There sure was a lot of unusually happy applause from Trump's speech at the CIA.

[procon]

Did he pack the audience with his own staffers? Especially since most of his talking points were still centered in campaign mode topics bashing the media and the opposition and bragging about himself, it just sounded very odd to hear CIA agents cheering for every word he utters.

[Warpy]

1. He had to have brought his claque with him.

I don't think he ever leaves home without it. He's Mr. Showbiz and has to be the center of adoration at all times.

[annabanana]

3. yeah.. or bought some extras. . .n/t

[HipChick]

4. Sounds like his staffers....

[Hoyt]

2. Suck ups, or scared.

[pkdu]

5. He brings the same cheerleaders to every event..

Trump Staff Laughed, Clapped Along During Adversarial Press Conference

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-press-conference-boasted-own-cheering-section

[procon]

8. That would certainly explain it. nt

[Wounded Bear]

6. Standard applause track...

they carry the applause machine around with him everywhere.

[Connie_Corleone]

7. His traveling entourage

I guess this is what he'll do from now on. Pack the event with staffers and paid actors to make it seem like everyone in the room loves him.

[anneboleyn]

9. Yes, plants. Trump stood in front of the stars that mark the CIA dead. He shat on the CIA.

He stood in front of what is considered the most sacred space at the CIA, and he talked about himself and his campaign and how he hates the media and how they lied about how many people were at his inaguaration. He blatantly took a shit on the CIA and its most sacred space. The CNN commentators were absolutely speechless at how offensive it was and how surreal (and yes the few guys you hear yelling and applauding loudly are all Trump plants -- just like the "press conference" plants)

[2naSalit]

10. Hired "hands"....nt

[eleny]

11. Job security? Fake him out?

Take your pick.

[coco22]

12. I said the same thing..

They were clapping a little too,enthusiastically.

[procon]

14. Given his war on the intelligence services, the cheering crowd was so out of place.

The happy enthusiasm just sounded so forced and faked, that's what initially caught my attention.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. I'm sure he brought his own claqueurs.

He can't stand the thought of being in a situation where nobody applauds. And considering how he's been crapping on the CIA lately, that would have been a real possibility. Hence the claqueurs.

[dalton99a]

16. Yep.

[procon]

15. Joy Reid just commented on the odd, cheering audience.

MSNBC news host says the senior leadership at the CIA was standing and they were not clapping.

[Generator]

17. Thank God for that

If you can't trust the CIA to be nasty and vengeful then what's this country coming to? Amazing how much I love the CIA when a Repuke is in there. I'm a bloody hypocrite and I don't care.