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Memes are undoubtedly havens of humor that are particularly good at distracting us from real-world issues, big and small. Who hasn’t spent a few hours doom-scrolling on TikTok to forget about the state of the world? While the 2024 election season was upon us, political memes were particularly good at making light of various politicians’ ridiculous actions, making us all feel a little less…well, doomed. But 2024 wasn’t the only year memes were used as tools for dealing with the insanity of politics – countless social media users have used them for numerous election cycles. Here’s a list of the top 20 political memes that have captured the internet’s attention and had us all laughing through the chaos.
The Top 20 Political Memes: Laughing Through the Chaos
1. Obama Out
One of the OG political memes, this one originates from former President Barack Obama’s 2016 White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech, which was his last as President. After delivering the speech, Obama said, “Obama out,” then dropped the mic, becoming an instantly iconic political moment.
2. Bernie Sanders’ Mittens
Who could forget Bernie Sanders sitting cross-armed at the 2021 inauguration? His endearing outfit featuring hand-made mittens and casual posture sparked countless political memes. Not only that, but his wearing of this hand-made mittens sparked huge sales for the small business he had bought them from!
3. “Covfefe”
When Donald Trump tweeted the cryptic keyboard-smash “covfefe,” the internet went wild with theories and jokes. It’s still a word quoted throughout the country to replace words like “coffee” by political meme enjoyers of all kinds.
4. “Hillary’s Emails”
Whether you laughed or groaned, the endless focus on Hillary Clinton’s emails during the 2016 election was distilled into countless memes. It’s an unavoidable joke, but one that shaped almost an entire election cycle.
5. Fly on Pence’s Head
During the 2020 vice-presidential debate, a fly landed on Mike Pence’s head and stayed for two minutes, sparking memes that were arguably more memorable than the debate itself. President Biden even created a link to encourage voters based on the meme, flywillvote.com, that redirects voters to iwillvote.com where you can check your registration status, register, vote by mail, and more.
Source: SNL
6. Nancy Pelosi’s Clapback
Nancy Pelosi’s pointed applause at President Trump’s 2019 State of the Union address became a meme for sarcastic approval. Honestly, her live reactions at events are always iconic and meme-worthy.
7. Obama and Biden “Bromance” Memes
The internet was obsessed with the Obama-Biden dynamic during the Obama administration, crafting memes about their friendship and imagined banter. There were even several books published featuring fictional stories about their bromance, in which they went on adventures together to save the country.
8. Kamala Harris’ Debate Smirk
Kamala Harris’ expressions during the 2020 vice-presidential debate launched a thousand memes about passive-aggressive reactions – and don’t even get us started on “I’m speaking.”
9. “I Am Once Again Asking”
Bernie Sanders struck again with a meme featuring his request for campaign donations, which became a format for various pleas. This is hands-down one of the most versatile political memes, opening up space for various prompts.
10. Ted Cruz as the Zodiac Killer
This bizarre internet conspiracy meme insists, for humor’s sake, that Ted Cruz is the infamous Zodiac Killer, and side-by-side photo comparisons of Cruz and sketch artist recreations of the Zodiac Killer make this insane claim even funnier.
Source: NPR
11. “We Did It, Joe!”
This viral video of Kamala Harris calling Joe Biden on the phone to celebrate their victory in the 2020 election is such a lovable and hilarious internet moment. “We did it, Joe” is the perfect celebratory phrase for any great accomplishment, and people even began displaying it on their graduation caps.
12. “You Think You Just Fell Out of a Coconut Tree?”
Kamala Harris once again created a very memeable moment as she delivered a speech addressing her mothers’ former remarks that shaped her determination. The endearing phrase is both funny and inspiring, and was used in countless TikTok videos after the speech was delivered.
13. “They’re Eating the Dogs”
So many of Trump’s claims during the 2024 presidential debate were instantly turned into memes, and this was arguably the most popular. As a hilarious internet trend, TikTok users began posting videos of their own dogs with the audio.
14. Biden’s Sunglasses
Symbolizing Biden’s “cool uncle” public persona, images of him sporting aviators were often paired with captions highlighting confidence, humor, or a laid-back attitude in contrast to political issues.
15. Pelosi Tear
During the 2020 State of the Union, Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore up her copy of Donald Trump’s speech in a highly publicized moment of protest. This was probably one of the most GIF-able moments in modern political history.
16. Trump’s Spray Tan
No matter what side of the political spectrum you’re on, poking fun at Donald Trump’s exaggerated orange tan lines is always a great time.
17. “Stop the Count”
Inspired by Trump’s 2020 election chant to halt ballot counting in states where he was ahead, this meme is used to mock any attempt to avoid the truth, which makes it perfect alongside those “delulu” TikTok memes.
18. Dancing Trump
Trump’s rally dance moves, set to songs like YMCA, are always going viral. The dance is often remixed or edited into absurd contexts.
19. “Pokémon Go to the Polls”
Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign speech included this infamous attempt to connect with young voters through the Pokémon Go craze. It’s a quintessential example of an awkward, out-of-touch appeal to millennials and Gen Z.
20. “Tic Tac Toe” For TikTok
Nancy Pelosi’s speech surrounding the supposed TikTok ban (please, no!) also attempted to connect with Gen Z – and to nobody’s surprise, it was an epic fail.
Why Memes Matter in Politics
While memes make us laugh, they’re also a way for people to engage with politics in an accessible way. They’re constantly changing and shaping important conversations, and there’s no doubt countless more political memes will come out of 2025. Next time you’re frustrated with a politician, try turning them into a meme – it’s a great way to fight back and channel your feelings into something positive.
