STOP THE COUNT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2020
Visual responses to original tweet
Memes and images shared in direct response to the original tweet.
Memetic origins
During the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election vote counting, Donald Trump tweeted “STOP THE COUNT” in all capitals, alleging voter fraud without substantive evidence. The phrase was intended as a directive to halt ballot counting in states where his lead was narrowing.
However, Twitter users deliberately reinterpreted “count” as a reference to Count von Count, the beloved vampire character from the children’s television program Sesame Street known for his obsession with counting. This playful misreading transformed Trump’s political demand into a viral meme phenomenon, with users sharing images and jokes about the Sesame Street character.