Attendance at President Trump and first lady Melania Trump's first National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on Thursday appears to have not been at full capacity.

Far from it, according to one local journalist who tweeted out a picture of the seating situation at the event.

"The National Tree Lighting ceremony was beautiful this evening - but hard not to notice the empty seats," tweeted ABC 7 News meteorologist Steve Rudin, along with a picture showing rows of empty seats.

The National Tree Lighting ceremony was beautiful this evening - but hard not to notice the empty seats. #Christmas #DMV #USA pic.twitter.com/oKMrnnBekG — Steve Rudin ABC7 (@SteveRudinABC7) November 30, 2017



Rudin's ABC 7 colleague, Sam Sweeney, noted that the photo depicted what the crowd looked like when Trump spoke at the ceremony. He said the crowd size was unusually small.

"Traditionally the White House Christmas tree lighting is standing room only. This is what it looked like tonight as President Trump spoke," Sweeney tweeted.

Traditionally the White House Christmas tree lighting is standing room only. This is what it looked like tonight as President Trump spoke.

📸@SteveRudinABC7 pic.twitter.com/5nYRJTbvsP — Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) December 1, 2017



Crowd size has been a sensitive issue for Trump, notably in regards to his inauguration. The controversy over the crowd size was exacerbated when former White House press secretary Sean Spicer called it “the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe," while photos of the event showed evidence to the contrary.