A former Republican lawmaker erupted in frustration Thursday when an MSNBC host echoed a key Trump talking point.
Michael Steele, Maryland's former lieutenant governor and ex-RNC chair, shouted over anchor Chris Jansing as she described Trump's recent Truth Social post accusing the media of failing to report the large crowds drawn to his rallies.
"He hasn't had a rally with a hundred thousand people, all right?" Steele snapped. "Just because Donald Trump tweets it, doesn't make it real."
Trump, on Truth Social earlier in the day, complained about media coverage of Vice President Kamala Harris' and running mate Gov. Tim Walz's (D-MN) tour of political rallies that have drawn tens of thousands.
The former president and Republican nominee also baselessly accused Harris of something Trump himself reportedly did in 2015 — pay people to attend.
"If Kamala has 1,000 people at a Rally, the Press goes 'crazy,' and talks about how 'big' it was — And she pays for her 'Crowd,'" wrote Trump. "When I have a Rally, and 100,000 people show up, the Fake News doesn’t talk about it, THEY REFUSE TO MENTION CROWD SIZE. The Fake News is the Enemy of the People!"
It was this post Jansing shared with her viewers as she suggested Trump was pursuing a campaign strategy of holding limited rallies in venues he knew he could fill.
ALSO READ: 'Silly': Trump slams Harris' crowd sizes while hosting fewer rallies than ever: analysis
Steele then interrupted Jansing to provide what he felt was important context as his co-panelist, Democratic strategist Robert E. Mook, burst out in a smile.
Jansing argued Trump might have been referencing rallies from 2016, when he campaigned against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, when he spoke of 100,000-person events.
Steele shouted, "No!" Mook started to laugh.
"He just did an event in the exact same venue as Kamala Harris in Georgia and did not come close to her number," Steele said. "The rallies aren't that big."
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