Donald Trump Subjected to Numerous ‘You’re Fired’ Tweets in Wake of Projected Loss

On Saturday, as news that President Donald Trump is the projected loser of the 2020 election, Americans had two words for him: “you’re fired.” Many people took up Trump’s signature catchphrase from his days as a reality TV host, calling on the president to concede. Unlike many of the amicable contestants on The Apprentice, Trump intends to continue contesting the 2020 presidential election.

Around mid-morning on Saturday, Pennsylvania reported enough votes counted to declare former Vice President Joe Biden the winner in that state. That allowed The Associated Press and many other news agencies to project Biden as the winner of the election overall, though counting votes continues. On this auspicious occasion, many Americans reached deep into their memories of Trump, past his time in the Oval Office and back to the days when he was the star of NBC‘s The Apprentice. Back then, his best-known slogan was not “make America great again” or “lock her up,” but simply: “you’re fired.”

The Apprentice ran for 15 seasons in various incarnations on NBC but originally centered around Trump himself as a businessman looking for his next protégé. Each week, Trump would “fire” one person to their face, until only one person was left to take the job he was offering.

Today, that cutthroat portrayal seems like a far cry from the president Americans have had for four years, some critics say. Trump has frequently complained about his presidency’s unfairness, even going so far as to suggest that he “deserves” a third term — against the laws of the U.S. government.

With more votes to count, the election is not over, recounts to come and the Trump campaign’s legal challenges to work out in court. However, political analysts across the country are confidently predicting that Biden will be the 46th president and that Trump is out of a job. Here’s a look at how Twitter confronted him on Saturday.

Predictable Irony

In most cases, Twitter users did not fail to note that the “you’re fired” jokes were predictable, and many tried to make them with a hint of irony. Still, the fact remained that the line was simply too apt to pass up on this occasion.

Celebrities

Everyone from Jordan Peele to Stephen King was primed and ready to post Trump’s old catchphrase when the moment came, and they did not disappoint.

Subversion

Predicting the slew of “you’re fired” tweets coming, some people — particularly comedians — looked for ways to subvert the joke and turn it on its head. Podcaster Griffin McElroy, who has been purposefully absent for Twitter for years now, even dropped back in to for a fan-favorite “your fried.”

Knowingly Ironic

Many people were so overjoyed to have Trump out of office that they posted cliche slogans, acknowledging that they were overdone, yet feeling vindicated by the occasion.

Public Declaration

Some took it way beyond social media, including the mysterious airplane pilot who flew a “you’re fired” banner over Orlando, Florida. Stunts like this seemed to get extra points for the forethought that went into them.

Political Cartoons

Trump’s presidency has been a wild ride for political cartoonists, and on the day Biden was projected as winner, many turned to old stand-bys like “you’re fired” for the climactic punch line. In many cases, it was analogous for the American people, such as the Statue of Liberty who delivered this line.

Whole Team

Finally, many users pointed out that it was not just Trump leaving the White House, but his whole administration, and more. Many were eager to see cabinet members, advisers and un-elected appointees on their way out along with the president.