In a stark indication of the Trump campaign’s current struggles, former President Donald Trump on Wednesday held a rally in a modest 2,400-seat auditorium in North Carolina, a significant reduction from the 7,200-seat arena he used in his previous visit to the area in 2016.

The event, broadcast live nationwide, took place at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, a venue just one-third the size of the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, which Trump filled to capacity during his last Asheville appearance.

This downscaled rally, described as an intimate “town hall policy discussion” by the Citizen Times, contrasts sharply with the larger, more energetic events hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been drawing enthusiastic crowds to expansive basketball arenas.

During his speech, Trump took credit for the $35 insulin cap, a policy achievement he mistakenly attributed to himself while accusing the Biden administration of falsely claiming credit. “I did that… I remember when I did it. I said I hope I’m elected because someone is going to get a lot of credit for doing what I got done,” Trump said, despite the fact that the policy was implemented under Biden’s presidency.

The decision to use the smaller venue highlights the Trump campaign’s ongoing difficulties. In addition to scaling back rally sizes, Trump had to prepay for this North Carolina event while his allies, like JD Vance, faced sparsely attended gatherings in Michigan. The shrinking size of Trump’s rallies underscores the challenges his campaign is facing as it struggles to maintain momentum and enthusiasm among supporters.