George Bush 9/11
Where it came from
This image came from around 2004-2008 during George W. Bush's presidency, becoming a reaction meme as people shared it across forums and early image boards.
So basically this is a photo of someone whispering directly into Bush's ear, and it became this iconic reaction image for when you're about to tell someone some sketchy, funny, or confidential stuff. The humor is in the conspiratorial vibe—like you're passing along some hot gossip or a wild idea to your buddy. People would caption it with things like 'me about to tell my friend the dumbest plan' or use it whenever they wanted to convey that sneaky, 'we're in on this together' energy. It's all about that moment right before you say something you probably shouldn't, or when you're being a little sus about something. The format just captures that perfectly awkward, gossipy feeling.
Search interest, over time
↳ data courtesy of google trends
