Last night, news broke that the FBI was conducting a search of former president Donald J. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, while Trump was in New York City.

Rather: we heard from Trump himself that Mar-a-Lago was “under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents.”

NEW: Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home searched by FBI agents, he says pic.twitter.com/Bneb0ZvQik

— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) August 8, 2022

But while Trump was making his case for this approved search constituting “prosecutorial misconduct,” the internet was busy processing that the search was happening in the first place. It’s not every day that a former president undergoes an unexpected search, and that the FBI obtained a warrant to do so has some significant implications.

The FBI director who approved the raid of Mar-a-Lago was appointed by Trump.

I can’t stop laughing.

— Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) August 9, 2022

The raid is allegedly related to classified records that Trump removed from the White House and took with him to Mar-a-Lago.

Meanwhile, the internet did what it does best: lost its mind about it.

What’s incredible about the memes this event generated is that not a single one would make sense without a wealth of equally surreal moments from recent history to contextualize it. Some meme trends are self-explanatory and self-contained, but then there’s something like this:

Found in Trump's safe pic.twitter.com/lgKwsMreQ0

— West Wing Reports (by Paul Brandus) (@WestWingReport) August 9, 2022

I mean, you kinda just had to be there.

Each of these is a rich text, and also, yes, entertaining. Please enjoy.

⚠️ ITS TIME TO BEREAL ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/qZa1hM0ffF

— JM🪩 (@JawnMike) August 9, 2022

Got some footage of the FBI raiding Mar a Lago pic.twitter.com/DiQWQMtToA

— Liz Jenkins (@ej11lizzie) August 9, 2022

The Donald trying to save his hairpieces in the FBI raid pic.twitter.com/hQ2wFGJXa3

— Rohita Kadambi (@RohitaKadambi) August 8, 2022

In response to the raid on his property, Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani is holding a press conference at the Ritz pic.twitter.com/elnqHcf1qC

— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) August 9, 2022

"Just one more thing, Mr. Trump. You wouldn't happen to have an evidence safe at Mar-a-Lago, would you?" pic.twitter.com/EEKL2z32ab

— steven monacelli (@stevanzetti) August 8, 2022

(Barron not even looking up from his Xbox)
“Safe’s in the back.”

— Mike Scollins (@mikescollins) August 8, 2022

Live look inside Trump’s safe… pic.twitter.com/4vYuUylrji

— Greg Olear 🇺🇦 (@gregolear) August 8, 2022

rooting for this poor local reporter who is having a weird day pic.twitter.com/IIsLv7PzTD

— Jen Rice (@jen_rice_) August 9, 2022

the reveal in the middle of this coverage of the donald trump fbi raid hit me like a bus pic.twitter.com/h73MqrcZE2

— soul nate (@MNateShyamalan) August 9, 2022

It was a beautiful raid. A perfect raid. People tell me they've never seen such as perfect raid.

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 9, 2022

An FBI raid on a former president sets a dangerous precedent by implying the rule of law applies equally to everyone.

— Seva (@SevaUT) August 9, 2022

This morning, following the FBI search, Trump released a campaign ad-like video on Truth Social, lamenting the US as a “failed nation.” In the video, through voiceover and a black-and-white montage of intentionally bleak tableaus, Trump compares crises like the war on Ukraine and our failing economy to his Twitter account being suspended (well, he cites threats to free speech, but the image he uses is a slow pan of his defunct Twitter page).

Trump Drops MAJOR 2024 hint on Truth Social with new campaign ad HOURS after Deep State declares Political War on him in FBI Raid pic.twitter.com/5OAm3btLTB

— Benny Johnson 🍊 (@bennyjohnson) August 9, 2022

People are speculating that this might be something of a confirmation that Trump will indeed be running for president again in 2024. Let’s hope not.