If you've been doomscrolling your way through political Twitter / X and stumbled upon memes declaring U.S. President Donald Trump the champion of Maoist Third-Worldism, you might be wondering if Horseshoe Theory is real or if this is just leftist irony poisoning at work.

For those not in the know, JDPON Don memes that portray Trump as a champion of the oppressed workers in the Third World have been steadily on the rise ever since he rolled out tariffs that have ticked off American allies and led to some unexpected global team-ups.

After all, anyone who can get South Korea, Japan and China to create a trade pact has to be harboring a master plan to dismantle American hegemony … right?

Here's a closer look at JDPON Don memes and why online leftists are so amused by the idea that President Trump is about to usher in an American recession.

What Does "JDPON" Mean, and Where Did the "JDPON Don" Meme Originate?

JDPON stands for "Joint Dictatorship of the Proletariat of Oppressed Nations," a concept from Maoist Third-Worldism that envisions a global order in which workers in exploited countries overthrow imperialist powers and take control.

Not exactly something you’d expect to be associated with a billionaire president known for his love of golf and gold-plated penthouses.

The earliest known instance of this meme dates back to 2022 when an X user posted a Stalinified version of Donald Trump with the caption, "JDPON Don will usher in #MAGAcommunism."

Yet, the JDPON Don meme took off because some leftists noticed that Trump's economic policies, aggressive tariffs, isolationist stance and America-first rhetoric were ironically weakening U.S. global influence while allowing China to consolidate power.

The idea is that maybe Trump isn't a bumbling nationalist but a secret revolutionary accelerating the downfall of Western dominance to usher in a new world order (spoiler: he isn’t, but that hasn’t stopped the jokes).

How Did JDPON Don Memes Start to Spread?

But the meme didn’t gain traction until late 2024 after Donald Trump’s reelection and his decision to slap tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China (among other nations), moves that, according to some analysts, could actually help China weather economic downturns while undermining U.S. global leadership.

Then came the domino effect. Leftist Twitch streamer Hasan Piker picked up on the joke, declaring that "Trump is a secret Maoist Third-Worldist, he wants the Global South to rise up."

Around the same time, artist and X user @FuknSlammer dropped a now-iconic collage depicting Trump in full Maoist regalia, and suddenly, the internet was awash with memes about the so-called "Chinese Century," the idea that, thanks to Trump, China was about to dominate world trade.

@FuknSlammer pic.twitter.com/u4tdtuPN5r

— Leonardo Salomão (@leosdosreis) January 27, 2025

Throw in the April 2025 recession rumors, a historic trade meeting between China, South Korea and Japan, and a whole lot of ironic posting, and you’ve got the perfect storm for the rise of JDPON Don.

Is it serious? No. Is it hilarious? Perhaps. Will Trump start quoting Mao's Little Red Book at campaign rallies? Stay tuned.

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For the full history of JDPON Don memes, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.