Merely 27 people attended a pro-Trump rally in Washington DC this week.
Event organisers toldThe Daily Beast that the extremely low turnout at the rally on Capitol grounds was the result of several factors, but it was still a “success.”
“We put the word out, literally, about a week ago. We would have liked to have more people, but I would consider it a success,” John Paul Moran, founder of GOUSA, told the outlet.
Liberal activists using whistles who approached the gathering to protest were branded “paid agitators” and members of Antifa by Mr Moran.
Trump was not an organiser and was not at the “Stop the Tyrants and Unite for Freedom” rally on Friday.
Among those present, were MAGA fashion designer Andre Soriano and Trump aide Matt Braynard, according to The Daily Beast.
Two security guards are also included in the 27 attendees.
“I want you to recognise something,” Mr Braynard told The Daily Beast. “They are trying to interrupt. That’s why they’re blowing the whistles. To make it hard to hear us!”
Other organisers and attendees hinted that invitation emails going to spam folders and the event taking place on a weekday were factors to blame for the low turnout.
“They didn’t go into my inbox. They disappeared entirely,” Deborah Weiss also told The Daily Beast.
The rally on Friday comes just weeks after a similar gathering, also on Capitol grounds, failed to have the expected turnout.