The biggest news of the day is that President Trump placed his hands on a glowing globe along with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, and the resultant uplighting of their faces meant that it looked a bit evil.
The Saudi Embassy originally tweeted out the photo, which was taken at The Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology in Riyadh.
@KingSalman and @POTUS inaugurate The Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology in Riyadh. #RiyadhSummit pic.twitter.com/do6cFL7wBW
— Saudi Embassy (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) May 21, 2017
As soon as the picture went public, however, the context was completely lost in a sea of Twitter nonsense:
Not googling this and just assuming Trump has gone full Saruman evil wizard. pic.twitter.com/l3xenG5BQ0
— Nick Amadeus (@NickAmadeus) May 21, 2017
@Julian_Epp @seanbedlam pic.twitter.com/6hYQlB1ghc
— Voltramax (@voltramax) May 22, 2017
@Julian_Epp You know, there's something familiar about that orb… pic.twitter.com/TrWQyH9Xhf
— 3-bit Gamer Show (@3bitGamerShow) May 22, 2017
tfw you and your friends unearth an ancient alien hell orb and combine your powers inside it to stop superman >>>>> pic.twitter.com/kzsYEKC4R0
— jon hendren (@fart) May 21, 2017
"Surrender, Superman or all of Metropolis will be destroyed" pic.twitter.com/g8Gqh3rAm9
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) May 21, 2017
Conspiracy theorists asked the question ‘is this a sign that the new world order is about to begin under Trump’s reign?’:
While some have expressed concern regarding Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, amid the backdrop of one of the biggest arms deal of all time, reportedly worth $110 billion, it was the glowing orb that caused the biggest stir, because it looks like something from Harry Potter, Star Wars, or Star Trek.
@fart pic.twitter.com/Im48J0NHa4
— crumb bum (@flyoverstates) May 21, 2017
@cd_hooks it's totally the Orb of Peace from the end of The Phantom Menace pic.twitter.com/KuBEIfKWdY
— Will T (@historicus91) May 21, 2017
Why does this look like the scene in Harry Potter where the death eaters find the prophecy orb in the department of mysteries pic.twitter.com/VYW5LfpUly
— CMC (@ChaseClynch_) May 21, 2017
Where have I seen that #TrumpInSaudi #Orb before? Oh yeah… pic.twitter.com/UegLaV0Ofu
— Josh (@awesomeplant) May 22, 2017
The Washington Post actually printed the following:
When President Trump laid hands on the glowing Saudi mystery orb, he pledged allegiance to “Its Luminescence,” summoned the forces of Sauron to take over Middle-earth and created an “army of Moderate Muslims to fight terror.”
Even Space Jam was injected into the conversation:
big deal some guys put their hands on a glowing orb it's not like they're going to get super powers oh my god this is how space jam started pic.twitter.com/3rGPNr4yPD
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) May 22, 2017
The Trump orb is too reminiscent of the monstars getting their powers from the basketball in Space Jam. pic.twitter.com/ox6OxHvIWv
— lauratellsjokes (@lauratellsjokes) May 22, 2017
OK, this one is quite funny:
Looks like he's having fun. #trump #static #ball #globe #SaudiArabia #POTUSAbroad #RiyadhSummit pic.twitter.com/0Y6nxRbm14
— The Hounds of Czar (@TheHoundsofCzar) May 21, 2017
Some speculated that Trump had ‘made a wish’ when touching the orb:
trump 100% made a wish when he touched the orb pic.twitter.com/S0TlxgxtBY
— KRANG T. NELSON (@KrangTNelson) May 21, 2017
When others called for context, it was duly given:
It was unfair to show the orb photo cropped. Here it is with full context and it is not weirder at all. pic.twitter.com/JZ9HXvC0Gf
— Comic Sans Defender (@TibiusReynolds) May 21, 2017
What do you think? Is Trump ushering in an evil new era? Or was he just caught in an ill thought out photo-op?
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