The best memes and online reactions from President Joe Biden's inauguration
- Wednesday, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States.
- The event caused chatter online, leading to people making memes and sharing them on social media.
- The most popular included memes about Senator Bernie Sanders and Lady Gaga's performance.
Today, the world watched as Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, with Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the nation's first Black, Asian woman to hold the position.
The ceremony included performances from Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, and Garth Brooks amid the swearing-in, speeches, and an original poem for the event by Amanda Gorman. Appearances from other familiar figures, notably Senator Bernie Sanders, as well as events from earlier in the day made waves online as well.
Read More: 'Democracy has prevailed': President Biden says 'unity is the path forward' in inaugural address
People reacted to the day's events online by doing what they do best: making memes and riffing on some of the inauguration's best moments and images. From Barron Trump's conspicuous absence when former President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump left the White House to Bernie Sanders sitting in a folding chair, these were the best memes from Inauguration Day.
'Where's Barron?'
Footage of President Trump and the former First Lady Melania Trump leaving the White House circulated on social media, but there was one figure conspicuously missing - the pair's teenage son, Barron Trump.
Trump leaving a note for Biden in the White House
While former President Trump broke tradition and did not attend President Biden's inauguration, he reportedly left his successor a note in the Oval Office, as first reported by Bloomberg's Jennifer Jacobs. As Mashable reported, even the reported existence of a note was enough to spark a wave of memes. Many referenced another famous note: Jersey Shore's "Anonymous Letter to Sammi."
Bernie Sanders sitting
Perhaps the most prolific meme to come out of Inauguration Day was this photo of Bernie Sanders, wearing what appears to be a familiar gray coat and set of cozy mittens, sitting in a chair with his hands crossed. The image was so iconic that it immediately began making the rounds online, with some using it to describe familiar scenarios and others editing Bernie into different settings.
Other images of Sanders took off online as well.
Jennifer Lopez referenced her own song during her performance
As Insider's Callie Ahlgrim reported, Jennifer Lopez incited chatter online after she referenced her 2000 single "Let's Get Loud" during her inauguration performance after reciting the national anthem in Spanish. The shoutout went viral on Twitter, with people expressing disbelief that she had included a callback to her own song.
Lady Gaga's national anthem performance sparked memes as well
Even prior to the performance itself, people were making memes about Lady Gaga's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the inauguration, infusing elements of her latest album "Chromatica" into White House settings. Her performance itself also led to a number of memes post-event.
Biden's family Bible became a meme by virtue of its size
President Biden was sworn in on a large, family heirloom Bible that dates back to 1893. Its incredible size led people to compare it to a Cheesecake Factory menu or joke that it dated back to Biblical times itself.
While Wedneseday marked a transition of power in the United States, it also meant that we got some pretty great memes out of it as well.