Key figures in Donald Trump's administration have become embroiled in a fresh war of words with the media, sparked by disputes over inauguration crowd sizes and the White House's relationship with the truth.
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus accused the media of an 'obsession... to de-legitimise this president,' vowing to fight such coverage 'tooth and nail every day.' The row began after President Trump claimed his inauguration drew 1.5 million people, despite photographic evidence showing fewer attendees than Barack Obama's 2009 ceremony.
Press Secretary Sean Spicer later claimed 720,000 people were present, but offered no official figures. Major outlets including the New York Times and CNN refuted these claims, with the Times denouncing 'false claims' as a 'striking display of invective and grievance.'
Top aide Kellyanne Conway defended Spicer, stating he presented 'alternative facts,' a term rejected by NBC's Chuck Todd as 'falsehoods.' Conway also criticised the media's treatment of the administration, citing an erroneous report about a Martin Luther King Jr. bust.
The Washington Post declared that 'the traditional way of reporting on a president is dead,' urging less attention to official statements and more investigative reporting. Politico warned of 'grave consequences' for national security if the administration's combative approach extends to substantive matters.
President Trump took to Twitter to highlight television ratings, claiming 31 million viewers, though Nielsen data showed this was lower than Obama's first inauguration and Ronald Reagan's in 1981. The Atlantic questioned the administration's credibility, stating: 'If you're willing to lie about stuff this minuscule, why should anyone believe what you say about the really big things that matter?'
