An estimated 26.2 million viewers watched the broadcast on Thursday, the final night of the Democratic National Convention. A former White House aide to former President Donald Trump called that number a “big deal.”

The four-day convention in Chicago, attended by thousands of supporters and delegates, concluded with Vice President Kamala Harris’ keynote address, becoming the first Black and Asian American to accept the presidential nomination of a major political party. There were also several notable speakers throughout the week, from Hollywood stars like Mindy Kaling to well-known Democratic leaders like former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama.

According to ratings company Nielsen, an average of 21.8 million viewers watched the DNC on all four nights. Harris’ acceptance speech, which lasted about 40 minutes, was watched by an average of about 28.9 million viewers.

The DNC’s ratings surpassed those of the Republican National Convention in July. According to Nielsen’s report, the GOP averaged just over 19 million viewers over the four days of programming. Harris also slightly outperformed Trump in the acceptance speeches – the former president’s keynote speech peaked at around 28.4 million viewers.

“I know Donald Trump was not happy about this,” said Alyssa Farah Griffin, who served as White House director of strategic communications under the Trump administration.

“It’s a big deal,” Griffin added during an appearance on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. “I think it speaks to the six out of 10 Americans who didn’t want the Biden-Trump rematch. Now there’s someone new, someone who’s energizing. There’s someone who would be historic if she wins.”

Harris’ entry into the 2024 presidential race has given new momentum to the Democratic Party, which once trailed Trump when President Joe Biden was still at the top of the ballot.

Before Biden stepped down as the Democratic presidential candidate on July 21, polls showed that a majority of Americans did not want a rematch between Trump and Biden. In a January Reuters poll, about 67 percent of respondents said they were “tired of seeing the same candidates in presidential elections and wanted someone new.”

Griffin also praised the DNC as a “well-orchestrated convention that was a mix of diverse political and national security issues and featured speakers from across the country.”

“I think it captured the viewers’ attention,” she told CNN. “But 75 days (until Election Day) is a long time. Donald Trump is a master at reclaiming the spotlight and getting the attention back on himself.”

Trump responded to Harris’ speech live on his Truth Social account, repeatedly attacking the vice president over her promised border policy. In one post, he wrote: “Why hasn’t she done anything about the things she’s complaining about?”

He also called Fox News immediately after Harris’ speech and told the network, “She could have done it three and a half years ago. She could do it tonight by leaving the room, going to Washington, DC, and closing the border.”

Newsweek reached out to Trump’s campaign team via email on Friday evening for further comment.