--- title: "Trump tells rally crowd 'I say the dumbest things and you clap'" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-tells-rally-crowd-i-say-the-dumbest-things-and-you-clap" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/trump-tells-rally-crowd-i-say-the-dumbest-things-and-you-clap" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-tells-rally-crowd-i-say-the-dumbest-things-and-you-clap.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/trump-tells-rally-crowd-i-say-the-dumbest-things-and-you-clap" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-10-11T14:05:44.363Z" source_reported: "2026-10-11T13:48:01.000Z" updated: "2026-10-11T14:05:44.363Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 87 hype_score: 28 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-11T15:00:20.059855+00:00" --- # Trump tells rally crowd 'I say the dumbest things and you clap' *US president made the remark at a rally in Tennessee ahead of midterm elections.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Trust 60: includes a named expert and specific date/location, but lacks documents or multiple independent reports. - Craft 87 of 100, higher is better. Critic 87: explains election context, quotes Trump and a professor, separates fact from comment, gives clear specifics. - Hype 28 of 100, lower is better. Hype 28: headline is mildly sensational but article remains measured and factual. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Donald Trump told a rally crowd in Clarksville, Tennessee, that he could say the dumbest things and they would clap. - The remark was made on Saturday, 10 October 2026, during a campaign event ahead of the US midterm elections. - Trump later attempted to qualify his statement, saying they were not the dumbest things but common sense. - A German political scientist commented on the statement via X, calling Trump a 'fool' and his supporters 'fools'. Donald Trump told a rally crowd in Clarksville, Tennessee, that he could say the dumbest things and they would clap. The remark was made on Saturday, 10 October 2026, during a campaign event ahead of the US midterm elections. Trump later attempted to qualify his statement, saying they were not the dumbest things but common sense. Professor Dr. Thomas Jäger, a German political scientist, commented on the statement via X, calling Trump a 'fool' and his supporters 'fools'. ## Where the reports disagree The Independent and The Independent (US) reported that Trump said, “I could say the stupidest things, and you’d clap. ‘Oh, I love you so, it’s true,”. Der Westen reported Trump said, “It’s amazing. I can say the stupidest things and you clap!” On Deutsch: “Es ist erstaunlich. Ich kann die dümmsten Dinge sagen und ihr applaudiert trotzdem!” ## What the coverage left out None of the left, centre, or right-rated digests mention the attempt by Donald Trump to qualify his statement by saying they were common sense. The full report from Der Westen noted Trump's attempt to relativise the sentence, stating "But we are not saying the dumbest things. We are saying common sense things." ## Who covered it Shares of the 14 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 64% (9) - Centre: 15% (2) - Right: 21% (3) 8 of 22 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-11T15:00:20.059855+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 2 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-11T15:15:16.006Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports focused on Trump's statement to his supporters, often highlighting the perceived insult. The Independent and The Independent (US) both used the headline "Trump tells fans he could say the stupidest things and they would cheer. They agree." and included the quote "I could say the stupidest things, and you’d clap. ‘Oh, I love you so, it’s true,”. Il Fatto Quotidiano's headline was "Trump Is Incredible but True: "I Could Tell You the Stupidest Things and You Would applaud..." and it noted that Trump's voters did not deny his statement, taking the applause as confirmation. Joe.My.God. reported Trump's statement with the headline "Trump: “I Could Say Stupidest Things And You’d Clap” and mentioned his questioning of why he was in Tennessee given the strong performance of Republican senators. IBTimes UK's headline was "Trump Tells Tennessee Crowd 'I Could Say the Stupidest Things and You'd Clap' Then They Do Exactly That" and it linked the statement to polls showing declining approval among some 2024 voters. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports focused on the content of Trump's remark. Der Westen's headline was "Trump Raises His Voters: "I Say the Dumbest Things and You Clap" and its full report stated that Trump's comment showed "how much contempt Trump apparently has for his electorate." News38 and thueringen24.de both used the headline "Trump Raises His Voters: "I Say the Dumbest Things and You Clap" and posed the question, "What does Trump really think about the people who choose him?" ### Right - The right-rated reports focused on the statement itself, with EADaily's headline reading "He's "May Be Full of Crap": Trump Laughed at His Own Supporters: EADaily". News-pravda.com used the headline "Trump to his fan base:. “I could say the stupidest things and you'd clap.” @Megatron_ron". Focus.de's headline was "Trump: "I Can Say the Dumbest Things and You Clap" and it stated that Trump announced his followers would love him so much they would applaud the most stupid things. