Donald Trump's departure crowd seen as 'the smallest' of his presidency

A small crowd of supporter gather to watch Donald Trump and Melania Trump before they depart Washington DC. Photo / AP

As former President Donald Trump left the White House and Washington DC for Florida this morning, there was one thing news broadcasters couldn't help but notice.

The size of the crowd.

CNN correspondent Jim Acosta described the crowds at Donald Trump's depature as "definitely the smallest crowd size of the Trump presidency".

A small crowd of supporter gather to watch Donald Trump and Melania Trump before they depart Washington DC. Photo / AP

While NBC's political director Chuck Todd was "flabbergasted" at the size of the crowd, or lack thereof.

Crowd of a couple hundred, many masked at the Air Force’s request, out on the runway for Trump’s final speech as 45th President #Trump #AndrewsAFB #InaugurationDay2021 pic.twitter.com/duWbF2Wg1q

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 20, 2021

Jim @Acosta is at JBA awaiting Trumps. President is not going to be happy with crowd size.. maybe 200 people.

— lisa mirando (@LisaMirandoCNN) January 20, 2021

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported the crowd was around 200 to 300 people.

"I am flabbergasted at how few people are at the White House right now, seeing him off, how nobody is interested.

"He really is leaving office as kind of a pariah in his own party. It's almost as if Washington can't wait for him to leave," Todd said.

Definitely the smallest crowd size of the Trump presidency at the departure ceremony. pic.twitter.com/xYSi6YZUcH

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 20, 2021

"Trump literally blew himself up, and now we're watching him, and there's no doubt in my mind, he can't stand how all of this looks right now.

Donald and Melania Trump are greeted by a military honour guard. Photo / AP

"He knows he is leaving a pariah, and nobody wants to be seen with him. And, that is not something that sits well with Donald Trump," he told NBC News.

AP news described the crowd size as "a sign of the ongoing challenge Trump poses".

"The crowd was a sign of the ongoing challenge Trump poses to a Republican Party whose Washington leaders have all but shunned him since his supporters violently stormed the Capitol on January 6 in a bid to overturn the results of a democratic election.

Donald Trump and Melania Trump wave to a crowd as they board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base. Photo / AP

"But Trump retains his iron grip on the Republican base, with the support of millions of loyal voters and allies still helming the Republican National Committee and many state party organisations."

When leaving the White House Trump told a small crowd gathered on the lawn: "It has been a great honour, the honour of a lifetime."