Donald Trump’s increasingly desperate bid to hang on to the White House crossed into abject farce on Saturday, after his campaign staged a purportedly major press conference at a Philadelphia landscaping business situated between a crematorium and sex shop.
On Saturday morning, as Trump played golf and continued to baselessly accuse the Democrats of stealing the election for Joe Biden, the president announced, in a tweet that was subsequently deleted, a “big press conference” at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia.
Trump quickly altered his statement, revealing that the press conference venue was not a Four Seasons hotel, but Four Seasons Total Landscaping, a suburban business between a crematorium and an adult book store on the outer edges of the city.
“Big press conference today in Philadelphia at Four Seasons Total Landscaping – 11.30am!” the president tweeted at 9.45am.
The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia distanced itself from both campaign and landscaping company.
“To clarify, President Trump’s press conference will NOT be held at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia. It will be held at Four Seasons Total Landscaping – no relation with the hotel,” it said in a tweet an hour later.
The Trump campaign has not publicly said whether this was, as it would appear, a case of mistaken identity. Either way, the press conference, headlined by Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, went ahead in the car park of the garden centre in what USA Today called an “industrial park”.
Giuliani doubled down on claims of voter fraud, an allegation which has not been substantiated by any evidence whatsoever.
The irony did not go unnoticed.
“I could write jokes for 800 years and I’d never think of something funnier than Trump booking the Four Seasons for his big presser, and it turning out to be the Four Seasons Total Landscaping parking lot between a dildo store and a crematorium,” TV writer Zack Bornstein wrote on Twitter.
Author Geraldine DeRuiter commented: “The real hero today is whoever answered the phone at Four Seasons Landscaping and offered no clarification whatsoever until it was too late. I salute you, my fellow patriot.”
Wire creator David Simon relished the development.
“I woke up early, still laughing at Rudy Giuliani spewing bullshit from an industrial lot between a crematorium and dildo shop, having booked a press conference into the Four Seasons … wait for it … Total Landscaping. The Trumpist incompetence that delivers this coda. Magical,” he wrote.
Journalist Maggie Serota commented: “I will watch an 11-part Ken Burns documentary on the Four Seasons Landscaping story.”
The press conference was also notable for Giuliani, describing forthcoming legal challenges to the result, being told by a reporter that Joe Biden had just been declared the winner of the election.
His response: “Don’t be ridiculous.”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The landscaping company could not immediately be reached.
However, Four Seasons Total Landscaping did comment on Facebook on Sunday, seemingly seeking to play down any suggestion of partisanship on its behalf.
“Four Seasons Total Landscaping is a family owned small business run by life long Philadelphians,” a post said. “We were honored to be asked to host a press conference at our facility.
“We thank all of those that have shown support for our business and while we understand the negative comments, it saddens us that we have received such harsh judgement. Our team at Four Seasons would have proudly hosted any presidential candidate’s campaign … We strongly believe in America and in democracy. We hope that our fellow Americans can join together and support all local small businesses during this time.”
“For those interested in purchasing shirts, our website will have a merchandise tab uploaded by Monday morning, just bear with us! Go Birds!”
That was a reference to the Philadelphia Eagles football team.