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
