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

SPONSORED

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) January 21, 2017

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*

— Tilly (@TillyWoden) January 21, 2017

Spicer spent the first FIVE MINUTES berating the media for their TWEETS!

Dude, you are the WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY not a radio host! https://t.co/tWWAYzmDor

— JamesFromTheInternet (@JamesFTInternet) January 21, 2017

@presssecretary Spicer went on to announce that up is the new down and 2+2=5.#notmypresident https://t.co/xyEFuNswL6

— Stephen Culp (@StephenRCulp) January 21, 2017

BuzzFeed News goes there — as it should — says Spicer “lied.” https://t.co/JIUJLTDoWi pic.twitter.com/jdRZOGupgR

— Dominic Holden (@dominicholden) January 21, 2017

This may be media’s first new step in dealing w Trump admin. @cnn is saying it feels WH Press Sec’y lacks credibility https://t.co/AycY6hrASH

— Brian Steinberg (@bristei) January 21, 2017

imagine being ordered by your boss to go before the national press and say actually, we are indeed very cool

— Simon Maloy (@SimonMaloy) January 21, 2017

#TrumpSize#WomensMarchOnWashington #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/iZoXOb6ius

— Sarah Burris (@SarahBurris) January 21, 2017

White House Press Secretary @SeanSpicer lies about the dismally small inauguration attendance for Trump. This is what tyrannical regimes do. pic.twitter.com/1vLtS0HCtE

— Jon Hutson (@JonHutson) January 21, 2017

Is he referring to the people across the world laughing at us? Because y’all coulda had that sad little parade over the phone. https://t.co/d2NapOpeJD

— JamilahIsoke Lemieux (@JamilahLemieux) January 21, 2017

I moved on huge inauguration crowd size like a bitch, but I couldn’t get there.

— David Waldman (@KagroX) January 21, 2017

The new White House @PressSec, using his first press briefing to tell the world a blatant falsehood https://t.co/C2pHQk9sCR

— Mark Berman (@markberman) January 21, 2017

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 for the next 99 days. https://t.co/U3B3cvxdTN

— Michele (@inthefade) January 21, 2017

This is not a political campaign. It is not a game. This is now the White House lying to the American people.

— Binyamin Appelbaum (@BCAppelbaum) January 21, 2017

3 Doors Down had the best album of 2016. They will be awarded a Grammy in three weeks. No questions please. pic.twitter.com/wJAyHLOOLZ

— Tommy Alter (@MrTalter) January 21, 2017

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 (@GaryLegum) January 21, 2017

WHY YOU LYING

— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) January 21, 2017

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 (@BillKristol) January 21, 2017

The cameras failed to detect Trump’s stealth supporters on the Mall and in the grandstands. But they were there.

— Jack Shafer (@jackshafer) January 21, 2017

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 (@MattMurph24) January 21, 2017

He was Mark Foley staffer from 1999 to 2004 https://t.co/RNR7pBaqak

— Teddy Partridge (@teddysanfran) January 21, 2017

Prediction: Sean Spicer quits by March 15

— Pete Catapano (@pcatapano) January 21, 2017

Somebody give Sean Spicer a snickers lol

— Matt (@matthewabdelhak) January 21, 2017

The Sean Spicer press conference is terrifying because it’s a textbook look at how dictatorships are built and maintained through propaganda

— Sam McPunchNazis🌹 (@SamMcIntosh) January 21, 2017

Dear Sean Spicer,

I’ve always wanted to meet you.

Love,
Reality.

— Eric Wolfson (@EricWolfson) January 21, 2017

Between trumplethinskins’ speech at CIA and Sean Spicer’s performance art, gaslighting now the official mode of public communication.

— Surly01 (@Surly01) January 21, 2017

Baghdad Sean: Trump’s #inauguration “the largest audience to witness an inauguration—period!” pic.twitter.com/KJdlIBh5R5

— Matt Ortega (@MattOrtega) January 21, 2017