Covfefe Explained

Covfefe ([1]) is a word, widely presumed to be a typographical error, that Donald Trump used in a viral tweet when he was President of the United States. It quickly became an Internet meme.

Six minutes after midnight (EDT) on May 31, 2017, Trump tweeted "Despite the constant negative press covfefe".[2] He deleted the tweet six hours later but implied that its wording was intentional. Most media outlets presumed that he had meant to type "coverage". White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer stated, "I think the President and a small group of people know exactly what he meant."

Initial tweet and public response

The tweet attracted intense attention in the news and on social media, quickly becoming a viral phenomenon. Both the word and tweet produced a variety of cultural, economic, and social influences. For example, the Volfefe index (for "volatility" and "covfefe"), created by JPMorgan Chase in 2019, measured the impact of President Trump's tweets on the U.S. bond yields. "Covfefe" was one of Trump's most famous tweets.[3] [4] [5]

"Covfefe" quickly went viral and generated both jokes and speculations in social media and on the news about its meaning. It was retweeted more than 105,000 times, garnered more than 148,000 likes,[6] and created a viral Internet meme on the morning of May 31.[7] The hashtag #covfefe had been used on the Internet 1.4 million times within 24 hours of Trump's tweet.[8]

Trump never acknowledged that the tweet contained a mistyping. He instead tweeted again at 06:09 after deleting the original tweet: "Who can figure out the true meaning of 'covfefe' ??? Enjoy!"[9] White House press secretary Sean Spicer implied later that day that the tweet was not a typo but rather intentional: "I think the president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant."[10] [11] The Google Search term "covfefe" surpassed the search term "Paris climate" (in reference to the 2015 Paris Climate agreement) on May 31, the same day Trump indicated that the U.S. may withdraw from the agreement.[12]

Trump referenced the word in May 2018 by pronouncing it in a White House video about the auditory illusion Yanny or Laurel. He joked near the end of the video: "I hear 'covfefe'."[13]

An analyst for The Washington Post, Philip Bump, wrote in July 2019 that the covfefe tweet represented Trump's refusal to admit even minor misstatements.[14] Other critics in the media expressed similar opinions.[15] [16]

Subsequent references

Writing for The Atlantic in January 2019, journalist Adrienne LaFrance summarized the significance of the covfefe tweet: "Covfefe remains the tweet that best illustrates Trump's most preternatural gift: He knows how to captivate people, how to command, and divert the attention of the masses."[17]

The covfefe meme produced a variety of follow-up effects in culture, language, and business. While marking the first anniversary of the covfefe tweet in May 2018, a USA Today article noted: "But did the president know what he had wrought on U.S. culture? The memes. The songs. The jokes."[18]

In language and politics

The popular word game Words with Friends added "covfefe" to its dictionary in June 2017.[19]

Dictionary.com announced that "covfefe" topped its list of 'unmatched queries' in October 2017 and continued to have the most user searches for a word without an entry.[20] Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable added an entry for "covfefe" to its 20th edition in October 2018.[21]

Lake Superior State University included "covfefe" in its 43rd annual edition of "List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness" in December 2017. The university's spokesperson noted that the word "became shorthand for a social media mistake".[22]

Subsequent misspellings and mis-speakings by Trump have been compared in the media to the covfefe tweet.[23] [24] [25] [26] [27] "Covfefe" is also often invoked when discussing gaffes made by other public figures, businesses, and organizations in public discourse.[28] [29] [30]

Other uses of "covfefe" involve word play on similarity with the word "coffee".[31] Examples include a coffee shop called "Covfefe Café",[32] a beer called "'No Collusion' Russian Imperial Coffee 'Covfefe' Stout",[33] various covfefe coffee drinks,[34] [35] an alcoholic coffee cocktail "Covfefe",[36] a coffee and tea ad by Amul,[37] etc.

Anti-Trump protesters at various events in 2019 also used signs featuring variations on the covfefe theme.[38] [39] [40]

In law

See main article: COVFEFE Act.

