It’s officially been announced that Republican candidate Donald Trump has won the battle for the 2024 US presidential election. So, as is customary, the internet has decided to revive a beloved conspiracy theory as a means of distraction. I am of course talking about the fake Melania theory. Somehow, the bizarre rumour that Melania Trump has a readily available stand-in has returned just in time to take the edge off the election stress.

For those out of the loop, the ‘fake Melania’ theory suggests that the First Lady sometimes uses a body double for public appearances, a claim that’s resurfaced periodically since 2017 whenever she looks just a little… Off.

Fast forward to election day 2024, and the theory is spotlighted. Why? Melania showed up to vote in Florida with Trump, dressed in a black polka-dot dress and wearing sunglasses indoors. Suspicious? The internet thinks so.

@jewelsmarie39x6

#duet with @COURIER

♬ original sound - COURIER

Social media instantly lit up with excitement, with one X user commenting, “Fake Melania makes a rare appearance,” while another chimed in, “Excited he brought Fake Melania back one last time for his series finale.”

Let’s be real, there is zero proof to suggest that there is a secret Melania body double, and the Trump family have never addressed this theory.

Still, there’s something fun about the idea. Melania has noticeably kept a low profile this election season, and honestly, who wouldn’t want a stand-in for campaign duties? It’s not as if this would be the only “fake” aspect of the Trump saga.

One X user claimed: “She’s actually smiling, definitely not Melania!” while a further netizen added: “ That’s not the Melania I saw 3 weeks ago.”

Honestly, as much as this ‘fake Melania’ meme is giving me life right now, it barely softens the existential dread I feel watching this election unfold. Sure, we can joke, but I can’t shake the feeling that we’re all living in a dystopian reality show where the plot twists just keep getting darker. If Trump’s presidency rounds out another four years, I might actually start pricing out rocket ships to Mars. Until then, I’ll be clinging to every last meme like it’s my lifeline.

For anyone else trying to laugh through the pain, I feel you, we’ll need every ounce of humour we can find to get through this election cycle.