.jpg?width=1200&auto=webp&crop=3%3A2)
Times are tough when even Elmo is out of a job. A LinkedIn post purportedly written by Sesame Street’s most lovable red Muppet has gone viral.
It has captured the internet’s imagination in the wake of the Donald Trump administration’s controversial decision to axe key education grants used to fund PBS Kids.
The post, which is still circulating widely on social media, showed Elmo announcing his “layoff” after 45 years on Sesame Street due to federal budget cuts.
“Unfortunately Elmo was recently laid off because of the federal budget cuts,” the post read. “Elmo worked at Sesame Street for 45 years. Elmo is sad. Elmo loved his time at Sesame Street.”
Written entirely in Elmo’s famously childlike third-person voice, the post quickly spread across X (formerly Twitter), racking up shares, memes and widespread sympathy from fans devastated at the thought of their favourite furry friend being given the sack.
‘Elmo’ went on to list his “skills”, including “hugs”, “recognising the letter E”, “spelling Elmo’s name”, and “feeling empathy”. He added that he was “open to full-time or freelance roles” and urged readers to “connect” if they knew of any opportunities - or if they simply wanted a hug.
“If you want to help Elmo and his friends,” the post said, “please urge your local congress person to save public media.” While it was clearly a parody, many were quick to highlight the not-so-funny context behind the joke.
The viral post coincided with the announcement that the Ready to Learn grant - a longstanding Department of Education programme that funds educational content for PBS Kids - has been scrapped by the Trump administration.
Madi Biedermann, deputy assistant secretary for communications at the Department of Education, defended the move, saying the grants had been funding “racial justice educational programming for five to eight- year-old children”, which she claimed was “not aligned with administration priorities”.
She added, “The Trump Department of Education will prioritise funding that supports meaningful learning and improving student outcomes, not divisive ideologies and woke propaganda.”
The decision has provoked backlash from educators, parents, and media professionals alike, who argue the cuts will disproportionately affect vulnerable children who rely on free access to high-quality educational programming.
Sara DeWitt, senior vice president and general manager of PBS Kids, condemned the move in a statement: “The decision by the Department of Education to abruptly end the Ready to Learn grant will have an immediate and profound impact on the service PBS provides to families and children across America... we will continue to fight in order to maintain our essential service.”
Meanwhile, Sesame Workshop, the non-profit behind Sesame Street, confirmed the viral post was not from an official account.
“Sesame Workshop and PBS have a shared commitment to using the power of public television to bring critical early learning to children across the country,” a spokesperson said.
“For more than half a century, we have been proud to partner with them to bring Sesame Street’s beloved characters and research-based curriculum to families nationwide. We remain firmly in support of the vital public investment that allows PBS to continue this important work.”
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) - which helps fund both PBS and NPR - also came under fire last week, after former President Trump signed an executive order attempting to strip it of all federal funding. Trump has frequently criticised public broadcasters as purveyors of “woke ideology” and previously attempted to defund them during his first term.
While the viral Elmo post may have been satirical, its message has resonated with many. As one X user put it: “If Elmo isn’t safe from budget cuts, none of us are.”
