We are 105 days out from the US presidential election, and today, President Joe Biden bowed out of the race, Kamala Harris received his endorsement, and the memes are spreading like wildfire on the Internet.
But it was only last week that the Internet was dominated by the assassination attempt on Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump, which the world is still grappling and coming to terms with.
The incident sparked a series of responses from Republicans, from an ugly match of the Blame Game, to alleged religious apparitions that saved the life of Donald Trump.
We’ve compiled our favourites here – and somehow, they only get weirder as you go on.
The Deep State
In a country as divided and polarised as the US, the obvious choice to point the finger to in the aftermath of the assassination attempt was the other team.
Many Trump followers blamed “The Deep State” created by President Joe Biden, accusing him of orchestrating the attempt on Trump’s life.
“The Deep State” has been a common phrase used by Trump and his supporters. It refers to a right-wing conspiracy theory that a mysterious, hidden faction exists within institutions to take down its opposition – in this case the former president.
According to statistics from Ipsos, one in three Americans believe the Deep State exists.
The accusation is being parroted not only by Trumpian Republicans, but figures in right-leaning media as well, including US radio host Alex Jones.
“Desperate Deep State Will Try to Kill Trump Again,” he wrote on Twitter recently.
Mainstream media has also taken a hit from Deep State believers, accusing “fake news” of arranging the attempted assassination.
DEI
Of course, it wouldn’t be the Blame Game without a pointed finger landing on a woman.
Part of Donald Trump’s Secret Service Agents team included one woman, who, like her colleagues, risked her life to protect the former president from being shot by the gunman.
But following the assassination attempt, many were questioning whether the security present at the Trump rally was adequate.
There were some genuine and valid concerns amongst the noise, but commentators like content creator Benny Johnson attacking not just the female Secret Service agent, but the broader concept of DEI in workplaces.
“Absolute humiliation for this gaggle of female Secret Service Agents,” Johnson wrote on X in a post that received more than nine million views.
“DEI Secret Service make Presidents LESS Safe.”
The ear bandages
Days after the attempted assassination, Donald Trump spoke before the Republican National Convention (RNC), recounting his experience. He wore a bandage on his right ear that took the bullet.
And if you looked out into the sea of Trump supporters, you could see them wearing them too.
It seems many were doing so in solidarity of Trump, and as many witty Internet folk pointing out online, it’s giving Regina George in Mean Girls.
Donald Trump’s fans wearing bandages on their ears is giving Regina George’s bra outfit in Mean Girls… pic.twitter.com/NBphc8tNzI
— Jess (@JessL_1998) July 18, 2024
Thank God?
There were also some wild theories about what saved Trump – and this is where it really gets weird.
A lot of the rhetoric following the attempt on his life centred around religious metaphors and language, including from Trump himself.
“God was on my side,” Trump told the crowd at the RNC.
Many have parroted religious sentiments in relation to the attempted assassination – but the biggest call came from US politician Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Marjorie Taylor Greene describes how, right before the shooting, she witnessed an angel coming down from heaven that looked like an American flag that saved Donald Trump's life.
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) July 18, 2024
HOLY HELL! pic.twitter.com/j0nv0d1Eoz
“I believe we all witnessed a miracle,” she said. “Literally.
“You know, before it happened, the (American flag) above got blown in the wind and got tied into literally what looked like an angel… It was like an angel coming down.”