White House presents Rubio with 68-panel meme collage for birthday
Secretary of State Marco Rubio received a gold-framed collage from the White House featuring 68 variations of an internet meme based on a photograph taken during a February meeting in the Oval Office.
By the ClickNNY North Country Desk
The White House presented Secretary of State Marco Rubio with a framed collage for his 55th birthday in May. The gift features 68 panels of manipulated images based on a viral meme that emerged from a February meeting in the Oval Office.
The meme originated from a photograph taken on February 28, 2025, when President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Rubio, and other administration officials met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The image captured Rubio sitting on a couch with an expression that internet users reinterpreted as a look of realization. The photograph was subsequently doctored thousands of times by online users, placing Rubio's likeness into various roles and scenarios.
At the center of the collage is the original, unaltered photograph, signed by Trump in gold ink with the words "You are great." The surrounding panels show Rubio depicted as a variety of figures, including an astronaut, a cardinal, and the Easter Bunny, among others. One panel includes Rubio holding a sign that reads, "Please stop making memes about me."
Rubio currently serves as secretary of state and acting national security advisor. He has previously held acting positions as archivist and administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
This story was written from a community submission and reviewed by a ClickNNY editor before publication.
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