The Rise and Fall of P’Nut: A Squirrel’s Journey into Political Symbolism
“I know Don is fired up about P’Nut the squirrel,” JD Vance, the vice-presidential candidate, enthusiastically declared during a rally in Sanford, North Carolina, on Sunday. “Don,” of course, refers to his running mate, Donald J. Trump, while P’Nut has become an internet sensation and a symbol of government overreach.
Last week, P’Nut, an adorable squirrel known for his antics, was seized and subsequently euthanized by wildlife agents from New York State. This event has sparked outrage among some factions on the right, who have elevated P’Nut to a martyr status, claiming he fell victim to excessive governmental control. In the whirlwind of the election season, with candidates scrambling for any advantage, the unfortunate fate of P’Nut (also affectionately known as Peanut) has transformed into a peculiar talking point that resonates from local races all the way up to the presidential campaign.
The loss of P’Nut has captured the attention of conservative commentators across television and online platforms, particularly on social media sites like X. Notably, Elon Musk has celebrated the little rodent as a “Jedi martyr,” suggesting that P’Nut’s legacy may hold more power in death than it did in life.
“RIP Peanut,” echoed a post on an official Trump campaign TikTok account on Sunday, which passionately labeled the squirrel as “needlessly murdered by Democrat bureaucrats in New York.” Accompanying this tribute was a slideshow featuring an image of Mr. Trump, with what appeared to be P’Nut’s ghost gently resting a paw on his shoulder. “We will avenge you on Tuesday at the ballot box,” the post concluded, rallying supporters around the furry icon.
P’Nut’s journey from a beloved cowboy-hat-wearing Instagram sensation to a polarizing figure in political discourse began on October 30. On that day, officers from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, acting on what they described as anonymous complaints, arrived at the home of his owner, Mark Longo, in Pine City, Chemung County. In New York, it is illegal to keep wildlife without a special permit, a detail that Mr. Longo has contended he was in the process of obtaining before the incident unfolded.
