The phrase "Leopards Eating People's Faces Party" sounds like an ancient warning, as if Confucius himself once cautioned, “Join not the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party, lest the leopard eat your face.”

In reality, it’s not ancient wisdom but a viral 2015 tweet by Twitter / X user @cavalorn, who aimed to capture the irony of people voting for policies or leaders that later harm them, often in very predictable ways.

Since then, the expression has become a go-to for calling out instances of self-inflicted regret. It's been used to joke about British citizens lamenting Brexit after unforeseen consequences or Americans facing frustrations with Donald Trump’s presidency, both situations where the “leopards” – perceived as harmful policies or leaders – came back to bite those who supported them.

Here's a look at the history of the catchphrase, what it means and how it's become incorporated into political meme culture.

Where Did The Phrase 'Leopards Eating People's Faces Party' Come From?

The phrase "Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party" was coined by Adrian Bott (@cavalorn) in 2015 on Twitter. His satirical tweet depicted a voter shocked that a harmful policy they supported negatively affected them personally, humorously framing it as voting for “the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party."

Specifically, Bott’s tweet likely targeted the climate of frustration under austerity measures in the U.K., where voters who supported budget cuts later found themselves negatively impacted by those same policies.

How Did Jokes About The Leopards Eating People's Faces Party Spread?

The catchphrase became synonymous with jokes about regretful voters, especially with more people realizing the effects that Brexit and Donald Trump's presidency would have on their lives. A dedicated subreddit, /r/LeopardsAteMyFace, was created in 2017 where users shared examples of people lamenting the negative outcomes of their countrymen's choices.

In July 2020, Redditor i-like-to-be-wooshed posted an example of a Brexit voter upset at facing an immigration queue in an EU country, while user boinky-boink^[7] posted an example of a Trump voter replying to the President saying he would suspend immigration to the United States by asking if it would affect his Filipino wife trying to immigrate.

Why Are Jokes About 'Face Eating Leopards' Making The Rounds In 2024?

The phrase "Leopards Eating People's Faces Party" has seen a resurgence in 2024, coinciding with the results of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election that ultimately saw former President Donald Trump beat VP Kamala Harris in both electoral votes and the popular vote.

In particular, Latino men’s unexpected increase in support for Trump, despite the potential risk to their own families or fellow immigrants from rumored deportations, sparked new instances of the meme in November 2024.

---

For the full history of the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.