An assassination attempt rattled the nation. Then came the memes.

After the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, many people on social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter reacted with dark humor, making jokes about the event. This reflects a sense of apathy towards presidential politics and desensitization to violence, especially among younger generations who have grown up with political polarization and gun violence. Experts say that humor can be a way to cope with tragedy, but it can also be a way to engage with the issues at hand. Some jokes were criticized for being insensitive and violating laws against threatening political figures. Despite the absurdity of the situation, the death of an innocent bystander is not a joke.