This Is Why Everyone's Talking About Trump Press Aide Sean Spicer

Sean Spicer is U.S. President Donald Trump's press secretary, but his bullish behaviour means he's increasingly becoming the story himself.

He's been labeled a "brash brawler", a "Groucho Marxist", and an "alienating liar" with a "winning-is-everything philosophy". Here's why:

Spicer used his first appearance in the White House to accuse the media of misrepresenting crowd sizes at Trump's inauguration, calling comparisons between it and Obama's record 2009 crowds "deliberately false reporting".

Inauguration Day crowds for President Trump in 2017 and former President Obama in 2009: https://t.co/I2emA3LokP pic.twitter.com/KFg3dwAesA

— ABC News (@ABC) January 21, 2017

"Photographs of that inaugural proceedings were intentionally framed in a way, in one particular tweet, to minimize the enormous support that had gathered on the National Mall," Spicer said.

"This was the largest audience to ever witness and inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe."

Yet the facts say otherwise. Television ratings were lower than those for the inaugurations of Obama in 2009 and Ronald Reagan in 1981 and public transport figures also show less metro rides were taken before the inauguration compared to Obama. Then there's the photos that appear to clearly show a smaller crowd.

In the face of this overwhelming evidence, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Spicer was informed by "alternative facts".

The internet, understandably, had a field day, suggesting other 'alternative facts' Spicer could spruik as the truth.

"The Beatles, INCLUDING John & George, played the inaugural concert and President Trump applauded them with his HUGE HANDS." #SeanSpicerSays

— Mitch Benn (@MitchBenn) January 22, 2017

In the face of Spicer's blatantly incorrect statements and public humiliation, he again addressed the media, but not to correct his statement.

"I believe that we have to be honest with the American people, but I think sometimes we can disagree with the facts," he said.

He then reiterated the inauguration crowd was the biggest ever: "it's unquestionable".

He also spoke at length about feeling demoralised by the media's characterisation of Trump.

He's gone out there and defied the odds over and over and over again. And he keeps getting told what he can't do by this narrative that's out there. And he exceeds it every single time.

Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

And I think there's an overall frustration when you -- when you turn on the television over and over again and get told that there's this narrative that you didn't win. You weren't going to run. You can't pick up this state.

But when you're constantly getting told that can't be true, we doubt that you can do this, this won't happen, and that's the narrative when you turn on television every single day, it's a little frustrating.

Today is day three of Trump's presidency, and time will tell how Spicer's relationship with the media -- and the truth -- develops.

If one thing is true, it's that fake news can come from many sources.

White House Press Briefings: The new Fake News. #SpicerFacts

— Kelsey (@PoliticKels) January 22, 2017

That moment when the fake news comes directly from the white house. #SeanSpicer

— Matthew Kick (@MatthewKick) January 23, 2017

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