Trump 'Supporters' Were Paid Actors Who Made $50

Casting agency put out call for cheerers, sign-holders
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 18, 2015 1:29 AM CDT
Trump 'Supporters' Were Paid Actors
"Supporters" of developer Donald Trump line the lobby of Trump Tower in New York.   (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Donald Trump says he will be the "greatest jobs president that God ever created" and it sounds as if his campaign launch this week created plenty of work. Some of the supporters cheering the launch at Trump Tower were actors being paid $50 for the job, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which has obtained an email to extras from New York casting firm Extra Mile. "We are looking to cast people for the event to wear T-shirts and carry signs and help cheer him in support of his announcement," the email reads. "We understand this is not a traditional 'background job,' but we believe acting comes in all forms and this is inclusive of that school of thought."

Trump's campaign manager claims he has never heard of the casting agency. Trump "draws record crowds at almost every venue at which he is a featured speaker," the manager tells the Reporter. "The crowds are large, often record-setting and enthusiastic, often with standing ovations." The apparent use of actors was first exposed by Angelo Carusone from Media Matters, who did some digging after he realized that two people in a Trump rally photo posted on Instagram were actors who regularly posted photos from their jobs, Mediaite reports. (Trump launched his campaign to the song "Rockin' in the Free World," which drew a swift response from Neil Young.)

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