, and at one point invited Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson to join him on stage, giving him his “complete and total endorsement” for his 13th Congressional District run, News & Observer reported.
Here’s another video of the crowd, which is large but not as large as 2016.
#NEW President Donald Trump Save America Rally Huge Crowd Already…WOW!….
#TrumpRally #Selma #NorthCarolina
Trump also endorsed Dr. Mehmet Oz’s Senate race, The Hill reported. He also “doubled down” on his support of Bo Hines, reported Dolder.
Here’s a video of when Trump arrived at the rally.
RIGHT NOW: Former president Donald Trump has arrived here in Selma @SpecNews1RDU
Here’s another crowd photo from the rally.
Here at Trump rally in Selma, NC. You can follow along with t.co/UcdEnpCiig for coverage of today’s event. #ncpol
While About 2,000 Attended in 2022, Closer to 15,000 Attended in 2016
Trump hosted a rally at the same venue in 2016, just before the November election, and nearly 15,000 attended then.
Here’s a photo of the 2016 crowd, which one person on Twitter described as going “beyond the eye can see.”
@mitchellvii The crowd now in Selma, NC at Trump rally. it goes beyond the eye can see
Local reporter Ken Smith from WRAL shared photos of the crowd from 2016, which was significantly larger than in 2022.
A crowd of supporters at a Trump rally in Selma, NC #wral
Candace Smith Chekwa at the time estimated it wasn’t 15,000 (although it did end up being about 15,000) and noted the crowd was “very big nonetheless.”
SELMA, NC– Big big crowd here for @realDonaldTrump. Likely not 15K, as Trump claimed but very big nonetheless.
Trump Has More Events Scheduled
Trump has more events planned, although as of the time of publication there aren’t any more “Save America” rallies on his schedule, according to his website.
Trump is going to begin taking part in an “American Freedom Tour,” which will include a stop in Austin, Texas, on May 14, KVUE reported. Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, Mike Pompeo, Dinesh D’Souza, and others are expected to also be there. The American Freedom Tour will also have a stop in Birmingham, Alabama, on June 18.
Trump’s first rally of 2022 was in Florence, Arizona in mid-January. Trump held a September rally in Georgia. He also held a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, in October 2021, a rally in Alabama in August 2021, and an Ohio rally in June 2021. He also held a rally in Conroe, Texas, in January that was attended by tens of thousands, according to media at the event.
In his August Alabama rally, he was booed after telling the people present to take the vaccines. He replied: “You know what? I believe totally in your freedoms, I do. You have to do what you have to do. But, I recommend take the vaccines, I did it, it’s good. Take the vaccines.”
Trump has not yet announced if he is running in the 2024 presidential election. However, he did tell the crowd during his speech in South Carolina that “we may have to run again,” and added “we will take back the White House.” Trump made the same comments during his Georgia rally, saying that he might have to run again.