Harambe's story: The White House's unexpected tribute to Harambe, the silverback gorilla killed in 2016, reignited the "Harambe Simulation Theory." This meme-driven idea suggests the world became chaotic after his death, with users pointing to subsequent global events as evidence of a "glitch in the matrix."

In a lengthy tribute on X that immediately went viral, the White House honored the slain Cincinnati Zoo gorilla Harambe as an “icon” of “internet history” and “American culture.”

It was 10 years ago to the day when the 17-year-old western lowland gorilla named Harambe was killed after a three-year-old boy climbed into his enclosure.