President Donald Trump complained on Sunday that the media failed to mention the “big crowds” of supporters who lined his motorcade route in West Palm Beach as he returned to Washington.
He tweeted:
However, local reporters at the scene said many of the “enthusiastic supporters” were actually protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline and other issues. President Trump signed an executive order last month expediting the controversial pipeline.
“Sorry Mr. President, but not true!” wrote Jimmie Johnson Jr, a reporter from local ABC station WPBF.
A news report from local Fox station WSNV described a scene in one location as having “dozens” of protesters and a “handful” of supporters.
Palm Beach Post reporters also tweeted images from the scene:
One protester carried an upside-down flag, while someone behind him carried a picture of a flag with the legend “PRO-AMERICAN, ANTI-TRUMP” and “Donald Show Us Your Taxes:”
There were, however, also some supporters nearby. Pipeline protesters even took a photo of them and shared it on a Facebook page set up for the event.
“We are the majority! #RESIST,” wrote one protester.
An Agence-France Presse photographer also located a group of supporters along the route:
The Palm Beach Post reports that the crowds for the motorcade protest were much smaller than the estimated 3,000 anti-Trump demonstrators who turned out for a march in the city last weekend.