Trump Cancels His Fair as No One Shows

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast: "Trump Cancels His Fair as No One Shows"

Date: June 27, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Episode Theme:
A comedic and biting examination of the disastrous "Freedom 250 Great American State Fair," a Trump-led event marking America’s 250th anniversary, which turned into an embarrassing flop plagued by empty spaces, technical problems, and a bizarre, unwelcoming atmosphere.

---

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the epic failure of the Trump-promoted "250th Anniversary Great American State Fair" in Washington, D.C. The brothers blend their signature humor and sharp critique to recount, analyze, and mock the event’s poor turnout, technical failures, and unsavory optics—including Confederate flags, broken rides, and AI-driven National Guard patrols. They use on-the-ground reporting, social media posts, and their observations to highlight how the event, intended as patriotic spectacle, became a surreal debacle.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Trump’s “Great American State Fair” Flops

• Low Attendance: The event, heavily hyped by Donald Trump, was supposed to be a culinary and entertainment extravaganza, but almost nobody came. The few photos from the grounds showed empty spaces and a lone Ferris wheel—broken, naturally.
  • Quote: “Quite literally nobody showed up… basically canceling it and blaming it on the weather.” (Ben, 01:59)
• Excuses and Blame: Organizers blamed “inclement weather” for shutting down, despite widespread evidence of already-empty grounds and technical issues prior to any rain.

2. Technical and Logistical Failures

• Broken Rides & Power Outages: The only ride—the Ferris wheel—was nonfunctional. Power issues plagued food tents, causing lights to flicker, ice cream to melt, and food to spoil.
  • Quote: “The Ferris wheel wasn’t working. That was like one of the only attractions. The entire thing was just an absolute failure.” (Ben, 02:55)
• Comparisons to Fyre Festival: Ben, who previously litigated against the infamous Fyre Festival, compares this failure unfavorably: “Fyre Festival looks much better than whatever the heck this is.” (Ben, 03:07)
• Stark Visuals: The brothers note the visuals from the event—vast, empty spaces and playing “count the attendees” with numbers under 20 at times.

3. Controversial and Bizarre Elements

• Divisive Themes & Confederate Flags: The event lost all sense of broad appeal, with some booths (like North Carolina’s) filled with Confederate flags—later “disavowed” after public shaming.
  • Quote: “It was everywhere in this little crappy booth. The only thing that was really there was Confederate flags everywhere. That was the point you wanted to make.” (Ben, 05:19)
• AI National Guard Patrols: National Guard were used as photo props, patrolling with AI speakers warning visitors, “Loitering is not permitted in this area. Please proceed to the designated location.” (Clip, 07:01)
  • Host Reaction: “It’s like stupid 1984 if 1984 Orwell was combined with Idiocracy.” (Ben, 06:16)

4. Firsthand Reporting and Guest Reactions

• Disastrous Food & Atmosphere:
  • D.C. Councilwoman Christina Henderson summarizes: “Not a funnel cake, no corn dogs, no bucket lemonade, no fried Snickers in sight. The only ride is the Ferris wheel. And by the way, the Ferris wheel is broken. It’s not that kind of state fair, y’all.” (Henderson, paraphrased by Ben; 07:03)
  • Journalist Kayla Cody: “Nobody. There’s seriously nobody...Suddenly I was a lone Sims character dropped into a brand new game.” (14:48)
  • Cody’s food review: “What I saw made a 711 roller grill hot dog look like a gastronomic masterpiece. A few anemic burgers sat limply behind the kiosk. It looked like they had been sitting in the hot tent for several hours. The woman at the cash register told me they had been experiencing power outages on and off all day. It was not reassuring. Was this even safe? I pointed to the pathetic thing. ‘What's that?’ ‘That's a pulled pork burger.’ I would just have to believe her. I paid $27 to put it out of its misery.” (Kayla Cody, 15:40)

