Erik Pendzich/REX USALet the Donald Trump presidential campaign road bumps continue!
Just one day after the Republican entrepreneur announced his bid for 2016 with a crowded event in NYC, the 69-year-old is being accused of hiring actors to cheer him on during the press conference.
According to THR, New York-based Extra Mile Casting sent an email out to their clients last Friday looking for extras to beef up attendance at Trump's event. THR obtained the alleged email which reads, "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. 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."
The actors were reportedly paid $50.
.@realDonaldTrump staffer not too pumped i took pic of "homemade" signs (passed out to people before event) in trash pic.twitter.com/zLL2ETBI79
? Megan Specia (@meganspecia) June 16, 2015Making matters worse, writer Angelo Carusone noted in an online article that one Instagram pic from the announcement featured a man he recognized as a working actor showing his support for Trump for president. After Carusone identified the actor, the Instagram in question has since been taken down.
Another anti-Trump writer tweeted a photo that allegedly shows Trump campaign employees handing out handwritten signs at the press conference. ".@realDonaldTrump staffer not too pumped i took pic of ‘homemade' signs (passed out to people before event) in trash," Megan Specia wrote.
When E! News reached out to Trump's camp, a spokesperson said the claims are not true and that they aren't issuing a statement.
This isn't Trump's first campaign hiccup. He's already angered singer Neil Young for using Young's song "Rockin' in the Free World" during the event. Forbes also called out the Apprentice host for embellishing his net worth by more than double.