With only days to go before the 2020 election, President Donald Trump's campaign has doubled down on its infamous rallies, hosting thousands of tightly-packed supporters despite virus cases reaching record highs in recent days.
But things went off the rails after one of Trump's October 27 rallies in Omaha, Nebraska.
The rally was held at Eppley Air Field, where Trump departed in Air Force One after he finished speaking.
At the beginning of the rally, attendees parked their cars in a designated area nearly four miles away before buses provided by the Trump campaign shuttled them over to the venue.
But after the rally, the airport roads were too crowded for the buses to navigate, forcing hundreds, potentially thousands, of Trump supporters to wait for hours in freezing cold temperatures.
President Trump took off in Air Force One 1 hr 20 minutes ago, but thousands of his supporters remain stranded on a dark road outside the rally. “We need at least 30 more buses," an Omaha police officer just said, shaking his head at the chaotic cluster that is unfolding.
— Jeff Zeleny (@jeffzeleny) October 28, 2020
Thousands of people left out in the cold and stranded in #Omaha, #Nebraska after a #Trump rally. I'm told the shuttles aren't operating & there aren't enough busses. Police didn't seem to know what to do. Some walked. I saw at least one woman getting medical attention. pic.twitter.com/oIkmixaZt0
— Jeff Paul (@Jeff_Paul) October 28, 2020
The above video & this one were taken around 10:15pm. The #Trump rally ended around 8:45pm. Some just gave up and walked from the airfield, back to wherever they parked. It was about 32° out at the time. Many had already spent hours outside as they waited for POTUS to arrive. pic.twitter.com/JYXCLypTQl
— Jeff Paul (@Jeff_Paul) October 28, 2020
At least seven of the attendees—many of whom were elderly—were taken to the hospital, and 30 needed medical attention, as Twitter account @omaha_scanner learned from monitoring official radio communication. Omaha police later confirmed this.
Douglas County 911 Northeast Precinct Dispatch advising they are now receiving calls from the public who say the elderly need assistance.
— Omaha Scanner (@omaha_scanner) October 28, 2020
20 empty busses are stuck in the South Economy parking lot.
— Omaha Scanner (@omaha_scanner) October 28, 2020
The frigid temperatures and lack of transportation presented yet another set of obstacles in assuring the safety of Trump's rallies. They've already faced widespread criticism for holding the crowded events during the pandemic, against the advice of health experts.
Trump and his allies were once again accused of not caring about their own supporters.
He sees them as props. When a metaphor becomes a reality. https://t.co/Cqf6p0X9ie
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) October 28, 2020
This is awful but I really don't understand what they expected. Going to a trump rally is an invitation to party with death. We're in a pandemic. Trump & his babysitters genuinely don't care if you live or die which is a wild thing to have to say but just look at their record... https://t.co/GoSwkNNbQe
— Kelly Roberts (@KellyKKRoberts) October 28, 2020
It was below freezing where Trump stranded thousands of his supporters on a dark road in Nebraska. What a heartless, ungrateful jerk. https://t.co/wLUXm6kZr8
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) October 28, 2020
Supporters of the President were brought in, but buses weren't able to get back to transport people out. It's freezing and snowy in Omaha tonight.
What people will do for this con man, what people have sacrificed, is so sad to me. He truly does not care about you. #OmahaRally https://t.co/oR0Ujm9yvM
— Senator Megan Hunt 😷 (@NebraskaMegan) October 28, 2020
This story is miserable. Trump supporters, he doesn't like you. He doesn't love you. He's not going to help you. And last night he literally left you in the dark and in the cold. #VoteHimOut https://t.co/kg4JYnEY2Q
— Mike Birbiglia (@birbigs) October 28, 2020
Can't say it much more clearly than this but Trump exploits and abandons his own fans (see Trump university or Trump's short-lived public company) while using using racism, demagoguery, and a circus-like atmosphere to lose as their champion. https://t.co/jQY97V4xFZ
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) October 28, 2020
Some saw metaphors amid the chaos.
siri give me a metaphor for the covid response https://t.co/BHGnJ3h51R
— John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) October 28, 2020
Trump strands thousands of supporters....I do appreciate a solid metaphor https://t.co/0Fugx8O8ql
— Emily Brandwin (@CIAspygirl) October 28, 2020
This tweet is a perfect metaphor for the Trump presidency. https://t.co/NjCOu1mKhg
— Pé (@4everNeverTrump) October 28, 2020
Only 46 minutes before the time of this writing, Trump tweeted about the "incredible evening" he had in Nebraska. He's yet to acknowledge the bereft and freezing supporters who were stranded until late into the night.
UPDATE, 10/28: The Trump campaign has issued a statement blaming the traffic on road closures and general congestion.
UPDATE: Trump campaign statement on Tuesday night's rally in Omaha. pic.twitter.com/vUu6z0G3yi
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 28, 2020
@islamoradalover/Bluesky
@hillbillybluedog/Bluesky
