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| State of the Union: Trump's 'highest' audience boast debunked | State of the Union: Trump's 'highest' audience boast debunked |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| President Donald Trump's boast that TV viewership for his speech to Congress this week was the "highest number in history" is belied by ratings data. | President Donald Trump's boast that TV viewership for his speech to Congress this week was the "highest number in history" is belied by ratings data. |
| Nielsen, which tracks US TV viewership, says Mr Trump's 45.6m viewers falls short of the numbers who tuned in to other State of the Union addresses. | Nielsen, which tracks US TV viewership, says Mr Trump's 45.6m viewers falls short of the numbers who tuned in to other State of the Union addresses. |
| Nielsen says Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W Bush all drew bigger ratings for their speeches. | Nielsen says Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W Bush all drew bigger ratings for their speeches. |
| Mr Trump's overall audience figure would be boosted by online viewers. | Mr Trump's overall audience figure would be boosted by online viewers. |
| "Thank you for all of the nice compliments and reviews on the State of the Union speech," Mr Trump tweeted on Thursday morning. | "Thank you for all of the nice compliments and reviews on the State of the Union speech," Mr Trump tweeted on Thursday morning. |
| "45.6 million people watched, the highest number in history." | "45.6 million people watched, the highest number in history." |
| But according to Nielsen data, Mr Obama's first official State of the Union speech in 2010 attracted 48 million viewers. | But according to Nielsen data, Mr Obama's first official State of the Union speech in 2010 attracted 48 million viewers. |
| Mr Clinton's State of the Union pulled in a record 66.9 million television viewers in 1993. | Mr Clinton's State of the Union pulled in a record 66.9 million television viewers in 1993. |
| Mr Bush pulled in 62.1 million in 2003, a few weeks before the Iraq War. | Mr Bush pulled in 62.1 million in 2003, a few weeks before the Iraq War. |
| About one quarter of total viewers watched the speech on Fox News, which Nielsen said received a total 11.5m viewers. | About one quarter of total viewers watched the speech on Fox News, which Nielsen said received a total 11.5m viewers. |
| The Nielsen survey comprises data from 12 television networks and does not take into account those who watched online. | The Nielsen survey comprises data from 12 television networks and does not take into account those who watched online. |
| CNN said that roughly an hour into Mr Trump's speech, their video-streaming platform peaked at 321,000 simultaneous users. | CNN said that roughly an hour into Mr Trump's speech, their video-streaming platform peaked at 321,000 simultaneous users. |
| Twitter said it was the highest-trending State of the Union ever with 4.5 million tweets. | Twitter said it was the highest-trending State of the Union ever with 4.5 million tweets. |
| Mr Trump's TV ratings on Tuesday night were higher than those for his inauguration, when about 31 million viewers tuned in. | Mr Trump's TV ratings on Tuesday night were higher than those for his inauguration, when about 31 million viewers tuned in. |
| It is not the first time Mr Trump's claims about audience figures have been questioned. | It is not the first time Mr Trump's claims about audience figures have been questioned. |
| He estimated that 1.5 million people attended his inauguration speech at the National Mall in Washington DC last year. | He estimated that 1.5 million people attended his inauguration speech at the National Mall in Washington DC last year. |
| But his then-press secretary's estimate gave Mr Trump a crowd size of around half that figure. | But his then-press secretary's estimate gave Mr Trump a crowd size of around half that figure. |
| In a 2015 profile for Rolling Stone magazine, Mr Trump asserted that his own 757 plane was bigger than the presidential jet, Air Force One. | In a 2015 profile for Rolling Stone magazine, Mr Trump asserted that his own 757 plane was bigger than the presidential jet, Air Force One. |
| Air Force One is 225ft (68 metres); Mr Trump's plane is 153ft. | Air Force One is 225ft (68 metres); Mr Trump's plane is 153ft. |
| More on Trump's State of the Union | More on Trump's State of the Union |
| Trump heralds 'new American moment' | Trump heralds 'new American moment' |
| Four reactions to Trump speech | Four reactions to Trump speech |
| Harrowing tale of Trump's North Korean defector | Harrowing tale of Trump's North Korean defector |