Donald Trump has falsely claimed his State of the Union address received the highest television ratings "in history", despite official ratings to the contrary.
The address is one of the biggest US political speeches of the year and is watched by a television audience of tens of millions.
Mr Trump’s speech on Tuesday was largely well received by members of his Republican Party. The US president claimed it enjoyed a larger TV audience than any previous address.
On Thursday, he tweeted to say: "Thank you for all of the nice compliments and reviews on the State of the Union speech. 45.6 million people watched, the highest number in history."
However, the figure is below the viewership for President Barack Obama’s first State of the Union in 2010, which was about 48 million.
Even Mr Trump’s own joint address to Congress last year, his first major speech to law makers, attracted around 47.7 million viewers.
Thank you for all of the nice compliments and reviews on the State of the Union speech. 45.6 million people watched, the highest number in history. @FoxNews beat every other Network, for the first time ever, with 11.7 million people tuning in. Delivered from the heart!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2018
The figures come from Nielsen, a respected analytics company, which found 45.6 million people watched Mr Trump on Tuesday, across a number of different television networks.
The largest ever TV audience for a presidential address was in 1993, when newly-elected President Bill Clinton’s speech to Congress saw 66.9 million tune in.
People are misreading this as a claim that the ratings are the highest. Wrong! He's saying that, in history, mathematicians have never identified a number higher than 45.6 million. https://t.co/m7vYr7ncdX
— Philip Bump (@pbump) February 1, 2018
Back then, Nielsen only measured the three major broadcast networks plus CNN.
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The greatest audience for an official State of the Union was for George W Bush’s speech in 2003, when 62.1 million watched President Bush outline his justifications for the invasion of Iraq.
#SOTU TV Viewers:
2018: 45.6M
2017: 47.7M*
2016: 31.3M
2015: 31.7M
2014: 33.3M
2013: 33.5M
2012: 37.8M
2011: 42.8M
2010: 48.0M
2009: 52.4M*
2008: 37.5M
2007: 45.5M
2006: 41.7M
2005: 38.4M
2004: 43.4M
2003: 62.1M
1993: 66.9M* (largest TV audience)*Not an official SOTU pic.twitter.com/OZlUHmGQp4
— Fox News Research (@FoxNewsResearch) February 1, 2018
Last year Mr Trump also falsely argued that his inauguration was the most well-attended one ever, despite analysis suggestion otherwise.
Mr Trump used Tuesday night’s speech to outline his agenda for the year ahead, with proposals for funding on infrastructure, defence and immigration reforms.
Throughout his speech, Mr Trump called on ordinary American “heroes” in the audience, including a couple who adopted a child from an opioid addict and an injured veteran.
Near the end of the speech, a North Korean defector injured during his escape raised his clutches in the air in an emotional moment as America’s politicians gave him a standing ovation.