Trump grabs glowing Saudi orb, sparks jokes, memes
US president, Arab leaders in Riyadh launch anti-extremism center by touching illuminated globe; internet goes to town
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A picture showing US President Donald Trump and Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia laying hands on a mysterious, glowing orb sparked a wave of jokes and memes online on Sunday.
The image of Trump, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi all touching a small illuminated globe appeared to confuse internet users, who began jokingly drawing parallels to a number of popular sci-fi films.
The leaders were in fact inaugurating a new state-of-the-art center in Riyadh to monitor and combat extremism, each placing their hands on the globe that officially activated the center and launched a splashy welcome video.
But Twitter users seemed to have a fun time cracking jokes at the image, with even the Church of Satan jumping in with an announcement that the globe-grabbing was not some “satanic ritual.”
it's totally the Orb of Peace from the end of The Phantom Menace pic.twitter.com/KuBEIfKWdY
— Will (@historicus91) May 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/866386899421863936
Trump During the Campaign: "I will NEVER touch The Orb, even though its mysterious glow seduces and beguiles."
Trump Today: pic.twitter.com/eWoaDeXj8n— Nick Greene (@NickGreene) May 21, 2017
The new Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology featured a giant wall filled with screens displaying real-time online extremist activity. More than two hundred data analysts also worked on their individual computer screens during the visit.
https://twitter.com/owillis/status/866459146463432705
Knew I'd seen it somewhere before. pic.twitter.com/LqBWxYnxr5
— Warren Leight (@warrenleightTV) May 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/cushbomb/status/866371190088138752
who orb'd it better? pic.twitter.com/e6X5Ma9Epq
— regular gem (@Choplogik) May 21, 2017
The White House did not immediately provide information as to any US involvement in the creation of the center. The project began two years ago, before Trump took office.
https://twitter.com/kumailn/status/866393861815402501
https://twitter.com/WadeLives/status/866394394957668354
The Art Of The Deal
CHAPTER 6-Evil Orbs Of Power
There comes a time in every deal when you'll be required to siphon energy from an orb… pic.twitter.com/MYTcp5exDr
— jordan (@jordan_stratton) May 21, 2017
For clarification, this is not a Satanic ritual. pic.twitter.com/CccP39fqN4
— The Church Of Satan (@ChurchofSatan) May 22, 2017
Trump is wrapping up a visit to the Saudi kingdom on Monday, heading to Israel and then Europe on the president’s first foreign trip.
For more orb-related tweets, click here.
The Times of Israel Community.