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Trump takes to Twitter to weigh in on Women's March, TV ratings for inauguration

 
Donald Trump used Twitter to weigh in on the Women's March events that took place across the nation on Saturday. [File]
Donald Trump used Twitter to weigh in on the Women's March events that took place across the nation on Saturday. [File]
Published Jan. 22, 2017

President Donald Trump weighed in for the first time on the massive protests of his presidency in Washington and around the globe, stating sarcastically on Twitter on Sunday morning that that he was "under the impression that we just had an election!"

His tweet came in response to more than 1 million people gathering Saturday for the Women's March on Washington and at other rallies board in the United States and abroad, all mean as a rejoinder to his inauguration a day before. Trump and his aides remained silent about the protests on Saturday.

"Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn't these people vote?" Trump asked on Twitter.

Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn't these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly.

"Celebs hurt cause badly," he said, following it up with another tweet calling "peaceful protests" a "hallmark of our democracy."

Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views.

The massive event in Washington, which organizers said drew as many as half a million people, was packed with celebrities, including Madonna, Amy Schumer, America Ferrera and Ashley Judd.

In a separate tweet Sunday morning, Trump, who on Saturday accused the media of underreporting the crowd size at his swearing-in, boasted that the television ratings for his inaugural was higher than that of President Barack Obama's swearing in four years ago.

"Wow, television ratings just out: 31 million people watched the Inauguration, 11 million more than the very good ratings from 4 years ago!" Trump wrote.

Wow, television ratings just out: 31 million people watched the Inauguration, 11 million more than the very good ratings from 4 years ago!

Nielsen reported Saturday that 30.6 million viewers was inaugural coverage between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday.

That figure was lower than Obama's first inauguration in 2009, when 38 million viewers tuned in, according to Nielsen. The record is held by Ronald Reagan, when 42 million watched his inaugural festivities in 1981.