One year ago, President Donald Trump sparked a countless stream of memes when he touched a glowing orb while visiting Saudi Arabia. On Monday, people pointed out that it was Trump’s first “orbiversary.”
Although the trip was the president’s first excursion outside of the U.S. since taking office, the biggest point of curiosity became the mysterious orb photo. The “orb” was a ceremonial gesture to mark the opening of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology, but it soon became a full-blown meme frenzy.
Basically, everyone loves to riff on the orb picture, and a year later people are still finding it hilarious.
Happy one-year anniversary of The Orb pic.twitter.com/93HL8LjUrz
— Evan DeSimone (@Smorgasboredom) May 21, 2018
happy orbiversary everyone pic.twitter.com/pHth91Yo6p
— Rich Morgan (@Richotron) May 21, 2018
Mueller won't be able to banish Trump until he destroys the coin, the orb, and the other 5 horcruxes, the identity of which have not yet leaked. https://t.co/lhgIu4ytzB
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) May 21, 2018
It’s been a year since Trump touched an orb and he didn’t even have to pay it $130,000 afterwards. https://t.co/xdNFJqWpit
— Seth Goodtime (@SethGoodtime) May 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/shawnbush/status/998612954399457282
Some felt that the timing of the one-year “orbiversary” was suspiciously coincidental to a New York Times report suggesting that Donald Trump Jr. met with officials from numerous countries in the Middle East, including one connected to Saudi Arabia. According to the report, the officials met “primarily to offer help to the Trump team” ahead of the 2016 election.
The story was the subject of a frantic tweetstorm from the president over the weekend.
https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/997941595004719109
Happy one year anniversary to the Orb and @realDonaldTrump making a fool of himself!
— Ferik (@On_Politike) May 20, 2018
As it turned out, Saudi Arabia & Trump were celebrating a successful joint project: Fu***ng Up With US Election.https://t.co/0D4EWaMeNH
Gee, I think I’ve seen pictures of you with lots and lots of Arabs. Dancing, with swords, and holding glowing orbs, and all sorts of stuff . Collusion? Or is it only collusion if you shake hands?
— Smudge’s Mom (@JacquelineKupu) May 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/GreenmanRaymond/status/998292575126618112
Despite the hefty amount of mocking on Monday, you can’t forget that the ultimate Trump trolling came from a group of Nordic leaders who apparently found the bizarre orb photo as funny as everyone else. They used a soccer ball instead of an illuminated globe to take their own picture together a few weeks after the original orb photo surfaced.