US president Donald Trump has accused the media of lying about the size of the crowds at his inauguration ceremony.

He made the criticism while speaking at the CIA headquarters in Virginia on what was his first full day in office since taking the oath.

The 45th American president said the throngs of people who had gathered to watch on the National Mall "went all the way back to the Washington monument".

His claims come despite numerous images captured at the event showing that in fact the crowds stopped well short of the landmark in the American capital.

"We had a massive field of people, you saw them - packed. I get up this morning, I turn on one of the networks and they show an empty field," Mr Trump said.

We had a massive field of people, you saw them - packed

"I said 'wait a minute, I made a speech', I looked out the field was, it looked like a million, a million and a half people, they showed a field where there were practically nobody standing.

"And they said 'Donald Trump did not draw well'," he added.

"Honestly it looked like a million and a half people, whatever it was, it was. But it went all the way back to the Washington monument."

He said the television report said he only drew crowds of 250,000 people, and added: "Now that's not bad. But it is a lie."

Mr Trump said there were 250,000 people just in the area they had constructed, with the rest of the 20 block area to the Washington monument "packed".

And said the news media will pay a "big price" for their dishonesty.

His comments came after an estimated 500,000 people joined a women's march in Washington, attended by celebrities including Madonna, Scarlet Johansson and Katy Perry.

Mr Trump made no mention of the march, which was one of several across the world, including in London.

The top of the Washington Monument is shrouded in clouds as people pack the National Mall for the Women's March in Washington.