Alternative Facts: The Truth About Trump's Inauguration Ratings

Despite what Donald Trump's press secretary, Sean Spicer, said over the weekend, the TV audience for Trump's was not the largest ever. Period. In terms of ratings, Trump's ceremony ranks in the bottom half among all presidents inaugurated in the television era.

Full-day coverage of the event across 12 networks drew a total of 30.6 million viewers. That's better than the last inauguration, Barack Obama's second, but well behind the one before that, Obama's first. The first time around, Obama drew about 38 million viewers; second inaugurations almost always draw far fewer viewers.

Trump bested the first inaugurations of both George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, but not by much. Both those presidents drew between 29 and 30 million viewers. By far the biggest first inauguration, ratings-wise, since Nielsen started keeping track was Ronald Reagan's, which drew 42 million viewers.

Of the eight presidents to take the oath since ratings-counting began, Trump ranks fifth behind Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Reagan and Obama, all of whom posted at least one ceremony that drew more viewers than Trump's.

The least-watched inauguration belongs to George W. Bush, who attracted only 15.5 million viewers in 2005.