Senator Bernie Sanders has gone viral yet again by staying seated amid a standing ovation during President Donald Trump’s inaugural speech.
The Vermont independent attended Trump’s inauguration on Monday afternoon, which took place indoors at the US Capitol on account of freezing temperatures in Washington, D.C.
Sanders — a progressive lawmaker and opponent of Trump’s — has caught the attention of social media by remaining unmoved as those around him were up on their feet applauding the new president. The image evokes a similarly iconic meme from former president Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration, during which Sanders was pictured sitting bundled up in mittens and a winter coat on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
“Bernie is at it again,” one X user wrote.
“Inside or outside, same pose,” another user quipped, posting the same images side-by-side.
“He’s such an icon,” a different user added.
In his inaugural speech, Trump told the nation that God had saved him from the assassination attempt against him so that he might live to “make America great again.” He went on to promise a new “Golden Age” for the United States before launching into a slate of policy priorities he plans to carry out in the coming days, largely through executive orders.
Trump is expected to sign some 200 executive orders in the coming days, many of which will relate to immigration and the US-Mexico border.
Bernie Sanders became a meme for his outfit at Joe Biden’s inauguration. (Getty Images)
Sanders attended alongside several lawmakers and notable allies of Trump. Guests included a slate of billionaires, such as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon owner Jeff Bezos, and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.
Meanwhile, others declined to attend, including fellow progressive lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The lawmaker, who represents the Bronx and Queens, said she would be skipping the event because she “doesn’t celebrate rapists.”
Last year, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing the writer E. Jean Carroll in 1996. Additionally, at least 18 women have accused Trump of varying inappropriate behavior, including allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
