Trump and BoJo become meme-fodder for the #resistance at G7 summit
US President Donald Trump’s appearance alongside new UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the G7 summit gave their liberal opponents the opportunity to sharpen their snark and post some viral but predictable memes.
The two golden-haired heads of state appeared to hit it off over breakfast on Sunday morning, with Trump calling Johnson “the right man for the job” to deliver Brexit, and Johnson congratulating Trump on the US’ economy. The two leaders gave each other a quick ‘you da man’ finger-point, which was seized on by meme creators.
Is Trump pointing at Boris and saying "you weren't elected by the people, me neither, we have so much in common, we are going to be the bigglyest of friends".
— Baron Von Skinnback (@VonSkinnback) August 25, 2019
No, no....he's the BIGGEST liar!
— Nigel Todd (@nigelwingrove) August 25, 2019
Aside from the mockery, the inevitable ‘Johnson is Trump’s poodle’ and ‘lapdog’ memes began circulating.
— PeteHowells #RevokeArticle50 #StopBrexit #FBPE (@Peter__Howells) August 25, 2019
Boris Johnson - Trump's Poodle 🐩#SaveOurNHS#JohnsonsNoDealBrexit#G7Summitpic.twitter.com/bupasF51dC
— The Agitator (@UKDemockery) August 25, 2019
Analyzing a later appearance of the two, the body language experts of the internet declared that Johnson had deliberately made himself appear smaller beside Trump, a symbolic move of deference to the US leader.
Get used to that moment where Johnson tries to lead Trump off to his right and Trump just stands there so Johnson has to go back and stand obediently at his side like a fucking racist lapdog because that’s basically our future now.pic.twitter.com/RGoBgMgMBo
— 🏳️🌈 Max 🏳️🌈 (@SpillerOfTea) August 25, 2019
Though Johnson did make a failed attempt to lead Trump aside at the bottom of the stairs, the British PM stands at 5’9” (1.75m) next to Trump’s towering 6’3” (1.9m). Short of wearing a pair of stilts, there is nothing Johnson could have done to stand eye-to-eye with Trump.
However, the body language of the powerful always comes up for analysis at events like the G7. Time columnist Ian Bremmer described Trump’s arms-folded pose at a later meeting of leaders as “petulant,” like the iconic shot from last year’s summit in Canada, which appeared to show German Chancellor Angela Merkel telling off a defiant Trump.
Trump obliges with another petulant G7 pose. pic.twitter.com/pa9X1EXB6s
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) August 25, 2019
One person sitting back with arms folded and pulled in tight. The others participating and working. Trump’s body language says: Fuck off. pic.twitter.com/6H2u9VUxaF
— NastyGirl🎧 (@MaureennKelly) August 25, 2019
A picture can easily be taken out of context though, and that’s exactly what happened last year in Canada. Blaming “Fake News Media” for circulating the image in question, Trump responded by tweeting out a series of other pictures showing himself and his G7 comrades in better spirits.
I have a great relationship with Angela Merkel of Germany, but the Fake News Media only shows the bad photos (implying anger) of negotiating an agreement - where I am asking for things that no other American President would ask for! pic.twitter.com/Ib97nN5HZt
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2018
Aside from sending subliminal signals of dominance, as the armchair psychologists of Twitter suggested, Trump pledged to do a “very big trade deal” with post-Brexit Britain. Though both leaders spoke warmly about their meeting, Johnson cautioned that such a deal will not be “smooth sailing,” and will be contingent on the US opening up its markets.
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