Meme Overview

The Worst Trade Deal is a popular image macro series featuring a screen capture of Donald Trump, often captioned with the phrase 'This has been the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals, maybe ever.' The meme humorously depicts various exchanges between individuals.

How It Began

The meme originated during the first presidential debate on September 25, 2016, where Donald Trump criticized NAFTA, calling it 'the worst trade deal maybe ever signed anywhere.' The earliest known version of the meme was posted on December 27, 2016, by Instagram user @memegourmet, featuring a caption about disappointing Christmas gifts. This post garnered over 7,000 likes within four years.

Meme Evolution

The meme gained traction on January 7, 2017, when Twitter user @tatummoleski shared a screenshot of Trump with the caption related to sending nudes. This was followed by various interpretations and adaptations across platforms, including an Instagram post by @dabmoms about splitting a restaurant bill on January 21, 2017. Reddit became a hotspot for the meme, with users posting variations and gaining significant upvotes, further cementing its popularity in meme culture.