President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs may have sent global markets into a tailspin, but online, users are finding comic relief in the collapse.
Last week, Trump announced a baseline 10% tariff on all foreign goods, with even higher duties on major trade partners like China and the European Union. In his signature style, the president shared a “dumb-looking chart” to illustrate his new plan.
CNBC reported that the stock market responded swiftly and harshly, with the S&P 500 dropping 5%, the Dow Jones shedding 1,630 points, and the NASDAQ falling nearly 6%. In layman’s terms? “The lines on the screens are going straight down, and all the graphs are bright red, which I think means ‘bad,’” quipped journalist Olivia Craighead.
Despite the financial panic, social media lit up with memes and tongue-in-cheek commentary. “Didn’t even get a Roaring 20s before this Great Depression. I got f**king grad school,” one user posted. Another joked, “So what are we calling this one? Just ‘Great Depression 2’? ‘Greater Depression’? Any suggestions?”
Didn’t even get a Roaring 20s before this Great Depression. I got fucking grad school
— Meg (@megannn_lynne) April 5, 2025
so what are we calling this one. just “great depression 2”? “greater depression”? any suggestions? anybody?
— anna !!! :) 🇵🇸🌸✨🌸🇵🇸 (@frogs4girls) April 3, 2025
Well it’s a good thing I didn’t have any money in the first place
— am rod (@arod_twit) April 2, 2025
“Girl, the tariffs…” is the new excuse I’m using to not go out
— a (@boopyape) April 3, 2025
DEI stood for Da Economy Intact
— chris randle (@randlechris) April 3, 2025
how it feels to watch the economy collapse through memes on twitter pic.twitter.com/Y4fMsunNm4
— Kylie Robison (@kyliebytes) April 2, 2025
As panic gripped investors, another user offered: “The stock market is so bad I saw this dude reflecting,” alongside a photo of a forlorn man staring out a window. And yet, amidst all the digital chaos, one post summed it up best: “Well it’s a good thing I didn’t have any money in the first place.”
Stock market so bad I saw this dude reflecting pic.twitter.com/L3tzUmvvDe
— Tom Cecil (@scopgieb) April 3, 2025
While Trump claims his plan will fix trade imbalances, critics aren’t convinced. “This is not funny,” one X user declared. “Stock markets only do this when they’re in extreme distress.” For now, it’s not clear how long the economic downturn will last, but one thing is certain: the memes will keep coming.
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