In a strange twist of culinary and political fate, the term “Taco Trump” is trending once more, fueled by fresh speculation, internet memes, and even commentary from The Daily Beast. The renewed interest centers on the so-called “Trump taco trade,” a nickname given to the 2016 moment when then-presidential candidate Donald Trump tweeted a photo of himself eating a taco bowl from Trump Tower Grill, declaring, “I love Hispanics!”—a tweet that became instantly infamous and polarizing.
Nearly a decade later, the “Trump taco” moment has come roaring back into public discourse thanks to a mix of nostalgia, satire, and political re-evaluation. The Daily Beast recently published a retrospective on the meme’s origins and its odd staying power, pointing out how it still circulates in social media spaces ranging from ironic Instagram posts to political subreddits. The phrase “taco Trump” has even been resurrected in niche economic circles as a metaphor for odd trade-offs in political branding.
While there’s no actual “taco trade” on the market, the term “Trump taco trade” has evolved into internet slang to describe bizarre political optics—particularly when outreach to a demographic appears to clash with policy or rhetoric. “It’s a meme, but it’s also a lesson,” said Dr. Laura Cardenas, a media studies professor at NYU. “It symbolizes how quickly performative gestures can backfire or become detached from their original intent.”
The taco bowl tweet—originally posted on Cinco de Mayo 2016—was widely mocked and critiqued for its tone-deaf approach to Hispanic outreach. At the time, many viewed it as a superficial attempt to connect with Latino voters amid strong backlash over Trump’s hardline immigration policies. Despite this, the image became iconic, appearing in campaign critiques, protest signs, and countless memes.
The Daily Beast report delves into how the taco moment has aged, citing digital culture analysts who now see it as “a perfect storm of cringe and branding.” Some conservatives continue to defend the gesture, arguing it was a lighthearted nod, while critics say it exemplified the disconnect between image and action.
Though not directly tied to any new political campaign material, the “Trump taco trade” has even taken on a satirical life in the NFT space, where digital art collectors have minted taco-themed Trump tokens. One such token sold on OpenSea for nearly $4,000 earlier this month, with the buyer stating it was “a piece of internet history.”
It remains to be seen whether “Taco Trump” will have legs beyond its current resurgence, but one thing is clear: the internet never forgets, especially when tacos and politics collide. As election season gears up again, memes like the Trump taco may continue to serve as unexpected cultural checkpoints—reminders of how much (and how little) has changed.
