AP FACT CHECK: Trump's epic speech is laced with fabrication

Large swaths of empty space were visible on the National Mall.The park service also released photos from President Barack Obama’s two inaugurations, showing that his 2009 event far outstripped the number of people who attended Trump’s inauguration.It released the photos in response to news media requests made through the Freedom of Information Act after Trump and his aides accused news organizations of framing or timing photos and video to make it look like not many people came.___JAMES COMEYTRUMP: “Every single Democrat said Comey should be fired” for his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails late in the campaign. But we very rarely lose.”THE FACTS: Trump is wrong to suggest that almost every candidate he endorsed and campaigned for in the November midterm elections — except for perhaps one — won.Two Republicans whom Trump strongly backed in their Senate races — Montana’s Matt Rosendale and West Virginia’s Patrick Morrisey — lost to Democratic Sens. Trump endorsed Lewis and campaigned for him.___VETERANSTRUMP, on the Choice program for veterans: “I got that approved after 44 years of being unable to get it approved for our veterans.”THE FACTS: False. In 2018, 34 percent of all VA appointments were with outside physicians, down from 36 percent in 2017.Choice came into effect after some veterans died while waiting months for appointments at the Phoenix VA medical center.___SHUTDOWNTRUMP: “I flew to Iraq — the first time I left the White House, because I stayed at the White House for months and months because I wanted the Democrats to get back from their vacations from Hawaii and these other places.”THE FACTS: Trump actually left the White House plenty of times during the “months and months” surrounding the partial government shutdown that began Dec. 22.Besides his trip to Iraq and Germany on Dec. 26-27, Trump traveled to the Mexican border town of McAllen, Texas, on Jan. 10.