January 22, 2021, 03:10 AM
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Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States at around 12:50am on Jan. 21 (Singapore time).
As the country witnessed a peaceful transition of power, Internet users got to work, turning several iconic moments into memes and videos.
Here are some that came out of the inauguration.
Trump on his way out of the White House
In Trump's parting speech, in which he failed to mention Biden and Harris' names again, he wished the new administration "great luck and great success".
Saying they have "the foundation to do something really spectacular", he added that it is because his administration has "put it in a position like it has never been before".
Trump ended his speech by saying, "We will be back in some form."
"Have a good life. We will see you soon."
have a good life pic.twitter.com/rwlpHkMECa
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) January 20, 2021
https://twitter.com/kimmerman_/status/1351904865421848578
https://twitter.com/DESTINYJENAE/status/1351581436365697026
The White House at noon pic.twitter.com/ac2oEGv5aF
— Greg Bennett (@GreggyBennett) January 20, 2021
Biden and Harris' first day in office
During Biden's swearing-in ceremony, the massive 127-year-old family Bible he used caught the Internet's attention.
Very cool to include the Cheesecake Factory menu in this special ceremony. pic.twitter.com/11M0v3e1T2
— Karen Howell (@karenehowell) January 20, 2021
The fist bump shared between Kamala Harris, the first black and South Asian woman to become Vice President, and Michelle Obama, the first black woman who held the role of first lady, resonated with people.
The universe was created when Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama fist bumped. #InaugurationDay pic.twitter.com/C89TCZgB0S
— Amancé (@AmanAdwin) January 20, 2021
Harris being sworn in left some shookt.
https://twitter.com/Lermskees/status/1351934609311690757
The letter that Trump left for Biden before he left the Oval Office had the Internet guessing about its contents.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKRigdhh_bc/
Some also made memes that referenced Trump's hint at a political comeback.
Meme via @whitepeoplehumor/IG
Cold Bernie
Bernie Sanders, the runner-up for the Democratic nomination, became the subject of most of the memes that came out of the inauguration.
He was photographed sitting with his hands crossed in front of him, looking cozy while bundled up in the same parka that he had previously worn in a fundraising video for his presidential campaign, which had also become a meme.
“This could’ve been an email” pic.twitter.com/kn68z6eDhY
— Ashley K. (@AshleyKSmalls) January 20, 2021
The contrast was even more apparent with everyone else dressed to the nines, while he arrived with an envelope in his hands like he had to run some errands afterwards.
Bernie dressed like the inauguration is on his to do list today but ain’t his whole day. pic.twitter.com/wCRyoxU3V2
— Reeezy (@MsReeezy) January 20, 2021
Bernie is your uncle who walks into your graduation dinner, hands you a check he just ripped out of his checkbook, no card, and asks the waiter where the nearest UPS Dropbox is because he needs to return something while he’s out. pic.twitter.com/Hpc8EWABCl
— R. Eric Thomas (@oureric) January 20, 2021
People took note of his hand-knit mittens as well, which were made using materials that achieve sustainability.
https://twitter.com/rubycramer/status/1351915535647330306
The memeable image of Sanders sitting socially-distanced away from everyone else, as he was at higher risk for Covid-19 due to his age and past health issues, meant he was photoshopped into a bunch of different pictures too.
some album covers with cold Bernie pic.twitter.com/teg6TWBdXV
— Pigeons & Planes (@PigsAndPlans) January 20, 2021
Good Bernie work pic.twitter.com/PN6RI1zVlU
— Stephen Mangan (@StephenMangan) January 21, 2021
https://twitter.com/WaywardWinifred/status/1351986145962422286
Harris' stepdaughter
Internet users were obsessed with what Harris' 21-year-old stepdaughter Ella Emhoff was wearing too.
what brooklyn once was // what brooklyn has become pic.twitter.com/J5GCgJZISp
— p.e. moskowitz (@_pem_pem) January 20, 2021
Her response when she saw her stepmother's predecessor, Mike Pence, didn't go unnoticed as well.
A unique reaction to Mike Pence's presence by Ella Emhoff @CNN @CNNPolitics pic.twitter.com/VE2WRc6x8W
— amanda the good witch (@sloppymenace) January 20, 2021
Michelle Obama looking fly
People were also impressed when Michelle Obama arrived looking sharp in her burgundy outfit.
A TikTok user, who said Obama is "out here serving", made a video of her walking through the Capitol like the viral "walk" challenge that requires users to film themselves walking slowly in a cute outfit to the tune of "Let me see if you can walk."
https://twitter.com/cxllenpnd/status/1351922191416213505
Me watching Michelle in her burgundy outfit. Hair is laid, makeup is right, bawdy, class!!! I just- wow pic.twitter.com/4bqS9jqfZv
— Rosebud (@SincereLaughs) January 20, 2021
People even dug up pictures of her exactly four years ago when she attended Trump's inauguration.
In an interview with ABC News, she had revealed a little of what she was feeling that day, saying she had "stopped even trying to smile".
how it started how its going#Inauguration2021 #Inauguration #Inaugurationday pic.twitter.com/C12n9cnC7A
— B E A N Z The Games Whisperer (@BeanzGotGamez2) January 20, 2021
She, Harris and current first lady Jill Biden were dressed similarly as they all arrived in long overcoats with a single colour scheme.
Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris & Jill Biden really said, “what, like it’s hard?” pic.twitter.com/uUYqei7FHo
— Steez (@stephsabraw) January 20, 2021
The group chat said: JEWEL TONES. 1/20. pic.twitter.com/VctSwAutao
— Dawn Chambers’ Anger Translator (@shannboogie) January 20, 2021
the jonas brothers... 2.0 pic.twitter.com/kmNmuOIAbs
— Georgia (@georgtreadgold) January 20, 2021
Lady Gaga and "The Hunger Games"
The incredibly large bird brooch that Lady Gaga was wearing reminded people of "The Hunger Games" movie, as the mockingjay pin was the symbol of rebellion that protagonist Katniss Everdeen received.
Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the 1st Hunger Games pic.twitter.com/QhBxozb38h
— Orenji (@MunchingOrange) January 20, 2021
— Marc (@MarcSnetiker) January 20, 2021
Amanda Gorman the poet
As the youngest inaugural poet in America's history, 22-year-old Amanda Gorman gave a powerful reading of her poem, "The Hill We Climb".
The poem was written when the Capitol Hill siege happened, she told the New York Times.
While she was not exactly made into a meme, Twitter users, including former President Barack Obama, were stunned by her talent.
On a day for the history books, @TheAmandaGorman delivered a poem that more than met the moment. Young people like her are proof that "there is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it; if only we're brave enough to be it." pic.twitter.com/mbywtvjtEH
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 20, 2021
https://twitter.com/ashleyn1cole/status/1351942787625672710
You see how Amanda Gorman just made you feel??
— Ally (@ally_roza) January 20, 2021
This is why art matters so much. It has the ability to cut through and gets right to the heart of the matter.
I guarantee most will forget the majority of these speeches, but it will be hard to forget what she just did today.
Biden spent the rest of the day signing executive orders that reversed Trump's policies, sought to alleviate the debilitating impact of Covid-19 on the country, and put his ambitious climate plan into motion.
Trump had skipped Biden's inauguration and flew to South Florida, where he was greeted by his supporters who arrived from all over the country, before he went to his Mar-a-Lago resort.
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Top image adapted via @AshleyKSmalls & @jobros_g on Twitter
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