Hundreds of Donald Trump followers were left stranded in the California desert after a rally in the Coachella Valley over the weekend.
The rally was held at an outdoor venue where temperatures soared to over 100 degrees. Despite the intense heat, thousands of passionate Trump supporters braved the elements to hear the former president speak. During the rally, some supporters reportedly collapsed because of the stifling heat.
Prior to the event, several buses were provided to transport supporters to the rally location. However, after the rally, poorly organized transportation logistics and a lack of basic services left many attendees scrambling to find their way home, with many stranded miles from their cars after the event ended, as reported by the Times of San Diego.
Videos posted on X, formerly Twitter, show a large number of people waiting in line after the rally. One, filmed from a bus departing the venue, has what appears to be a bus driver shouting to those waiting telling them that this is the last bus, with another passenger saying: “No more buses, they just got notice.”
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A different video posted by an attendee shows the aftermath, describing it as “chaos,” with many facing the prospect of an estimated “two-hour walk” through the desert to get back to a parking lot, likely without water or shelter.
This is not the first time attendees have been left high and dry after one of Trump’s rallies. As reported previously by Newsweek, rally-goers were left stranded in the cold in 2020 after a Trump event in Omaha when coaches failed to pick them up.
Newsweek contacted the Trump campaign via email outside of office hours on Monday for comment.
Many on social media are trying to make sense of what happened in Coachella. According to several attendees, rally organizers had promised transportation to and from nearby parking areas, but as the event ended, it became clear that there weren’t enough buses to handle the large crowds.
In a since-deleted post on X, captured via screenshot from another user, one attendee posting from the rally location said that there were “apparently 60 [buses] employed for this event.” They added that “all buses have been called off” and CHP (California Highway Patrol) had informed bus drivers to stop picking up attendees.
Newsweek contacted the CHP, the Coachella mayor and the Coachella sheriff’s office on Monday via email outside of working hours for comment.
The rally is now under scrutiny for its handling of logistics. Many are questioning the safety of hosting such large gatherings in extreme environments, particularly without adequate infrastructure in place.
Earlier in the day, as reported by Newsweek, a man was arrested outside the rally and taken into custody after deputies found him in possession of a shotgun, a loaded handgun and a high-capacity magazine.
The arrest occurred about half a mile from the rally entrance.