5. Media Spin and Propaganda

• Contrast Between Reality and Coverage: Mainstream right-wing coverage tried to blame the weather and frame the event as a wholesome, meaningful festival—while video shots clearly showed near-deserted grounds.
  • Fox News tried to paint it as a “great big birthday party,” but T.V. correspondents and hosts couldn’t paper over the visible failures.
  • “The event was going to be great but the rain screwed it all up.” (Fox News clip, 11:12)
• Hosts Lampoon Media Spin: The brothers playfully roast Fox’s attempts to cover up the failure as a weather hiccup: “Rain moved into the area right around 5 o'clock Eastern Time. Which means if you left work and you think you’d pop over, you missed out. At least for today.” (Fox Correspondent, 13:19)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s Event Management:
  “Before I started the Midas Touch Network, I was a class action lawyer and a civil rights lawyer. And I was the guy who filed the first case against Fyre Festival … Fyre Festival looks much better than whatever the heck this is.” (Ben, 02:55–03:18)

• On Confederate Display:
  “You put it up, idiots. You put it up. It was everywhere in this little crappy booth. The only thing that was really there was Confederate flags everywhere. That was the point you wanted to make.” (Ben, 05:19)

• On AI Security at the Pool:
  “It’s like stupid 1984 if 1984 Orwell was combined with Idiocracy.” (Ben, 06:16)
  [National Guard AI announcement] “Loitering is not permitted in this area…” (AI loudspeaker, 07:01)

• From Journalist Kayla Cody:
  “There’s seriously nobody. A man shouted into his phone as he exited the Great American State Fair. It was a pretty good one liner for what I was about to experience. I got there at 5pm Opening day, walked right in. Despite being one of America 250 biggest attractions, there was no line. Suddenly I was a lone Sims character dropped into a brand new game.” (Kayla Cody, 14:47)

• Snark on Fair Food:
  “What I saw made a 711 roller grill hot dog look like a gastronomic masterpiece.” (Kayla Cody, 15:40)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:59 – Overview of the fair’s disastrous start and empty grounds
• 02:55 – Ben draws parallels to the failed Fyre Festival
• 03:48 – Discussion of Confederate flags at the North Carolina booth
• 06:10–07:10 – AI surveillance and National Guard controlling the reflecting pool
• 07:03 – Christina Henderson’s damning review of the fair
• 14:47–15:40 – Kayla Cody’s on-the-ground food and experience review

---

Conclusion

The MeidasTouch brothers deliver a cutting, hilarious breakdown of how the Trump-backed Freedom 250 State Fair became a symbol of incompetence, divisiveness, and sheer flop energy. From technical blunders and empty spaces to Confederate flags and dystopian AI security, the episode roasts the event as both absurd and emblematic of wider failures. Through their banter, sharp wit, and direct reporting, Ben, Brett, and Jordy paint an unmissable portrait of a would-be national celebration that instead turned into a national embarrassment.

---

For more coverage and updates from the MeidasTouch team, subscribe to their channels and join the MeidasMighty community.

Transcript

[A]

This episode is brought to you by San Pellegrino Ciao. A gift from Italy to your home, San Pellegrino Ciao is a flavored sparkling water made with real fruit juice, finished with a pinch of Sicilian salt for a perfectly balanced taste. So which flavor will you choose? Peach, lime, blood orange, cherry? Or maybe the all new limoncello crafted in Italy with zero grams of added sugar? San Pellegrino Ciao. Buy it now.

[B]

Ray Ban Meta lets you explore the world without a screen getting in the way so you can stay present in the moment.

[A]

Hey Meta, tell me what kind of dessert this is. That's a stroopwafel, a Dutch waffle with spiced syrup in the middle. Is it sweet? Yes. Perfect for a snack or dessert. Mmm, delicious.

[B]

Get answers on the go without interrupting your flow. Ray Ban Meta Iconic Style meets Meta AI Available at Walmart and other authorized retailers. Choice Hotels get you more of what you value. Comfort Inn. It's calling your name. Save on the stay. Oh, and free waffles are yours to claim. Book [e-mail]

[A]

need a laptop that's built to perform and designed to last all day? Select Windows 11 PCs starting at 499.99 are now at Best Buy. Learn more at BestBuy.com Best Buy Imagine that.

[C]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment. Anyway, give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront

[A]

payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra.

