If you haven’t heard of Moo Deng yet, this adorable pygmy hippo from Thailand has quickly risen to viral fame, captivating netizens around the globe with her chubby, shiny rolls and irresistibly cute face. Fans can’t get enough of her, creating a whirlwind of memes, artwork, and even merchandise in celebration of her undeniable charm. Moo Deng is officially the internet’s newest icon has stolen many hearts and even have her own fandom.
However, things got next-level yesterday (4th November, Monday) when Moo Deng’s caretakers gave her two special treats: watermelon fruit cakes carved with the names of U.S. presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in Thai. This was meant to be a simple, light-hearted snack for her, but as we all know, the internet rarely keeps things simple. When Moo Deng innocently waddled over and munched on the Trump-labelled watermelon, chaos erupted online.
In a now-viral photo shared by @PopBase on Twitter, Moo Deng unknowingly chose Trump’s watermelon. Netizens instantly labelled her choice a prediction of Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. election, and the reactions were wild. Trump supporters gleefully claimed Moo Deng was on their side, while Kamala supporters jokingly accused the baby hippo of making the wrong choice.
Some commenters even went to extreme lengths, calling Moo Deng stupid for supposedly taking Trump’s side as if a baby hippo has any grasp of politics. Trolls even took aim at her weight, with some going as far as joking about “cooking” her. Unfortunately, the poor baby hippo became a target of online debate simply for enjoying her snack.
Moo Deng’s loyal fans, however, weren’t about to let the backlash slide. They clapped back with humour and love, calling out the over-the-top reactions and reminding everyone that she was just a sweet little hippo who happened to be eating watermelon. Many pointed out that it’s ridiculous to project political views onto an innocent animal who has no concept of human affairs. Some also pointed out that for Moo Deng, the watermelon was nothing more than a tasty treat.
Despite the debate over Moo Deng’s so-called decision, it’s obvious her choice has zero impact on the election. However, that hasn’t stopped fans from endlessly sharing the clip and adding to the internet drama. While people continue to project their hopes, dreams, and political beliefs onto this lovable hippo, Moo Deng remains blissfully unaware – focused only on her watermelon and basking in the internet’s attention.
You can watch the viral video of Moo Deng here:
@pixaify Celebrity baby hippo Moo Deng predicts Trump will win US election based on which cake she eats
Sakinah contributed to this article.