U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL 5) introduced H.R. 2884, "The Communications Over Various Feeds Electronically for Engagement Act (COVFEFE Act)" on June 12, 2017.[41] It would have required the National Archives to preserve and store social media posts by the President of the United States. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on the same day but saw no further congressional action.[42] Regardless, Trump's tweets have been archived in accordance with the Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014.[43]

In business and commerce

The covfefe tweet quickly spawned a variety of merchandise items (e.g., T-shirts, coffee mugs, hats, and bags) bearing covfefe-related inscriptions.[44] [45]

Both supporters and opponents of Trump in 21 U.S. states obtained customized "Covfefe" license plates by February 2018.[46] The state of Georgia prohibits the use of this word on vanity license plates.[47]

A 2018 Google Chrome extension called Covfefe allows Twitter users to correct misspellings in their earlier tweets.[48]

Upholding the denial of one such application, a January 2019 decision by Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the USPTO concluded that the word "covfefe" was too commonly used in a variety of contexts and therefore cannot be trademarked for any specific product.[49] At least 40 trademark applications have been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for various kinds of covfefe-themed merchandise; none of those applications have been granted as of March 2019.[50]

Using inspiration from the covfefe tweet, JPMorgan Chase created a "Volfefe index" in September 2019 to measure the impact of Trump's tweets on the U.S. bond yields.[51] The name "volfefe" is a portmanteau of the words "volatility" and "covfefe".[52]

In horse racing

See main article: Covfefe (horse). A bay filly born in 2016, named Covfefe, won several graded stakes races in 2018 and 2019, including the 2019 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. She earned more than one million USD.[53] [54] [55]

In literature, art, and entertainment

A project of The Daily Show, the Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library, features a piece dedicated to covfefe.[56]

Alec Baldwin portrayed Trump on Saturday Night Lives "At Home" edition on April 11, 2020, to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, referring to it as "Covfefe-19"[57] [58] while drinking Clorox bleach that he called "COVID juice".[59]

Truth Social

See main article: Truth Social.

