This year has been a whirlwind for political news, with social media buzzing with reactions.

What began as a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump took an unexpected turn when the Democrats made a last-minute change to their candidate. Nevertheless, this didn’t stop Trump, who went on to secure a clear victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. During his initial weeks in the presidential transition, Trump hastily appointed loyal advisors to his Cabinet.

As political drama unfolded, so did a flood of online discussions and memes. Below are some of the most viral political moments from 2024.

Biden’s reaction to Marjorie Taylor Greene’s MAGA attire at SOTU

During Biden’s State of the Union address in March, one moment captured the attention of social media users: his response to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., donning a “Make America Great Again” hat.

While some criticized Greene for allegedly violating House rules on decorum, many found humor in the widely circulated clip.

“Imagine being roasted like this by the President of the United States; it’s brutal,” a user posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

House members clash over personal remarks

An intense exchange took place in May at the House Oversight Committee among Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., regarding a release of Biden’s interviews with special counsel Robert Hur.

“Do you know what we’re here for?” Crockett asked Greene, who retorted, “I don’t think you know what you’re here for. Your fake eyelashes might be blurring your vision.”

Ocasio-Cortez intervened to chastise Greene for her remarks about appearance. Crockett’s response went viral:

“If someone on this committee starts commenting on someone’s bleach-blonde, poorly built, butch body, that wouldn’t be engaging in personalities, right?” Crockett remarked.

Candidates exchange playful golf banter in debate

The June presidential debate between Biden and Trump turned out to be a highlight, ultimately leading to the downfall of Biden’s re-election bid.

In a memorable segment, the candidates strayed from the primary topics to engage in playful golf trash talk.

In response to moderator Dana Bash’s question about their ages (Trump at 78 and Biden at 81), both challenged each other to a golf match, exchanging competitive remarks and bragging about their golfing abilities.

“I just won two club championships, not senior, just two regular ones. To achieve that, you need to be quite smart and hit the ball,” Trump commented. “He can’t even hit it past 50 yards.”

“By the way, I’ve already mentioned I’m ready to play if you carry your own bag,” Biden told Trump. “Do you think you can handle it?”

Vice President-elect JD Vance draws attention

Vice President-elect JD Vance frequently went viral during the campaign, with notable moments including an awkward visit to a doughnut shop and his comments about car seat regulations. However, one particular interview clip stood out: his remark about “childless cat ladies.”

After being announced as Trump’s running mate, a past interview on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” from July 2021 resurfaced.

“We are effectively governed by a group of childless cat ladies who are dissatisfied with their choices in life and seek to make the rest of the American public miserable as well,” Vance stated on the show. “It’s simply a fact. Look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC—none of the influential Democrats have children.”

This comment garnered significant mention throughout the campaign, surfacing even in Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Harris.

Harris embraces internet culture in campaign

With Harris leading the Democratic campaign, her new team wasted no time tapping into internet trends. British singer Charli XCX, whose album inspired the term “brat summer,” tweeted “kamala IS brat,” which led to the KamalaHQ X account being dressed in vibrant “BRAT” lime green and lettering.

The account bio humorously stated “providing context,” hinting at a now-viral moment where Harris narrated a story involving a coconut tree.

“You think you just dropped down from a coconut tree? You exist within the larger context of everything around you and your history,” Harris said in the clip which gained widespread attention.

The campaign openly embraced discussions around her fondness for Venn diagrams.

Surprise guest at the DNC? No one!

On the last night of the Democratic National Convention, rumors circulated wildly about who the surprise guest performer might be; however, they all turned out to be incorrect.

The online community had speculated:

• Taylor Swift
• Beyoncé
• Mitt Romney
• George W. Bush
• Australian breakdancer Raygun
• Tom Holland performing a lip-sync of ‘Umbrella’
• Dolly Parton, Simone Biles, and a solitary screeching eagle

‘They’re consuming the dogs they’re consuming the cats’

Baseless rumors suggesting that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets took over the internet.

In the lead-up to the presidential debate between Trump and Harris, this rumor gained traction, fueled by seemingly AI-generated images circulating on social media that depicted Trump cuddling various animals.

The rumor gained further attention when Trump referenced it during the debate, causing uproar in the community.

At the same time, TikTok users turned his statement into a dance remix.

Trump makes fries at McDonald’s

As Trump and Harris entered the final phase of their campaign, Trump stopped by a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, bringing up his unfounded claim that Harris never worked there despite her stating she did in the 1980s to cover her college expenses.

“I’m looking for a job, and I always wanted to work at McDonald’s, but I never did,” Trump mentioned in a video shared on X. “I’m running against someone who says she did, but it turns out to be a completely fabricated story.”

With an apron over his signature dress shirt and red tie, he was seen serving fries and working the drive-through.

This clip quickly went viral, and the campaign capitalized on it by launching “MAGADonald’s” t-shirts for sale.

‘Two analysts arguing’: Nate Silver and Allan Lichtman clash on election forecasts

As election apprehension grew among Americans, polls and predictions took center stage. Two experts debated their forecasts in a public exchange critiquing each other’s methods.

Historian Allan Lichtman has a reputation for accurately predicting election outcomes, while Nate Silver is a well-known statistician. Lichtman employed his 13-keys method to forecast that Harris would capture the White House, whereas Silver’s analysis suggested Trump had a more favorable chance of securing the Electoral College.

Silver challenged Lichtman on X: “At least 7 or 8 of the keys clearly favor Trump. Sorry, my friend, but that’s what the keys indicate. Are you suggesting they are entirely arbitrary?”

Lichtman responded: “He’s neither a historian nor a political scientist. He lacks academic credentials. He was incorrect when he claimed I couldn’t predict Obama’s re-election early (in 2010). He’ll likely be mistaken again in analyzing the keys.”

The two continued their disagreement. Following Trump’s election victory, Lichtman had to clarify why his 13 Keys model did not yield the expected results.

Yet, the back-and-forth entertained some observers.

“If you’re unaware of their context, this entire argument resembles two wizards arguing,” quipped Capitol Forum reporter Paul McLeod.