The 2020 Republican National Convention is over, which means four nights of political speeches to meme.
The RNC took place from Monday, Aug. 24 to Thursday, Aug. 27, and along with several politicians and guests, the official speaker lineup included Mike and Karen Pence, Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, known meme-quoter Lara Trump, and even Tiffany Trump.
Though no Republican National Convention moment filled us with as much joy as the Democratic National Convention’s “calamari comeback”, the convention still inspired some quality memes. Here are seven of our favorites.
1. Yes, I’m watching the RNC
Sometimes the simplest memes are the most satisfying, and the “watching the RNC” meme is a perfect example. Ahead of the nightly Republican speeches, Twitter users found joy in announcing that they’d be tuning into the RNC…just not that RNC.
yeah I’m watching the RNC
Ross
N’
Chandler— Ben Rosen (@ben_rosen) August 25, 2020
yeah i’m gonna listen to the RNC
Randy
Newman
Catalog— eric slick (@ericslickmusic) August 27, 2020
Yeah I’m watching the RNC, Random Nicholas Cage movies
— Lil’ Bubble Boy 😷 (@Mick_Marley) August 25, 2020
yeah I’m watching the RNC:
R – Relaxing show on
N – Netflix
C – Consisting of a Good Witch— JJJJJR 🎰 (@JJJJJR777emoji) August 26, 2020
Yeah I’m gonna listen to the RNC today:
R ejjie Snow
N ick Cave
C Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers— W (@wulllim) August 27, 2020
2. Kimberly Guilfoyle’s very loud speech
Night one of the RNC kicked off with an ear-shattering bang thanks to Kimberly Guilfoyle’s extremely loud speech. The former Fox News host and current girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr. let LOOSE in front of the microphone and delivered an intense, deeply impassioned address that reached such a high volume I had to mute my TV. Dwight Schrute would have been proud.
3. Donald Trump, Jr. saying “PP and E”
When attempting to tell the country that his father provided coronavirus “PPE” (personal protective equipment) to those in need,Trump Jr. slipped up and said “PP and E.” According to a simple Google search, “PP&E” is a finance term that stands for “property, plant, and equipment,” or “long-term assets vital to business operations and not easily converted into cash.”
It’s definitely not what he meant to say, but it’s not the first time he has incorrectly added “and” to an acronym. Remember when he called Saturday Night Live “S&L”? Great times.
“He delivered PP and E” what does that even mean?
— Andy Hatem (@AndyHatem) August 25, 2020
P, P and E? No wonder why our first responders didn’t get necessary PPE. This administration can’t even pronounce it.
— Jamaal T. Bailey (@jamaaltbailey) August 25, 2020
Person, Woman, man, camera, PP and E
— Baligubadle (@Baligubadle1) August 25, 2020
4. The big Succession vibes
Fans of HBO’s media family dramedy Succession know that the Roy kids live and breathe to make daddy Logan proud. And as Donald Trump kid after Donald Trump kid (after Donald Trump kid after Donald Trump kid) spoke and repeated the words “my father” over and over again, you couldn’t help but feel some big Succession “I must make daddy proud” vibes.
Caught a few clips of the RNC and seeing an episode of Succession happen in real life is pretty disconcerting.
— Emma Hyland (@emmambhyland) August 27, 2020
The RNC is kinda like the show Succession in real life. Only real difference is that #Succession is actually good/entertaining and people with any semblance of a brain realize this is not how things should work.
— Stringer Bell (@childish_mazino) August 26, 2020
Who would’ve thought the RNC would be Succession Season 5?
— Norbert Shieh (@norb) August 26, 2020
i too would like a moment right now to directly address my dad
— Charlie Warzel (@cwarzel) August 26, 2020
5. The movie trailer energy
Succession isn’t the only on-screen reference people were reminded of during the RNC. The whole convention really felt like one long, confusing movie trailer. Some Twitter users compared certain speeches to sci-fi films like The Hunger Games and dystopian horror films like The Purge. While others marveled over the over-the-top cinematic sound effects and the drama of each convention intro and transition video.
Every RNC video is shot and scored like the military origin story sequence at the beginning of every bruckheimer film and it owns
— David Harmon (@daveharmon) August 26, 2020
Every time I briefly tune into the RNC, I hear Hunger Games-like music and someone yells at me
— Washington Post TikTok Guy (@davejorgenson) August 26, 2020
RNC is like a mashup of The Purge, Man in the High Castle, and The Handmaid’s Tale.
This is real life.
— Kameron Hurley (@KameronHurley) August 27, 2020
The RNC looks like The Purge pre-show
— Brent Terhune (@BrentTerhune) August 27, 2020
Everyone at the RNC talks like they’re narrating a “THIS summer” blockbuster trailer, but are unable to get past the “THIS summer” part.
— Casey Lee (@CaseySLee) August 26, 2020
The RNC is a collection of bad movie trailers. Jeeez.
— Mike (@brank_space) August 25, 2020
6. Melania’s neon green dress
I don’t know what Melania Trump expected when she decided to walk down the White House steps on the final night of the RNC dressed like a literal green screen. But people obviously couldn’t resist poking fun at her wardrobe.
7. Melania’s side-eye to Ivanka
We’re not sure what goes on between the first lady and the first daughter behind White House doors, but when Ivanka walked past Melania on stage Thursday night, FLOTUS gave her a not-so-subtle death stare. (Spoiler alert: Everyone noticed.)
Congratulations, everyone! You’ve officially survived the 2020 Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Now we just have to make it to Voting Day.