Photos Show Packed Crowd at Obama’s Michigan Rally Despite Trump’s ‘Empty’ Claim

President Donald Trump claimed at a rally in Perry, Georgia, that former President Barack Obama’s recent event in Detroit, Michigan, was “empty.” However, photographs and video from Obama’s rally on October 24 at Cass Technical High School’s gym tell a different story, showing a well-attended gathering supporting Democratic candidates in a tightly contested Michigan race.

Trump’s Claim of an Empty Rally

During his rally on Saturday, Trump criticized the reported crowd size at Obama’s event, stating: “You know I saw Barack Hussein Obama was in Michigan and the place was empty. And they were saying ‘oh this is a large crowd coming the people are tricking through’ – they don’t talk about my crowds, they never talk about them.” Trump also referenced Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed by his middle name, Mohammed, adding: “And now he’s making a speech for Mohammed today and a massive crowd, a massive crowd has shown up. Where are they? They never talk about my crowd.”

Visual Evidence of a Packed Venue

Contrary to Trump’s statements, video shared on X by commentator Molly Ploofkins showed the gymnasium at Cass Technical High School to be packed during Obama’s speech. Ploofkins noted both a large in-person crowd and an overflow audience, providing photos of what appeared to be a full auditorium for the overflow. Additionally, Farrukh, a progressive political commentator, posted a video from the stage showing a similarly packed venue.

Local media outlet Michigan Bridge reported that more than 4,300 people attended the rally. The venue was smaller than the stadiums where Trump and Obama have held rallies in the past, but the turnout was strong for the midterm event.

Context of the Rally and Political Stakes

Obama spoke at the event to support Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who is in a close contest with Republican Mike Rogers, as well as the party’s gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson. At the rally, Obama called the November midterm elections a “circuit breaker” and the “last best chance to at least rein in some of the foolishness” from the second Trump administration.

Trump’s Ongoing Focus on Crowd Sizes

Trump has a history of emphasizing crowd sizes at his rallies and comparing them to those of rivals, including Obama. In 2017, Trump claimed his inauguration crowd was the largest in history, despite photographic evidence showing Obama’s 2009 inauguration had a larger turnout. Similarly, in 2024, Trump said the attendance at his January 6 rally surpassed the size of Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 March on Washington, a claim disputed by census estimates.

Trump has also accused political opponents of manipulating images to inflate crowd sizes, such as Kamala Harris’s campaign supposedly using AI, a claim ABC News found to be false after reviewing metadata.

Polling Ahead of Michigan Midterms

Polling in Michigan shows a tight race between El-Sayed and Rogers. An earlier InsiderAdvantage poll of 1,200 likely voters from October 9 to 10 also showed El-Sayed leading 48 percent to 46 percent.

While President Trump’s comments sought to diminish the significance of Obama’s rally, the evidence from multiple sources and local reports confirms a solid turnout in Detroit, underscoring the high stakes of the upcoming midterm elections in Michigan.