[B]

See full [e-mail] Donald Trump is losing it as nobody is showing up to the 250th anniversary great American Fair. Donald Trump promised it was going to be an A plus culinary experience and then there was very little food options. He said the entertainment's going to be incredible. It basically looks like you're going to my 8th grade science fair and quite literally nobody showed up. So they're basically canceling it and they're blaming it on the weather. Oh yes, there was so much rain in Washington D.C. that they had to just shut down the Great American Fair for the entire day. Look, the day before, the power was basically broken everywhere in the shack area that they were basically calling the unique culinary experience. The lights would flicker on and off. They're having massive power issues.

[C]

The.

[B]

The Ferris wheel wasn't working. That was like one of the only attractions. The entire thing was just an absolute failure. And by the way, I'm the guy who brought down Fyre Festival. Before I started the Midas Touch Network, I was a class action lawyer and a civil rights lawyer. And I was the guy who filed the first case against Fyre Festival where they promised it was going to be this incredible experience on Pablo Escobar's island. Okay, Fyre Festival looks much better than whatever the heck this is. So this was posted from the official Freedom 250 account. Due to inclement weather in the area, the Freedom 250 Great American State Fair and the FIFA World Cup 2026 Fan Zone will be closed for the rest of the day Friday, June 26, 2026. The safety of our guests, staff and partners remains our top priority. Pause. What guests? What partners?

[C]

Who?

[B]

See if no one's there. We are actively monitoring conditions and will provide updates as they become available. The Great American State Fair will reopen tomorrow AM. Like, this actually could have been a great event. It didn't have to be political. It could have been incredible to have states represented and real incredible music. But Donald Trump made the thing so weird and divisive. And we're going to go and find the communists here and the weird reflecting pool stuff. The vandals are ripping it apart and there's like National Guard everywhere and weird AI devices trying to find the antifa vandals. And people are just like, I don't want to be associated with this. You know, the North Carolina booth at the State Fair, which I guess the state of North Carolina didn't want to send anybody because this thing was such an utter failure. Was sponsored by like private companies and groups and of course, Confederate flags everywhere. Reuben Jones, a reporter who stopped by the North Carolina booth booth at the Great American State Fair, which was sponsored by all of these companies at an event in Washington, D.C. which is supposed to be sponsored by the United States. Confederate flags everywhere. But a spokesperson for the boot said the flags that were shown were not approved. As soon as we were made aware, we immediately removed the video and began reviewing how it occurred. I'll tell you how it occurred. You put it up, idiots. You put it up. It was everywhere in this little crappy booth. The only thing that was really there was Confederate flags everywhere. That was the point you wanted to make. You wanted to make a racist point. And that's what she did. Right there you all saw the tens of people who were attending. Right here you can see the Great American American State Fair. This is the model of the Triumphal Arch. Right there you can see the pavilion where there's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Objectively, there may be like 19 people over here. As it got later, there may have been, to be fair, 120 people later on. I guess those are all the guests and the partners. As Homa Bash says, opening day of the Great American Fair. Again, look, there's like, again, nobody there at all. Lots of National Guard, though, throughout Washington, D.C. and they are tasked, look at them. They're tasked with guarding the reflecting pool and being used as props for Donald Trump's photos and his social media posts. Good morning from the pool. Oh, absolutely. That's exactly what we wanted to see there. As Amanda Moore captured this moment right here. Loitering is not permitted in this area. Please proceed to the designated location. It's like stupid 1984 of 1984 Orwell was combined with idiocracy. This is what you have National Guard troops going around the reflecting pool with a voice coming out of an AI machine telling people you can't loiter and walk around the reflecting pole. Loitering is not permitted. This is again an utterly deranged scene here. Watch for yourself.

[D]

Loitering is not permitted in this area.

