If you’ve heard people chanting “Let’s go, Brandon!” or seen someone with a shirt or hat sporting the seemingly-jovial message lately, you might be wondering who Brandon is and why so many people are rooting for him.
In this case, the phrase isn’t actually supporting a guy named Brandon. Instead, it’s a euphemism that many people in conservative circles are using in place of saying “F*** Joe Biden.”
The origins of the meme go back to Oct. 2, when race car driver Brandon Brown won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series race and was being interviewed by NBC reporter Kelli Stavast. In the background, some in the crowd can be heard chanting “F*** Joe Biden,” though Stavast says “you can hear the chants from the crowd, ‘Let’s go, Brandon!’ ” in her broadcast.
It remains unclear if Stavast misheard what the crowd was saying or if she purposely tried to change the message.
Either way, the phrase “Let’s go, Brandon!” quickly spread among conservative groups and continues to be used in place of the direct expletive toward President Biden, even among members of Congress.
On Thursday, Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina was seen sporting a “Let’s go, Brandon” face mask. Duncan shared a photo of himself in the mask on Facebook saying, “The American people are furious.” Duncan continued his message and expressed frustration with the Biden administration’s immigration policies, vaccine mandates and the state of inflation in the U.S.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, no stranger to memes, has also added to this discourse when he posted a photo from Game 2 of the World Series with another Houston Astros fan whose sign reads “LET’S GO BRANDON” in big bold letters.
It’s spread outside of Congress, too. People are also using the phrase as inspiration for multiple songs. A Southwest Airlines pilot used the phrase to sign off from a flight on Friday. The airline says it’s conducting an internal investigation of the incident.
“Let’s go, Brandon” isn’t the first president-related meme to take off, nor is it the first time a president has dealt with vulgar messages.
President Barack Obama was in office as social media’s influence began to take hold, enabling the quick spread of racist images and insults online.
The phrase “F*** Trump” was seen often on signs and apparel when former President Donald Trump was in office. And just as that phrase was capitalized on, Stall says he’s seeing the same thing now.