RELATED: Heat, virus no deterrent for Trump fans camped outside Tulsa arenaIgnoring health warnings, Trump scheduled the rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
It was intended to be the largest indoor gathering in the world during the outbreak that has killed more than 120,000 Americans, put 40 million more out of work and upended Trump's reelection bid.
But in the hours before the event, crowds seemed significantly lighter than expected. Campaign officials scrapped plans for Trump to first address an overflow space.Trump tried to explain away the crowd size, blaming it on the media for declaring “don't go, don't come, don't do anything" while insisting there were protesters outside “doing bad things," though the small crowds of prerally demonstrators.