Twitter Users Joke About Their Bumble Bee Tuna Stockpiles After Trump’s Comments

Tear gas, guns and other weapons have long been associated with protests that have been going on in the United States since George Floyd’s death in May. Now, following comments by President Trump during a Pennsylvania campaign rally, another weapon has been added to the list—Bumble Bee Tuna.

During his recent rally, the President made a seemingly bizarre claim that the weapon that violent protestors were choosing to use was cans of soup and tuna fish—specifically mentioning Bumble Bee brand tuna in the process—and claiming that they were using the cans as projectiles.

“They go out and buy tuna fish and soup. You know that, right?... Because they throw it, they throw it, it’s the perfect weight—tuna fish,” the President said. “They can really rip it, right? And that hits you. No, it’s true. Bumble Bee brand tuna.”

Since the comments, many quickly took to Twitter to poke fun at the statement.

“That’s right you MAGA [expletive]- I have my soup can, I have my bumble bee tuna...and I even have an apple I’m ready for war,” one person wrote.

“We ride at dawn with cans of tuna fish,” another person added. “And not just any brand. Bumble Bee brand tuna fish [expletive].”

Others quickly joked about their own stockpiles or ones they saw in stores, with responses ranging from some saying the time had come to make their presence known with their allegedly violent weapons to general confusion about how the food got this reputation.

Even Bumble Bee got in on the fun, making a cheeky reply on their own Twitter account to the comments as well.

The President’s decision to name Bumble Bee as the tuna brand weapon of choice was also something that some saw as being far more than a coincidence, after the company’s CEO, Jan Tharp, voiced opposition to tariffs against imports of Chinese tuna in 2018. At the time, tariffs were raised an initial 10% and then increased to 25%.

“We are very concerned with the proposed tariff on tuna loins and the impact that these tariffs will have on our supply chain, global competitiveness, and US operations,” Tharp said at the time. “The proposed tariff on tuna loins will have a devastating effect on Bumble Bee given that our business model is to import tuna loins for further processing and canning in the US by American workers.”

The President’s comments, however motivated, are only the latest that he has made during a campaign rally about protests. While they have broken out around the country in the wake of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s deaths, as well as several others, at the hands of police officers, in addition to Jacob Blake’s shooting, they have largely remained peaceful, though the President has consistently focused on the looting and rioting that has broken out at times, as well as the clashes that have resulted in violence. The move has been a part of his campaign strategy where he touts himself as the “law and order president.”

NBC News states that no official claims have been made which state protestors have used cans of tuna fish, let alone Bumble Bee brand, during protests.