Apparently stung by reports that the inaugural turnout for President Donald Trump was smaller than in recent years, the Trump administration held a press conference on Saturday evening in which newly minted Press Secretary Sean Spicer angrily insisted Friday's crowd was "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration -- period."
"This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration -- period," Trump White House press secretary claims https://t.co/ICcog0Ivxt— Bradd Jaffy (@Bradd Jaffy)1485038894.0
While a definitive crowd size figure is hard to come by, current estimates hover at around 250,000 attendees, a number that was dwarfed on Saturday by the number of protesters attending the Women's March on Washington. Social media users responded with a mixture of scorn and disbelief that one of Spicer's first major press appearances would be to float such an easily disproven lie and then refuse to take questions.
@ChuckWendig "Mister Spicer, that duck appears to be made of yellow plastic." "NO QUESTIONS!" *storms out*— Kristian Fischer 🏳️🌈🦋 (@Kristian Fischer 🏳️🌈🦋)1485040912.0
@presssecretary Spicer went on to announce that up is the new down and 2+2=5. #notmypresident https://t.co/xyEFuNswL6— Stephen Culp (@Stephen Culp)1485041498.0
BuzzFeed News goes there — as it should — says Spicer “lied.” https://t.co/JIUJLTDoWi https://t.co/jdRZOGupgR— Dominic Holden (@Dominic Holden)1485041537.0
This may be media's first new step in dealing w Trump admin. @cnn is saying it feels WH Press Sec'y lacks credibili… https://t.co/49z40OcTTD— Brian Steinberg (@Brian Steinberg)1485039698.0
imagine being ordered by your boss to go before the national press and say actually, we are indeed very cool— Simon Maloy (@Simon Maloy)1485040063.0
#TrumpSize #WomensMarchOnWashington #WomensMarch https://t.co/iZoXOb6ius— Sarah Burris (@Sarah Burris)1485042584.0
White House Press Secretary @SeanSpicer lies about the dismally small inauguration attendance for Trump. This is wh… https://t.co/D8Ej2WPlr6— Jon Hutson (@Jon Hutson)1485039981.0
Is he referring to the people across the world laughing at us? Because y'all coulda had that sad little parade over… https://t.co/fXzjkDPCNq— Jamilah (@Jamilah)1485041241.0
I moved on huge inauguration crowd size like a bitch, but I couldn't get there.— David Waldman-1, of Yorktown LLC™ (@David Waldman-1, of Yorktown LLC™)1485039700.0
The new White House @PressSec, using his first press briefing to tell the world a blatant falsehood https://t.co/C2pHQk9sCR— Mark Berman (@Mark Berman)1485038937.0
On his first full day, he sent his mouthpiece out to bully the media and tell a blatant lie. I don't hold out hope… https://t.co/gM3hNXCqhW— bring on the dancing horses (@bring on the dancing horses)1485040874.0
Sean Spicer's wife: Chicken was a little dry Sean Spicer: THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND DEFAMATORY. THE CHICKEN WAS COOKED PERFECTLY. WE DEMAND HON— Gary Legum (@Gary Legum)1485040606.0
WHY YOU LYING— Saeed Jones (@Saeed Jones)1485040601.0
It is embarrassing, as an American, to watch this briefing by Sean Spicer from the podium at the White House. Not the RNC. The White House.— Bill Kristol (@Bill Kristol)1485038669.0
The cameras failed to detect Trump's stealth supporters on the Mall and in the grandstands. But they were there.— Jack Shafer (@Jack Shafer)1485040487.0
If the press doesn't come out and call Sean Spicer a LIAR, they're completely useless. The fourth estate needs to show up.— Matt Murphy (@Matt Murphy)1485040031.0
He was Mark Foley staffer from 1999 to 2004 https://t.co/RNR7pBaqak— Georgia on my mind and in my Postcards! (@Georgia on my mind and in my Postcards!)1485040138.0
Prediction: Sean Spicer quits by March 15— Pete Catapano (@Pete Catapano)1485042503.0
The Sean Spicer press conference is terrifying because it's a textbook look at how dictatorships are built and maintained through propaganda— Depressed Politics Skeleton Guy 🌹 (@Depressed Politics Skeleton Guy 🌹)1485042498.0
Dear Sean Spicer, I've always wanted to meet you. Love, Reality.— Eric Wolfson (@Eric Wolfson)1485042476.0
Between trumplethinskins' speech at CIA and Sean Spicer's performance art, gaslighting now the official mode of public communication.— Surly01 (@Surly01)1485042474.0
Baghdad Sean: Trump's #inauguration "the largest audience to witness an inauguration—period!" https://t.co/KJdlIBh5R5— Matt Ortega (@Matt Ortega)1485042269.0