Donald Trump looks into the crowd at the Annual AmericaFest
(Rebecca Noble/Getty)

‘Photoshopping the tiny crowd size again’: Trump’s inauguration attendance expected to be small, but the internet is prepared for Trump to say otherwise

Although attendance at Donald Trump’s inauguration is expected to be low, the internet is prepared for Trump to photoshop it again.

Recommended Videos

Trump’s inauguration in 2016 drew smaller crowds than his predecessor Barack Obama. In 2018, The Guardian reported photos of the event had been edited to make the crowd appear bigger than it was. A government photographer admitted to investigators that he cropped out empty space from the photos. The cropped images were released to the public, along with Trump’s press secretary’s claims that his inauguration drew “the largest audience ever.” However, a side-by-side comparison of unedited photos from Trump’s and Obama’s inaugurations shows that Obama drew the larger crowd.

While Trump’s second inauguration is expected to draw even smaller crowds, America already suspects he and his team will claim otherwise.

Trump may have to photoshop his inauguration photos again

Trump has multiple factors working against his inauguration. For one, since his last inauguration, he has staged an insurrection and lost quite a few followers. Also, several invitees, including Michelle Obama and China’s president, Xi Jinping, have already confirmed they will not be attending. Other potential attendees may also forgo the event, especially since Trump has ensured that his inauguration will disrespect the late Jimmy Carter by flying the flags at full-staff.

On January 16, the weather forecast delivered another blow to Trump when it predicted an Arctic blast would bring temperatures down to the low-20s, which is unusual for the typically mild winters in Washington. According to CNN, Trump’s inauguration will be the coldest in 40 years. The last time the weather dropped so drastically was in 1985, when Ronald Reagan’s inauguration saw temperatures as low as 7 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Arctic blast news was amusing for Trump supporters, though they acknowledged that Photoshop could be used again to hide the real crowd size. Wu Tang is for the Children wrote, “Trump’s people are going to be busy photoshopping the tiny crowd size again.”

After news of the Artic blast broke, Trump confirmed his inauguration would be held indoors, with the Capital One Arena open for guests to view the event LIVE. Regardless of how the change in plan impacts the crowd, Republicans against Trump predicted he’ll still claim to have the “largest audience to ever witness an inauguration.”

Given that Trump and his team are known for exaggerating his reception, such as laughably claiming he won the 2024 election by a “landslide,” America knows the “biggest crowd in history” claims are on the way. However, after last time’s Photoshop controversy, not many are going to buy into it.


The Mary Sue is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Rachel Ulatowski
Rachel Ulatowski
Rachel Ulatowski is a Staff Writer for The Mary Sue, who frequently covers DC, Marvel, Star Wars, literature, and celebrity news. She has over three years of experience in the digital media and entertainment industry, and her works can also be found on Screen Rant, JustWatch, and Tell-Tale TV. She enjoys running, reading, snarking on YouTube personalities, and working on her future novel when she's not writing professionally. You can find more of her writing on Twitter at @RachelUlatowski.