
Official aerial photos released Monday by the National Park Service confirmed that President Donald Trump’s inauguration was less well-attended than former President Barack Obama’s.
Comparisons between the two inaugurations drew ire from the Trump administration in January. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer falsely claimed that Trump’s inauguration was the most-watched in history. That claim was debunked by photos from various news outlets comparing the crowds at Trump’s inauguration and Obama’s 2009 ceremony.
While Trump accused media organizations of lying about the crowd size, the official National Park Service photos — released Monday in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request — clearly depict the difference in the number of attendees.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Cecily Strong on Goober the Clown
- Column: The Rise of America’s Broligarchy
Write to Katie Reilly at Katie.Reilly@time.com