One of President Donald Trump’s claims on the campaign trail was that he’d “drain the swamp” if elected. Whether he kept that promise is up for debate; sure, he selected business tycoons like Rex Tillerson to fill top government positions but also chose people like the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Elaine Chao. But now the swamp may be encroaching on another part of America: Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida golf club, where a sinkhole just opened up. Obviously, the Internet didn’t pass up on the opportunity to dish out puns.
Yesterday the town of Palm Beach, Florida – where Mar-a-Lago is located – posted a traffic alert about the sinkhole on their website. “A four feet by four feet sinkhole has formed on Southern Boulevard directly in front of Mar-a-Lago,” the notice reads.
“It appears to be in the vicinity of the newly installed water main. West Palm Beach utilities distribution crews have secured the area and will most likely need to do some exploratory excavation today. One lane is closed but the road remains open. Please pay attention to signs.”
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Naturally this was just too easy for Twitter. Some saw the sinkhole as a sign from God – whether Republicans would listen was another matter.
Sinkhole opens next to Mar-a-Lago in obvious sign from increasingly irritated God https://t.co/IBicOjX698 pic.twitter.com/IhlzTpTU8K
— Jezebel (@Jezebel) May 22, 2017
"Give us a sign, God."
[sinkhole appears in front of Mar-A-Lago]
"Hm, can't be sure that's anything."https://t.co/oTrfQkYBxR— Samantha Bee (@realsambee) May 22, 2017
Some people wondered if the sinkhole had anything to do with the illuminated orb Trump was pictured touching in Saudi Arabia.
https://twitter.com/Slade/status/866677394345742336
The #sinkhole at Mar-a-Lago is absolutely NOT an ancient evil escaping its glided cage after being released by The Orb. No siree.
— Rogue Illuminati (@RogueIlluminati) May 23, 2017
Others thought perhaps the sinkhole had been mistakenly termed…
My working theory: It’s a hellmouth, not a sinkhole.
— Jeff LaMarche (@jeff_lamarche) May 22, 2017
Sean Spicer wants to make it very clear there is NOT a sinkhole in front of Mar-A-Lago…
It is a Florida Swamp Center.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) May 22, 2017
Some Twitter users actually began to cheer for the sinkhole.
https://twitter.com/Alschapel/status/866671856090206209
https://twitter.com/chuckyoutwo/status/866671091649048576
And as the metaphors left everyone’s heads spinning about the mysterious origins of the clearly supernatural sinkhole, former The Onion writer Dennis DiClaudio stepped in to make one thing clear:
Hate to be pedantic, but the Mar-a-lago sinkhole isn't *technically* a metaphor, because metaphors aren't *that* obvious.
— Dennis DiClaudio (@dennisdiclaudio) May 22, 2017
After Palm Beach has dealt with the sinkhole, we think Washington, D.C. could use a little “exploratory excavation” as well.
Images via screenshot and screenshot
