Donald Trump's inauguration for his second term as president of the United States has ignited a wildfire of memes and online humor, ranging from biting satire to outright absurdity.
While the world watched, the internet did what it does best and turned one of the most pivotal political events into a treasure trove of digital comedy.
Even before Trump raised his hand to take the oath of office, memes began flooding social media platforms on X, Instagram and the recently revived TikTok.
The scale and creativity surrounding Trump's inauguration highlighted the internet's unparalleled ability to turn even the most serious occasions into viral entertainment.
The hat that First Lady Melania Trump wore in the US Capitol attracted particular attention.
The accessory seemed to cast a shadow over the top half of her face, leading to a host of memes comparing her to cartoon characters — and even McDonald's villain, the Hamburglar.
Others joked about the last-minute change of venue, which moved the ceremony from the Capitol steps to the warmth of the Capitol rotunda in anticipation of the frigid conditions.
Regardless of location, a meme noted how Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders appeared to hold the same post while sitting in his chair during Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration.
The internet wasted no time in comparing Melania Trump's team to the Hamburglar
Internet users found the kiss that wasn't between Trump and Melania the funniest
One X user saw fit to portray him as a Looney Tunes character with their signature “That's all Folks!” unsubscribe
The comparisons between Melania Trump's hat and the Hamburglar could not be denied
Senator John Fetterman was also mocked for showing up in his signature hoodie and shorts despite the frigid weather outside.
One meme joked about Trump's ambitions to take over Canada or buy Greenland, where the Arctic climate guarantees cold temperatures year-round but Washington DC was too cold to host the inauguration outdoors.
Elon Musk's animated mannerisms turned heads during much of the ceremony — especially when President Trump spoke about America's ambitions to travel to Mars.
Kamala Harris' campaign reportedly paid $2 million for an event involving Oprah but lost, while Trump's team rented a garbage truck and won
Numerous memes poked fun at the cold weather and sudden change of location
Others thought the first lady's outfit was reminiscent of a Spy vs Spy comic
The fast food theme continued on X with the shape of the Pizza Hut logo drawing comparisons
Any cartoon character wearing a striped hat was ripe for comparison to Melania's
Even the way Melania wore the hat drew comparisons to super thief Carmen Sandiego
One user joked that Melania would have seen very little of anything thanks to her wide brim
There were some interesting comparisons between what things looked like in 2016 versus today
Also think about the outdoor organizers whose work counted for nothing
Bernie Sanders appeared to copy his famous pose from the 2021 inauguration
Elon Musk's mannerisms attracted a lot of attention as he appeared animated throughout much of the ceremony. Baron Trump looked stern by comparison
Hillary Clinton seemed relaxed while making some funny facial expressions
John Fetterman made no effort to dress for the occasion in his signature hoodie and shorts
President George W. Bush's facial expressions caused much amusement during the ceremony
Lauren Sanchez's cleavage caught the attention of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg
There were so many comments mocking the interaction between Donald Trump and his wife
The non-kiss between Melania and Trump was easy for memes to mock
Many memes appeared just seconds after the non-kiss happened
One source of amusement was found in comparing Musk's toothy grin to the dour appearance of Trump's youngest son, Barron, who at one point looked particularly somber.
Others focused on how Trump managed to secure his re-election with a meme noting how Kamala Harris' campaign reportedly paid $2 million for an event involving Oprah but lost, while the Trump team had a rented a garbage truck and won.
As the events of that day fade into history, the memes will undoubtedly live on and immortalize Trump's second inauguration in the collective memory of the internet.
