When people post about the “president of Puerto Rico,” they’re doing a geography–civics joke. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory that doesn’t have its own president; the island elects a governor, while the U.S. President is the chief of state. So creators use the phrase to clown confusion in headlines or speeches, or to roast anyone bragging “I met the president of Puerto Rico.” The punchline is the mismatch between what was said and how government there actually works.
Why it pops: it’s a one-second fact-check meme—perfect for quote screenshots, press-conference clips, and stitched explainer videos. The format spikes whenever mainland discourse forgets PR is part of the United States, or when a public figure’s phrasing invites the “there’s no such office” correction.
Common formats
- Split panel: “Met the president of Puerto Rico” → lower-third: “Puerto Rico has a governor.”
- Red pen edit: circle the phrase in an article; add “FACT CHECK: Governor, not president.”
- Duet/explainer: short stitch correcting the line with one on-screen sentence.
- Caption-only: “Say you skipped civics without saying it.”
Caption starters
- “Breaking: invented a whole new office.”
- “POV: you meet the nonexistent president.”
- “Governor of Puerto Rico ≠ President. Class dismissed.”
- “We do love Puerto Rico; we also love accuracy.”
Quick creator tips
- Keep text big and high-contrast; one fact per frame.
- Aim the joke at the mistake, not at Puerto Ricans.
- Add a helpful footer: “PR elects a governor; U.S. President is head of state.”
Make a clean, shareable card in seconds—drop a screenshot, add your correction line, and export for any platform with the WAHUP Meme Generator.
Context: Puerto Rico’s executive is led by a governor; the U.S. President is the island’s chief of state—hence the meme when someone says “president of Puerto Rico.” Sources: Library of Congress overview; general references on PR’s government structure.