[B]

Please proceed to a designated location. Thank you for your cooperation. D.C. councilwoman Christina Henderson said. Went to the Great American State Fair yesterday. So you don't have to. Not a funnel cake, no corn dogs, no bucket lemonade, no fried Snickers and sights. The only ride is the Ferris wheel. And by the way, the Ferris wheel is broken. It's not that kind of state fair, y'. All saxophones were not added to this recording. And she also writes, before you pack up your kids to go down there, just know the main attraction is the state boots. Not every state offers an interactive attraction. Real missed opportunity. On the food aspect, though, a Taste of the States would have been fun. There's this weird Willy Wonka. Weird Willy Wonka thing right there. As Ben Brash writes, the weekday the weekday daytime crowd here at the Great American State Fair is light. Speaking of light, the lights keep turning on and off and the power keeps going on and off in the food tents. And then the ice cream started to melt and the food started to rot because the power wasn't working. As City Casti says.

[C]

Oops.

[B]

The much hyped Ferris wheel per Kayla CS at the Great American State fair is down. The power continued to go down over there.

[C]

Most people assume that if they're taking supplements every day, they're getting the benefits. But the reality is the vast majority of supplements have incredibly low absorption rates, meaning most of what people spend money on never actually get used by the body. The absorption company is focused on solving that exact problem with pharmaceutical grade absorption technology designed to help nutrients actually work. Their WLP1 is a daily weight management solution that regulates appetite and cravings, increases satiety and reduces reduces absorption of fat and carbs. Their berberine that supports metabolism, blood sugar, insulin resistance and cravings. And their magnesium that promotes better sleep, supports muscle recovery and regulates stress and moods. The absorption company uses cutting edge technologies to make supplements with pharmaceutical grade absorption up to 149 times better than standard supplements. Because no matter how powerful a supplement is on paper, it only matters if your body can actually absorb it. I cannot recommend the absorption company enough and I'm just thrilled with how their magnesium has positively impacted my sleep. Start taking supplements your body can actually absorb. Go to absorbmore.com and enter MIDAS at checkout for up to 35% off your first order. That's absorbmore.com and enter MIDAs at checkout for 35% off your first order.

[B]

This is an article that they wrote over in the D.C. city. Cast right here. Food showcases Americans culinary traditions. Freedom 250 showcases it. And here's how they describe. Oh, sorry, this is what far. Sorry, that was from the, that was from the website of the, of the Freedom250 event. Food showcases Americans culinary traditions. And then it was like when this was what it was. Pulled pork burger and fries. Some, you know, some. I don't know what the heck is even going on there. Anyway, I'll just try to show for you how even like the propaganda coming out of the Trump regime tried to frame this where you'll see nobody there. So this was the post from NASA. We are at the Great American State fair in Washington D.C. discover the technology and science driving our most exciting missions. And it's like astronauts, like cardboard box versions of the astronauts. Here you can see this for yourself. Let's play this clip. And then on Fox they were like the event was going to be great but the rain screwed it all up. Here, let's play this clip.

[A]

Home is where the heartland is as today's America's 250 celebrations spotlight the country's farmers, ranchers and agriculture leaders. Though Mother Nature had a bit of an agenda of her own today, Senior national correspondent Kevin Cork shows us the sights and sounds of today's festivities. When I saw you out there, it wasn't raining yet.

[D]

No, it had not started. We were looking west. We were like, it's gonna rain indeed. But you know, they say rain on your wedding day is good luck. And if that's any indication of the future fortunes of the great American State Fair, they're in for a great many days of fun and fortune. Just not tonight. Thanks to the bad weather in the area. Freedom250 is no MAS. It'll start again tomorrow morning at 10am in the meant be there. Aloha. As for the folks who are out there today, while it lasted, today's theme was American grown. And we're not just talking about American produce. We're talking about being American grown, being part of the American family. Comfortable, listening to jazz as we are to country. A community that celebrates 4H FFA, rodeos, ranching, all while paying respects to our farmers.

[A]

I feel like it's a renewed focus on the importance of our farmers and our ranchers and agriculture in general. If we can't feed ourselves, then we lose freedom in this country. There will not be in America 350

[B]

or 450 or 500.

[D]

Salute to the farmers and the ranchers. Now, for the many thousands who did brave the heat and humidity and beat the rain, today's celebration was just as enjoyable as it was meaningful.

[B]

It's all the history.

[D]

I think coming back and remembering it is important for not only us, but for our children.

