By now, you’ve likely heard the news that President Donald Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus. The news broke around 1 am ET on Friday morning—amid a flurry of reports that Trump’s top aide Hope Hicks had tested positive, and had been in contact with not just the president and First Lady Melania Trump but a number of high-ranking Republicans.
Ultimately, the news was delivered by none other than Trump himself. Or, whoever was handed the keys to his Twitter account, anyway, since the author of the tweet showed enough restraint in not referring to the disease as the “China” or “Wuhan” virus.
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
For everyone who has been wringing their hands in frustrations over the past six months due to Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic, the news was not unwelcome. The United States leads the world in both COVID-19 cases and deaths. And even though Trump admitted on record that he intentionally downplayed the virus, he still refuses to take responsibility.
But perhaps the ultimate chef’s kiss was that just two days before testing positive, Trump mocked former Vice President Joe Biden during Tuesday night’s debate for wearing a mask to prevent the spread and transmission of the disease. You know, like Trump’s own infectious disease official Dr. Anthony S. Fauci recommends everyone does.
“I don’t wear a mask like him, every time you see him he’s got a mask,” Trump said during a debate segment on the coronavirus. “He could be speaking 200 feet away from—and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
The irony and karma are almost just too much to bear, and it should come as little surprise that people were quick to evoke the moment in the wake of the news.
Here's Trump — who just announced he and Melania are under quarantine for possible COVID infection — mocking Joe Biden at Tuesday's debate for wearing a mask pic.twitter.com/Q9cFtqezwc
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) October 2, 2020
Here's Trump mocking Biden for wearing a mask at the debate on Tuesday. He traveled to that debate with Hope Hicks, who has tested positive for coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/MvFs3HR2Z3
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) October 2, 2020
Remember that time Trump made fun of Biden for wearing a mask? Oh wait, that was Tuesday.#TrumpHasCovid
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) October 2, 2020
Hope Hicks has COVID-19 and is now experiencing sypmtoms. She travelled with Trump to the debate — maskless.
Trump was just 6 feet away from Biden during the debate for 90 minutes.Trump was mocking @JoeBiden for wearing a mask.
— Cheri Jacobus (@CheriJacobus) October 2, 2020
TRUMP TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID DAYS AFTER MAKING FUN OF BIDEN FOR WEARING “THE BIGGEST MASK HES EVER SEEN” OMFG!!!!
— Marina (@oxminaox) October 2, 2020
And there was no shortage of memes, naturally.
Trump: “Biden you always got that big ass mask on when I see you”
Corona: pic.twitter.com/aD8aNhMGBK
— Lip Gallagher (@tonestradamus) October 2, 2020
how does trump call out biden for always wearing a mask and days later trump got covid? ms. karma working overtime #TrumpHasCovid pic.twitter.com/yqQTrFcrEY
— ☃️ ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ❄️ (@MilabuReigns) October 2, 2020
it’s the way that trump made fun of Biden for wearing a mask virus not even 72 hours ago for me???? #TrumpHasCovid pic.twitter.com/MqtFIybTFd
— g (@gulbeenxsheikh) October 2, 2020
Trump testing positive for Corona after making fun of Joe Biden for always wearing a mask during Tuesdays debate pic.twitter.com/JHVR0j46TF
— 1984’s George Whorewell (@EwdatsGROSS) October 2, 2020
Of course, someone mashed up the video footage with the theme music to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Fire up the "It's Always Sunny" theme music pic.twitter.com/lDkHarsJMu
— Justice delos Santos (@justdelossantos) October 2, 2020
Meanwhile, Joe Biden took a COVID-19 test and was negative as of Friday morning.
