"I never met Putin. This is not my best friend," Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said in one of the more memorable lines in the third and final debate on Wednesday.
That response raised a few eyebrows, both for Trump's general favorable stance towards Russian President Vladimir Putin and this tweet from 2013 in particular:
Do you think Putin will be going to The Miss Universe Pageant in November in Moscow - if so, will he become my new best friend?
And Twitter, in all its debate-watching stuporous glory, jumped all over it.
Hillary: [ issues and plans ] Trump: "I'm Putin's best friend, but he's not MY best friend" #debatenight
Ohh I think Trump just lost his best friend, Putin #debatenight
Classic memes got remixed...
"Putin's not my best friend." #DebateNight
Donald Trump #debatenight: Putin isn't my best friend. Putin:
...and new memes were born.
"i don't know putin. this is not my best friend."
Watch out, Crying Jordan, Crying Putin is coming for your weepy throne.
TRUMP: "I don't know Putin. I have never met Putin. He is not my best friend." PUTIN: #debatenight
Or actually, why not both?
Trump: I don't even know Putin. He's not my best friend, I've never even met the guy! Putin:
Poor Putin, he got dumped in the middle of the night Moscow time. How will he feel when he checks his phone in the morning?
PUTIN: hey PUTIN: u up? PUTIN: good job PUTIN: but you said we weren't best friends? PUTIN: i kno ur up TRUMP:
Putin really did not take his downgraded status well in most of the tweeted pieces of mini-fanfiction.
Trump: Putin isn't like my best friend or something. Putin: *jumps up from audience seat*
You almost have to feel bad for the guy.
Trump: Putin is not my best friend. Putin:
Some people looked at the positive, highlighting just how highly Trump has spoken of Russia.
Trump: Russia is better than us at literally everything Putin: Go best friend that's my best friend that's my best… https://t.co/H1D9OwkX0I
But really, pour one out for Putin, fam. He lost his BFF tonight.
#debatenight Trump: Putin is not my best friend. Putin: