Watch Trump aide, ‘Meet the Press’ host get in heated debate over inauguration crowd

In a sometimes heated interview, a top aide to President Donald Trump says crowd size at an inauguration doesn’t matter.

Kellyanne Conway told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that it was unfair for the media to report that Trump’s inauguration was smaller than President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009. Prior to his inauguration, Trump predicted his inauguration would have “an unbelievable, perhaps record-setting turnout.”

Conway said she believes the threat of rain might have deterred supporters and said, “I don’t think ultimately presidents are judged by crowd sizes at their inauguration. I think they are judged by their accomplishments.”

When asked why Trump press secretary Sean Spicer mischaracterized the inauguration as the “largest audience to ever witness an inauguration - period - both in person and around the globe,” Conway said he was merely offering “alternative facts.”

This story was originally published January 22, 2017 at 10:01 AM with the headline "Watch Trump aide, ‘Meet the Press’ host get in heated debate over inauguration crowd."