About

Obama Inauguration Crowd vs. Trump Inauguration Crowd refers to a series of exploitable image macros based on two aerial images of crowds gathered at the National Mall in Washington D.C. during the inauguration days of U.S. presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. The format usually adds a third image with an even larger crowd from another real or fictional event.

Origin

On January 20th, 2017, the inauguration of United States President Donald Trump took place. On the same day, PBS NewsHour tweeted^[1] an aerial image of the crowd gathered at the National Mall for the event and a photograph of a larger crowd that gathered for Barack Obama's inauguration day in 2009 (tweet shown below). The tweet received over 18,500 retweets and 24,100 likes in four years. Later other media, including ABC,^[2] shared similar side-by-side photographs of the event (shown below, right).

While the exact first post to use the comparison image as a template for memes is unknown, the earliest known examples were posted by users on Instagram and Facebook starting on the following day. For example, on January 21st, 2017, Facebook^[3] page Tailgunner- A Re-Creation Of Iron Maiden posted the earliest found meme based on the comparison image, adding an extra panel depicting a crowd at an Iron Maiden concert (shown below, left). The post gained over 290 reactions and 1,600 shares. On January 23rd, 2017, Instagram^[4] page tehlurdoftehreings posted a Lord of the Rings meme that gained over 4,000 likes (shown below, right).

Spread

More viral posts based on the format were posted in the following days. For example, on January 25th, 2017, Instagram^[5] page gotinsider reposted a Game of Thrones meme that gained over 36,700 likes in four years (shown below, left). On January 27th, iFunny^[6] user Analucifer posted a Cars meme created by an unknown user, with the post being featured on the app and gaining over 161,400 smiles in four years (shown below, rights). In the following years, the post was reposted multiple times across most major platforms.

In the following years, the format maintained a notable presence online, particularly on Facebook and Instagram. For example, on May 19th, 2017, Facebook^[7] page RVCJ Media posted a meme that gained over 66,000 reactions and 2,300 shares in four years (shown below, left). On September 15th, 2020, Instagram^[8] page dankest_left reposted a Bass Pro Shop meme that gained over 900 likes (shown below, center). On November 8th, 2021, Instagram^[9] page king.lothbroks posted a Vikings meme that gained over 9,500 likes (shown below, right).

On November 30th, 2021, Twitter^[10] user @REALFishFeeling reposted the Cars version of the meme, with their viral post causing a surge in usage of the format.

Various Examples

Template

Search Interest

External References