On April 9th, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump paused most of his newly announced global tariffs just days after they caused a steep drop in the stock market.

When pressed about the sudden reversal, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed criticism by saying, "Many of you in the media clearly missed The Art of the Deal."

That quote quickly became meme fodder, adding to years of internet jokes about Trump's book. But to understand why people keep referencing (and sometimes mocking) the book, it helps to know what The Art of the Deal actually is and how it became meme shorthand for Trump's unconventional negotiation tactics.

What is 'The Art of the Deal,' Anyway?

Published in 1987, The Art of the Deal is Donald Trump's memoir, business gospel and personal branding exercise, ghostwritten by journalist Tony Schwartz.

The book paints Trump as a bold, media-savvy dealmaker who always wins, mostly through relentless self-promotion and sheer force of ego and persistence.

Trump claims that the book sold millions of copies, and critics note that it helped establish Trump's reputation as a titan of business (bankruptcies aside). Schwartz has since disavowed the book, calling it misleading and expressing regret over helping shape Trump’s public persona.

Still, it remains a reference point in Trump’s political brand, especially when deal-making is involved.

What Are Some Memes About 'The Art of the Deal'?

Online, The Art of the Deal is sometimes used to comment on Donald Trump's blunders, especially since his foray into politics. Among his critics, it's essentially become meme shorthand for, "Oops, that was dumb."

One early example came in May 2017, when X / Twitter user @jordan_stratton joked about Trump's infamous glowing orb photo, captioning it as a fake chapter in the book and gathering over 2,000 likes.

Another meme from November 2020 mocked Trump for paying $3 million for a recount in Wisconsin, only to lose more votes to former President Joe Biden, earning over 75,000 upvotes on Reddit.

Fast forward to February 2025: President Trump imposes tariffs on Mexico and Canada but then course corrects without either country offering new concessions.

The X account @LondonEconomic joked that Canada "agreed to do something they were already doing," while Redditor /u/jeffsaidjess shared a greentext containing the book cover with the caption, "Just unconditionally surrender."

Why Did White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Bring Up 'The Art of the Deal'?

In early April 2025, President Donald Trump declared "Global Liberation Day" by slapping reciprocal tariffs on over 100 countries, triggering the Orange Monday stock crash and rising bond prices.

After days of confusion, controversy and pressure, Trump reversed course and paused most tariffs, excluding China (where tariffs jumped to 125 percent amid the trade war with the U.S.). Some spun this as "genius leverage," while others viewed it as a total mess.

Enter White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who responded to criticism this week by declaring, "Many of you in the media clearly missed The Art of the Deal."

With that, the internet lit up with memes about the book yet again. On April 9th, 2025, Adrian Dittman (once thought to be Elon Musk's sock puppet account) posted a Kramer, What’s Going On In There? meme, gathering 3,900 likes in less than 24 hours.

Meanwhile, X user @thickyrubio quote-tweeted Leavitt with a clip of comedian Shane Gillis putting a gun in his mouth and then turning it on others, gathering over 58,000 likes since yesterday.

the art of the deal pic.twitter.com/e8SwP86pnP https://t.co/YmaddpKUo4

— j (@thickyrubio) April 9, 2025

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For the full history of The Art of the Deal, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.