[A]

The fair itself. It's a great big birthday party. You know, it's family friendly, it's clean, the rides, just everything representing all the states and what makes America America.

[D]

As mentioned, the fair resumes tomorrow at 10am no word on the flyovers. We suspect there'll be plenty. And we don't know about Vanilla Ice. He was slated to perform tonight. We'll see if he hangs out for tomorrow.

[B]

But Vanilla Ice was going to perform over here. This was the special report coming out of it as well. Let's play. This clip is in D.C. with the details. Kevin. So is Vanilla Ice getting iced out?

[D]

You are so funny. Don't quit your day job, Raymond. You are hilarious. Now listen, Charlie. Unfortunately. Listen, if you got out there early today, chances are you had a great time. You got to see the great All American State Fair. But if you plan to slide in there tonight after 5 o', clock, too late. Too bad. Mother Nature put you right back in your car. Rain moved into the area right around 5 o' clock Eastern Time. Which means if you left work and you think you'd pop over, you missed out. At least for today. Not to worry. Tomorrow the Fair resumes at 10am Vanilla Ice was slated for tonight. We don't know if he's gonna hang around. A lot of people looking forward to seeing him. But he was a good sport today all the same. Charlie.

[B]

And then Raymond Arroyo tried to make this thing look good. But again, it just looks absolutely horrible. Let's play this clip.

[D]

We made it. Here we are, the Great American State Fair. Laura Cozies and keyrings from all 56 territories. Wow.

[A]

Little stuffed animals all made in the United States.

[B]

And a Ferris wheel.

[D]

Let's go. All right, let's go.

[B]

They're thin outfits. This is the space.

[D]

Loungewear.

[A]

So now we're here at the state pavilions.

[D]

What are we doing? Wyoming Cowboys.

[A]

Is there a cute cowboy?

[B]

And here's how. Kayla. This is the article from City Cast dc. Here's how Kayla Cody described it. I went to the Great American State Fair. So you don't have to.

[C]

Nobody.

[B]

There's seriously nobody. A man shouted into his phone as he exited the Great American State Fair. It was a pretty good one liner for what I was about to experience. I got there at 5pm Opening day, walked right in. Despite being one of America 250 biggest attractions, there was no line. Suddenly I was a lone Sims character dropped into a brand new game. Then she says a few other confused red, white and blue Sims wandered around the premises. There's no music, no laughter, no fried dough smells. Under then an unwieldy 110 Ferris wheel. There was nothing to suggest any type of state fair that I grew up with. She goes on to talk about how it was. It's a 16 day exhibition on the National Mall that runs from June 25th to July 20th to July 10th. I say halls. But a closer inspection revealed them to be makeshift plywood shacks with ionic pillars printed on vinyl and stapled to the side. George's booth is filled with scary AI art of chicken farmers and crates from the beloved North Georgia roadside market. Alabama's booth is just one room with a bucket of peanuts in the middle. Florida's booth was the best I found was a small mini golf course and a wall of famous Florida men and women including Mississippi born Jimmy Buffett. Jimmy Buffett. The DC booth was a small cavern with a fake cherry blossom chee where people were encouraged to place tags. They range from John 3:16 to love Jesus Christ. An hour into my excursion. It was time for the main event, the food stand. So far I was underwhelmed, but I figure that could easily be washed away with deep fried corn dogs and hot pink cotton candy, right? And she goes I walked into the hilariously long makeshift food hall, which was empty save for a few apathetic looking employees scrolling on their phones. What I saw made a 711 roller grill hot dog look like a gastronomic masterpiece. A few anemic burgers sat limpy behind the kiosk. It looked like they had been sitting in the hot tent for several hours. The woman at the cash register told me they had been experiencing powder out powder power outages on and off all day. It was not reassuring. Was this even safe? I pointed to the pathetic thing. What's that? That's a pulled pork burger. I would just have to believe her. I paid $27 to out of its misery. Oh man. Well, there you have it folks. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe let's get to 7 million subscribers. Thanks for watching.

[C]

Want to stay plugged in? Become a subscriber to our [e-mail]. you'll get daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski, ad free episodes of our podcast, and more exclusive content only [e-mail].