The White House has declared the late gorilla Harambe a “true patriot” and a “symbol of American greatness,” marking the 10th anniversary of his death with an official proclamation. The tribute, posted on the White House website, praised the 17-year-old western lowland gorilla for his “unwavering commitment to the American people” and credited him with “bringing the nation together.”
A proclamation that stunned the internet
The statement, issued on May 28, 2026, came exactly a decade after Harambe was shot and killed at the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio. A three-year-old boy had fallen into the gorilla enclosure, and zoo officials made the decision to use lethal force to protect the child. The incident became a global flashpoint, spawning countless memes and online debates about animal rights, parenting, and zoo safety.
Who wrote it and why
The proclamation was signed by President Donald Trump, according to the White House. It described Harambe as a “true patriot” who “gave his life for a child he did not know.” The document also said the gorilla “embodied the spirit of America” and “made the ultimate sacrifice.” Local residents in Cincinnati, where the zoo remains a major attraction, had mixed reactions. Some saw the tribute as a strange political gesture, while others viewed it as a nod to the persistent internet culture that has kept Harambe’s name alive for a decade.
The zoo itself did not issue a public response to the proclamation. The boy who fell into the enclosure is now 13 years old and has not commented on the tribute.
A decade after a single, tragic moment at a zoo in Ohio, the White House has officially enshrined a gorilla in the annals of presidential proclamations. Whether seen as a sincere honor or a surreal meme come to life, the document now exists as a permanent record of how a 450-pound primate became an unlikely fixture in American public life.
