Trump suggests curfew hurt Tulsa rally turnout but supporters instead viewed on TV in record number

President Trump is talking about the low attendance at his rally Saturday night in Tulsa, Oklahoma, saying the curfew before had an impact but those who decided not to attend watched online and set record TV viewing numbers.

“I said mayor you can’t do that,” Trump told Fox News in an interview aired Tuesday about the Tulsa mayor’s curfew, which he cancelled Friday.

The news media said Trump was “furious” about the attendance, reports that the White House rejected Monday, saying the president left the event “energized.”

Trump also said the event was the biggest Saturday night show in the history of the Fox News Channel.

“That’s many, many years and many big shows,” he said.

Trump said those who planned to attend the event, amid the curfew and the news media reporting the potential for violent protests, said, “Let’s go home and watch it on TV.”

The 2020 Trump reelection campaign had said as many as one million people registered to attend the event, the first in-person rally since the coronavirus pandemic. However, the many seats were empty at the 19,200-seat BOK Center. A fire marshal estimated the crowd at about 6,500.