The Brief: Sunken Trump boat rally memes began appearing on social media after boats began sinking during Trump 2020 boat parades over Labor Day Weekend.
DEEP DIVE
On Sept. 6, a nautical Trump parade took place in Fall Rivers, Wisconsin atop the St. Croix River. According to local news WCCO, one boat capsized after hitting the choppy waters. This event came after several reports of boats sinking during a Trump boat parade on Lake Travis in Austin, Texas the day before. In the wake of the Trump boat parade fiasco, a cryptic image of a sunken ship with a Trump 2020 flag began appearing online.
https://twitter.com/laurenthehough/status/1302790595967098881?s=20
As it turns out, the image is fake, kind of. According to Snopes.com, the photo of the boat is real and was snapped by underwater photographer Dusty Klifman. His online portfolio Blueyes Below features pictures of many sunken ships, including the now iconic “Trump rally boat.” According to his page, that boat sank near Traverse City, Michigan and was first shared in June 2020.
The Trump flag was added to the boat after the fact. Regardless, internet users had a field day sharing the photo to add to the news surrounding boat-based Trump parades over Labor Day weekend.
There’s this one from anti-Trump account @NightlyPolitics.
Trump boat rally pic.twitter.com/7JlBvi5J3t
— The Resistance 🇺🇸 (@NightlyPolitics) September 6, 2020
And here is the image as part of a Labor Day Weekend 2020 mood board.
More memes and reactions:
Do you think if Trump told those SS MAGAritaville dummies they can survive underwater they'd go try to live on their boats at the bottom of Lake Travis? pic.twitter.com/m2zLDvkpBc
— Matt Johnson (@HotPockets4All) September 7, 2020
We’re all in the same boat
The boat: https://t.co/ohC8wAXKlN— Sarah (@Sarah_Liz20) September 7, 2020
See also: pic.twitter.com/J4m0BWAZwx
— Gregory Wild-Smith (@GregWildSmith) September 7, 2020
Can we just a moratorium on gender reveal parties and boat parades?
— Molly Jong-Fast🏡 (@MollyJongFast) September 7, 2020
the trump parade boats sinking lmaooooo pic.twitter.com/gNTAmW0mlQ
— hannah ♡ (@floraofmoon) September 6, 2020
FORGET THE ALAMO. REMEMBER LAKE TRAVIS.
Please vote. Early.— Lauren Hough (@laurenthehough) September 7, 2020
In 50 years or so, history teachers will have their students analyze this picture and explain how it symbolizes the Trump presidency. 😳 https://t.co/j6FWE4tN8o
— Chloe 🙂 (@chloeastroz) September 8, 2020