Following the creation of Trump's own social network Truth Social, he has stated that he will remain on Truth Social as his primary social media platform.[60] [61] [62] On April 29, 2022, Trump used the Covfefe meme in his second post to Truth Social, posting the message "I'M BACK! #COVFEFE".[63]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: covfefe Meaning | Pop Culture by Dictionary.com.
  2. News: The New York Times. What's a 'Covfefe'? Trump Tweet Unites a Bewildered Nation. Matt. Flegenheimer. May 31, 2017. September 10, 2019.
  3. News: Donald Trump #SmockingGun typo sets Twitter on fire. Twitter user Matthew Kick gave a humorous shout-out to one of Trump's most famous Twitter spellings of all time, the mysterious "covfefe" back in 2017. CNET. Amanda. Kooser. December 10, 2018. September 10, 2019.
  4. News: George Conway mocks Trump's misspellings. The Hill. Morgan. Gstalter. December 11, 2018. September 10, 2019. Katyal, who previously worked under former President Obama, trolled some of Trump's most famous spelling errors by asking why Starbucks "cofefe" was always "smocking hot.".
  6. News: ABC News. Spicer on 'covfefe': 'The president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant'. Tom. Kutsch. May 31, 2017. September 9, 2019.
  7. News: Vox.com. Covfefe kerfuffles, partisan dogs, and Wonder Woman wars: the week in memes, explained.. Aja. Romano. June 3, 2017. September 9, 2019.
  8. News:
    1. MeToo, #TakeAKnee and #Covfefe: Hashtags that dominated in 2017
    . BBC News. December 27, 2017. September 10, 2019.
  9. Web site: Tweet from Donald Trump: "Who can figure out the true meaning of "covfefe" ??? Enjoy!". August 1, 2020. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20201215200808/https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/869858333477523458. 2020-12-15. Twitter. en.
  10. News: Estepa. Jessica. May 31, 2017. Sean Spicer says 'covfefe' wasn't a typo: Trump knew 'exactly what he meant'. USA Today. September 9, 2019.
  11. Web site: Jayne. O'Donnell. 2021-04-25. Is chronic sleep deprivation impairing President Trump's brain, performance?. USA TODAY.
  12. News: Trump 'Covfefe' Tweet More Searched Than Paris Climate Agreement. Fortune. Stacy. Jones. May 31, 2017. September 9, 2019.
  13. #Laurel? #Yanny? Or... . YouTube video . Trump White House Archived . 40s . 2018-05-17 . 2021-11-12.
  14. News: The Washington Post. Philip. Bump. This inability to admit misstatements has no more extreme example than his infamous "covfefe" tweet from 2017.. The problem with Trump's Revolutionary War airports isn't the airports. July 5, 2019. September 9, 2019.
  15. News: The Atlantic. Trump's Most Pointless Lie. David A.. Graham. September 5, 2019. September 9, 2019. Not since "covfefe," a similarly absurdist episode, has Trump stuck so insistently to a pointless lie, though even that moment was over faster..
  16. News: Trump's Alabama Dorian debacle shows he refuses to be wrong. Associated Press. al.com. September 6, 2019. September 9, 2019. And even when Trump mistakenly tweeted the nonsensical word "covfefe" late one night, the president, instead of owning up to a typo or errant message, later sent Spicer to declare, "I think the president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant.".
  17. News: LaFrance. Adrienne. Adrienne LaFrance. January 13, 2019. Six Hours and Three Minutes of Internet Chaos.. The Atlantic. September 9, 2019.
  18. News: Covfefe, one year later: How a late-night Trump tweet turned into a phenomenon. USA Today. Jessica. Estrepa. May 31, 2018. September 8, 2019.
  19. News: Mashable. Nicole. Gallucci. Words with Friends adds 'covfefe' to its dictionary, 'covfefe' is officially dead. June 1, 2017. September 8, 2019.
  20. News: Chicago Tribune. A covfefe by any other name ... might not have made dictionary.com's most-queried list. Heidi. Stevens. October 18, 2017. September 8, 2019.
  21. News: Covfefe, kompromat, and mugwump: your guide to every new word in the 2018 Brewer's Dictionary. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/guide-new-words-2018-brewers-dictionary/ . January 12, 2022 . subscription . live. The Daily Telegraph. Tristram Fane. Saunders. October 31, 2018. September 8, 2019.
  22. News: List bans "fake news," "covfefe" and "let me ask you this". Denver Post. Jeff. Karoub. December 30, 2017. September 8, 2019.
  23. News: Chhetri. Priyam. August 12, 2018. No happy ending: Donald Trump has another 'covfefe' moment, asks FBI to give Andrew McCabe 'text massages'. Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide (MEAWW). September 7, 2019.
  24. News: "Smocking gun" is the new "covfefe": Twitter erupts after Trump misspells the same word twice. Salon. Matthew. Rozsa. December 10, 2018. September 7, 2019.
  25. News: 'Hamberders and covfefe': Trump's latest misspelling amuses social media. Max. McLean. Irish Independent. January 15, 2019. September 7, 2019.
  26. News: Donald Trump Misspelled Melania's Name While Congratulating Her, and It's the 'Covfefe' of 2018. Glamour.com. Samantha. Leach. May 19, 2018. September 8, 2019.
  27. News: Twitter erupts after Donald Trump's Prince of Whales gaffe. Irish Independent. Max. McLean. June 13, 2019. September 8, 2019.
  28. News: When Ministry Of Finance Has A Covfefe Moment. Outlook India. October 27, 2017. September 7, 2019.
  29. News: The most 2017 tweets of 2017. BBC News. December 21, 2017. September 8, 2019.
  30. News: Burger King Tweeted Something Super Weird & People Are Kind of Concerned. Thrillist. Sam. Blum. August 15, 2018. September 10, 2019.
  31. Web site: 'Covfefe' Could Live On As Beer or Coffee. foodandwine.com. Rebekah. Lowin. June 7, 2017. September 10, 2019. It's a natural fit, after all; "covfefe" looks (and, depending on how you pronounce it, sounds) nearly identical to "coffee.". February 5, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200205135721/https://www.foodandwine.com/news/covfefe-will-live-beer-or-coffee. dead.
