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Fox News Faces Backlash for Using FIFA Footage to Portray Trump’s State Fair Crowd
Fox News recently came under scrutiny after airing clips from a FIFA Fan Zone event in Washington, D.C., during coverage of President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair-giving viewers the mistaken impression that the footage was from the fair itself.
During an interview at the fairgrounds, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised the event’s representation, saying, “It’s so cool to have all 50 states represented and people from all over the country that have traveled to enjoy our nation’s 250th birthday.” However, the backdrop shown during parts of the broadcast was actually footage from a concurrent FIFA Fan Fest, which appeared notably more crowded than the sparsely attended state fair, often described as a “ghost town” by onlookers.
Social media users quickly caught on. One commenter on X (formerly Twitter) noted, “They had to show clips of the FIFA Fan Fest in D.C. like no one would notice because no one went to Trump’s dumpster fire of a state fair.” The FIFA Fan Festivals, a staple of World Cup celebrations since 2006, are public viewing parties featuring giant screens, live music, food, and festivities-this year taking place in cities including Washington, D.C., New York City, and New Jersey ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Additional critiques pointed out inconsistencies such as differing weather conditions between the interview and the FIFA footage, suggesting the clips were from different days altogether. “Gray and rainy in DC today, no way that interview with Karoline was today,” wrote one observer.
The controversy comes amid a series of setbacks for the multi-day state fair, held on the National Mall and featuring attractions like a Ferris wheel, rodeo horses, and a replica of Trump’s proposed arch. The event, intended as a bipartisan celebration of America’s birthday, suffered a blow when nearly all scheduled performers withdrew, citing concerns about the fair’s political nature.
Grammy-nominated artist Martina McBride, who had initially planned to perform, expressed disappointment: “I thought this was a great way to celebrate the states and bring people together through music… Yesterday things started changing, and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.”
Some acts remain committed, including Vanilla Ice, who emphasized on social media that the fair is “not a political platform” but a celebration of the nation’s birthday.
Technical difficulties further marred the experience. Attendees reported a two-hour shutdown of the Ferris wheel due to generator problems, and the next day, electrical issues caused an entire shipment of ice cream to melt, while some food options were unavailable for lunch.
As the Great American State Fair continues, these challenges and controversies have fueled criticism and raised questions about the event’s execution and messaging.