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 1 - low: 1 - mixed: 2 - high: 7 - unknown: 10 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Vanguard News](https://vanguardngr.com/2026/10/i-could-say-the-stupidest-things-and-youd-clap-trump-tells-supporters) — ‘I could say the stupidest things and you’d clap’ — Trump tells supporters - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-maga-support-rally-b3064800.html) — Trump tells fans he could say the stupidest things and they would cheer. They agree. - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-maga-support-rally-b3064800.html) — Trump tells fans he could say the stupidest things and they would cheer. They agree. - [EADaily](https://eadaily.com/ru/news/2026/10/11/emu-mozhno-nesti-polnuyu-chush-tramp-posmeyalsya-nad-sobstvennymi-storonnikami) — He's "May Be Full of Crap": Trump Laughed at His Own Supporters: EADaily - [Il Fatto Quotidiano](https://ilfattoquotidiano.it/2026/10/11/trump-incredibile-ma-vero-potrei-dirvi-le-cose-piu-stupide-e-voi-applaudireste-e-scatta-lapplauso/8534567) — Trump Is Incredible but True: "I Could Tell You the Stupidest Things and You Would applaud..." - [Joe.My.God.](https://joemygod.com/2026/10/trump-i-could-say-stupidest-things-and-youd-clap) — Trump: “I Could Say Stupidest Things And You’d Clap” - [news-pravda.com](https://news-pravda.com/usa/2026/10/11/2657185.html) — Trump to his fan base:. “I could say the stupidest things and you'd clap.” @Megatron_ron - [Al Jazeera](https://aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/10/11/trumps-brash-remarks-entertain-crowd-at-election-rally-in-tennessee) — Trump’s brash remarks entertain crowd at election rally in Tennessee - [Le Huffington Post](https://huffingtonpost.fr/international/article/trump-ne-pouvait-pas-faire-une-remarque-plus-insultante-a-son-public-qui-l-a-applaudi-quand-meme_338021.html) — Trump's Insulting Remark Has only Earned Him Applause. - [focus.de](https://focus.de/politik/ausland/trump-ich-kann-die-duemmsten-sachen-sagen-und-ihr-klatscht_c00d3989-be55-4692-b67a-965b43c110a4.html) — Trump: "I Can Say the Dumbest Things and You Clap - [kikar.co.il](https://kikar.co.il/world-news/trump-rally-supporters-tennessee) — "He Even Disrespects His Own Supporters": Trump's Unusual Statement that Causes a Stir - [Nettavisen](https://nettavisen.no/nyheter/trump-jeg-kunne-sagt-de-dummeste-ting/v/80-95-149468) — Trump: - I Could Say the Stupidest Things - [Mediaite](https://mediaite.com/media/news/trump-shocks-observers-by-mocking-his-own-supporters-right-to-their-faces-nobody-has-more-contempt-for-trumps-fans-than-trump) — Trump Mocking His Fans Gets Called Out By Critics - [thepoke.com](https://thepoke.com/2026/10/11/donald-trump-just-called-his-supporters-stupid-to-their-faces-and-their-response-didnt-speak-volumes-it-bellowed-them) — Donald Trump just called his supporters stupid to their faces, and their response didn't speak volumes, it bellowed them - [News38](https://news38.de/politik/article300714040/trump-wahlkampf-usa-diesel.html) — Trump Raises His Voters: "I Say the Dumbest Things and You Clap - [thueringen24.de](https://thueringen24.de/politik/article300656198/trump-wahlkampf-usa-diesel.html) — Trump Raises His Voters: "I Say the Dumbest Things and You Clap - [derwesten.de](https://derwesten.de/politik/trump-wahlkampf-usa-diesel-id302178047.html) — Trump Raises His Voters: "I Say the Dumbest Things and You Clap - [ekonomim.com](https://ekonomim.com/dunya/trumptan-destekcilerine-sasirtan-sozler-en-aptalca-seyleri-soylesem-bile-alkisliyorsunuz-haberi-923938) — Trump's Surprising Words to His Supporters: "Even when I Say the Most Stupid Things, You applaud." - [Haber Sitesi ODATV](https://odatv.com/dunya/trump-destekcilerine-aptalca-seyler-soylesem-bile-alkislarsiniz-120166151) — Trump to His Supporters: You Applaud Even when I Say the Most Stupid Things. - [Haberler](https://haberler.com/haberler/trump-destekcileriyle-dalga-gecti-en-aptalca-20317986-haberi) — Trump Mocked His Supporters: "Even when I Say the Most Stupid Things, You applaud." - [IBTimes UK](https://ibtimes.co.uk/trump-tennessee-rally-supporters-applaud-polls-1824839) — Trump Tells Tennessee Crowd 'I Could Say the Stupidest Things and You'd Clap' Then They Do Exactly That - [Unknown](https://glavcom.ua/world/world-politics/ja-mozhu-kazati-najdurnishi-rechi-a-vi-aplodujete-tramp-zdivuvav-vidvertoju-zajavoju-pro-svoju-auditoriju-1148414.html) — “I Can Say the Stupidest Things, and You Applaud”: Trump Surprised with a Frank Statement About His Audience ## Questions **What did Donald Trump say at the rally in Tennessee?** Donald Trump told a rally crowd in Clarksville, Tennessee, that he could say the dumbest things and they would clap. He later attempted to qualify the remark, stating they were common sense. **When did the rally take place?** The rally took place on Saturday, 10 October 2026, ahead of the US midterm elections. **Who commented on Trump's statement?** Professor Dr. Thomas Jäger, a German political scientist, commented on Trump's statement via X, describing Trump as a 'fool' and his supporters as 'fools'. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-tells-rally-crowd-i-say-the-dumbest-things-and-you-clap. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Trump tells rally crowd 'I say the dumbest things and you clap'", https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-tells-rally-crowd-i-say-the-dumbest-things-and-you-clap