  32. News: Covfefe Cafe aims to get people talking. Beaumont Enterprise. Alyssa. Faykus. July 5, 2019. September 9, 2019. July 8, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190708120756/https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Covfefe-Cafe-aims-to-get-people-talking-14070626.php. dead.
  33. News: Covfefe in a can: We try Drop-In Brewing's 'No Collusion' Russian Imperial Coffee Stout. Burlington Free Press. Brent. Hallenbeck. February 1, 2019. September 10, 2019.
  34. News: Shaw's Tavern throws a 'covfefe' to watch the Comey testimony in D.C., draws line around the block by 9:15 a.m.. USA Today. Sydney C.. Greene. June 8, 2017. September 10, 2019.
  35. News: Lalajava in Northborough brewing up a little fun with 'Covfefe Coffee' after President Donald J. Trump's tweet. MassLive. Scott J. . Croteau . June 5, 2017. September 10, 2019.
  36. News: 10 buzzworthy coffee cocktails around Chicago. Chicago Tribune. Audrey. Gordon. September 27, 2017. September 10, 2019.
  37. News: Amul's witty take on Donald Trump's new word 'covfefe' is perfect!. Indian Express. December 3, 2017. September 10, 2019.
  38. News: Independent Journal Review. Here's the Footage From the UK Protests Trump Called 'Fake News'. Lizzie. Helmer. June 4, 2019. September 10, 2019. July 9, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190709162040/https://ijr.com/footage-uk-protests-trump-called-fake-news/. dead.
  39. News: Here Are Some Of The Best Signs From The Equality And Resist Marches. Huffington Post. Noah. Michelson. June 11, 2017. September 10, 2019.
  40. News: LGBTQ Resist March Draws Heavily on Anger Over President Donald Trump. variety.com. Ted. Johnson. June 11, 2017. September 10, 2019.
  41. News: Yanny vs. Laurel, 'covfefe', Beyonce's twins and more moments that broke the internet. WPVI-TV. Danny. Clemens. November 21, 2018. September 9, 2019.
  42. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2884/actions H.R.2884 – COVFEFE Act of 2017, Actions Overview
  43. News: Johnson. Shontavia. February 19, 2018. Donald Trump's tweets are now presidential records. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200406233624/https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-02-19/donald-trumps-tweets-are-now-presidential-records. April 6, 2020. November 11, 2020. Public Radio International.
  44. News: Mashable. Of course 'covfefe' has already spawned a cottage industry of garbage swag. Patrick. Kulp. May 31, 2017. September 9, 2019.
  45. Middle West Review. Sarah. Dennis. Cedar Rapids by Miguel Arteta (review). 4. 1. 2017. 199–201. 10.1353/mwr.2017.0081. 188964457. Although Raygun continues to release current events slogans beyond presidential elections (a recent shirt declares, "We have nothing to fear but covfefe"), the brand's primary offerings are local color slogans that simultaneously celebrate and satirize midwestern identity..
  46. News: David. Millward. February 4, 2018. Donald Trump leaves lasting 'covfefe' legacy as motorists immortalise presidential tweet on licence plates. The Daily Telegraph. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/04/donald-trump-leave-lasting-covfefe-legacy-motorists-immortalise/ . January 12, 2022 . subscription . live. September 10, 2019.
  47. News: 'Covfefe' on list of vanity license plates banned in Georgia. Lamm. Stephanie. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Media Group. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170627150814/https://www.myajc.com/news/local/covfefe-list-vanity-license-plates-banned-georgia/2EkWhfjlfVKHpTB5ysP6aL/. June 27, 2017. July 2, 2017.
  48. News: Someone finally made a simple way to edit your tweets, inspired by President Trump's famous 'covfefe' typo. Business Insider. Kaylee . Fagan . July 20, 2018. September 8, 2019.
  49. PRESIDENT TRUMP'S VIRAL TERM "COVFEFE" CANNOT BE USED AS A TRADEMARK, BOARD RULES. Mariam. Jaffrey. American University Business Law Review. March 4, 2019. September 9, 2019.
  50. Web site: Trumped By 'Covfefe' II: Yet Another Reason NOT To Trademark Trending Names And Catchphrases. Tom. Kulik. Above the Law. March 11, 2019. September 9, 2019.
  51. News: JPMorgan Creates 'Volfefe' Index to Track Trump Tweet Impact. Bloomberg.com. Tracy. Alloway. September 8, 2019. September 9, 2019.
  52. News: Vox. The Volfefe Index, Wall Street's new way to measure the effects of Trump tweets, explained. Emily. Stewart. September 9, 2019. September 10, 2019.
  53. Web site: Covfefe. bloodhorse.com. September 7, 2019.
  54. Web site: Inside the Winner's Circle: Covfefe. Thoroughbred Daily News. Bill. Finley. August 6, 2019. September 7, 2019.
  55. Web site: Carothers. Ren. Future Stars Friday Spotlight: The True Meaning of Covfefe. breederscup.com. September 7, 2019.
  56. News: 6 Exhibits You Shouldn't Miss at the Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library. Washingtonian. Andrew. Beaujon. June 14, 2019. September 10, 2019.
  57. Web site: Ivie. Devon. April 12, 2020. SNL's Donald Trump Is Thrilled at America's Global Covfefe-19 Domination. June 21, 2020. Vulture. en-us.
  58. Web site: 'SNL': Alec Baldwin's Donald Trump Calls Into Remote Edition of "Weekend Update". June 21, 2020. The Hollywood Reporter. April 11, 2020. en.
  59. Web site: May 10, 2020. 'SNL': Baldwin's Trump Delivers Commencement Speech to 'Class of COVID-19' (Video). July 19, 2020. TheWrap. en-US.
  60. Web site: Singman . Brooke . 2022-04-25 . Trump will not return to Twitter even as Elon Musk purchases platform, will begin using his own TRUTH Social . 2022-04-27 . Fox News . en-US.
  61. Web site: 2022-04-30 . Back with the banned: Do Twitter's exiles return under Musk? . 2022-05-02 . Boston Herald . en-US.
  62. Web site: 2022-04-25 . Trump says he has no plans to rejoin Twitter after Musk reaches deal to buy platform . 2022-05-02 . PBS NewsHour . en-us.
  63. Web site: Saigol . Lina . Trump Won't Be Returning to Twitter. But He's 'Back' on Truth Social. . 2022-05-04 . www.barrons.com . en-US.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Covfefe".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.