President Donald Trump called for The New York Times and other media outlets to be “arrested” for “dishonesty” on Monday as he lashed out over reporting that his Ohio rally had empty seats.
Trump fired off two identical posts on his Truth Social platform, raging against the newspaper’s description of the crowd and insisting thousands of his MAGA supporters were unable to get inside.
“The Ohio Arena was already full to the brim — And yet these people were still trying to get in,” Trump wrote Monday.
“The New York Times said, ‘There were empty seats’ when, in fact, there were none, and thousands of people had to be turned away,” he continued. “The New York Times, and many other Artificial Media Outlets, should be arrested for their dishonesty and disservice to our Country.”
Trump also attached a 27-second video clip showing a line of people, although the clip offered little context about when it was shot or where those shown were attempting to enter.
“When Bernie Sanders has 500 to 1,000 people, they make it sound like it’s the biggest event that ever took place. When PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP has 50,000 people, they make it sound like nobody showed up!” the president added.
Moments later, Trump fired off a much longer attack on “The Fake News New York Times,” accusing it of falsely reporting that some upper sections of the arena were “almost completely empty.”
“In actuality, thousands of people were unable to get in,” Trump wrote. “The Arena was totally MAXED OUT, including all upper sections.”
Trump claimed people seated in upper sections routinely “migrate down to the Main Floor” at his events.
“I never have empty seats — Never have, and never will!” he declared, adding that he now has “cinematographers shooting the various Arenas where I speak.”
“There are no empty seats, there haven’t been for years, and there never will be,” Trump wrote. “The Rallies are ‘HOTTER’ than ever.”
Trump will next appear at a campaign rally in Nebraska on Monday.
“Watch tonight, for example, in the Great State of Nebraska.”