As President Trump made his way down Pennsylvania Ave. for the traditional inaugural parade, there were a notable number of empty seats in the grandstands along the route. In particular, the stand next to the president's viewing stand was noticeably vacant.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee was to distribute tickets for those sections. The non-ticketed standing areas along the route were less sparse. Whether the ticket holders didn't show or the tickets were not given out, the empty seats made for bad optics, particularly on the television broadcast, and people on Twitter took notice.
The bleachers right next to Pres. Trump's White House viewing stand for the Inauguration Parade are virtually empty. pic.twitter.com/kNNkfRu3Wo
— Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) January 20, 2017
Vice President Mike Pence just passed ...#InaugurationDay2017 pic.twitter.com/ICgrhMZ5Kq
— Deborah Berry (@dberrygannett) January 20, 2017
#Trump organizers were on the metro this morning handing our prime parade viewing seats. They clearly messed up, cuz the stands are empty.
— Howard Fineman (@howardfineman) January 20, 2017
This whole Trump Inaugural Parade has felt and had the energy of a funeral. And the empty stands/small crowds reinforce the hollowness.
— jeff perera (@jeffperera) January 20, 2017
Every shot I see on TV of this parade is of empty stands. Don't let #Trump or anyone else lie about the turnout. #Inauguration
— JackiSchechner (@JackiSchechner) January 20, 2017
The empty stands at the Inaugural Parade is embarrassing for our nation. #Losing
— Just me (@reluctantzealot) January 20, 2017
There were more people in #PresidentTrump's parade than in the stands 😩
— Stephanie Officer (@OfficerStephNY) January 20, 2017
Those embarrassingly empty stands along the parade route? That's what a 42% approval rating looks like. #SoMuchWinning
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) January 20, 2017
I cannot believe (or maybe I can) how absolutely EMPTY the stands are for the #inauguration parade. That is amazing.
— Daniel P. Horan, OFM (@DanHoranOFM) January 20, 2017
I find it interesting that there are so many empty stands at the parade. Completely empty. Seems very low energy. #TrumpInauguration
— Brittany Pounders (@LibertyBritt) January 20, 2017
At least one person said the reason for the stands was that the parade was behind schedule.
Reason stands r almost empty at Inaugural Parade it started too late. Not fair to President Trump & people who wanted to c parade
— Ann Ruth Figg (@arfigg) January 20, 2017
