The former president said during a news conference that the attendance at his rally on Jan. 6, 2021, was equal, if not larger, than the March on Washington in 1963.
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By Linda Qiu
- Aug. 8, 2024, 5:05 p.m. ET
ImageThe crowd on the National Mall while Mr. Trump spoke on Jan. 6.Credit…Pete Marovich for The New York TimesImageCrowds in front of the Washington Monument during Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech in 1963.Credit…Associated Press
“If you look at Martin Luther King, when he did his speech, his great speech. And you look at ours, same real estate, same everything, same number of people. If not, we had more.”
— Former President Donald J. Trump
This lacks evidence.
Mr. Trump was talking about the crowds gathered for his speech on Jan. 6, 2021, and for the “I Have a Dream” speech the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered during the March on Washington in 1963. While it is difficult to gauge exact crowd sizes, estimates counter Mr. Trump’s claim that the numbers gathered were comparable. Dr. King’s speech drew an estimated 250,000 people. The House Select Committee responsible for investigating the events of Jan. 6 estimated that Mr. Trump’s speech drew 53,000 people.
Linda Qiu is a reporter who specializes in fact-checking statements made by politicians and public figures. She has been reporting and fact-checking public figures for nearly a decade. More about Linda Qiu
See more on: Donald Trump, Martin Luther King Jr.
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Source: nytimes.com
