The Simpsons’ Predictions Shocks Again

A family of four watching television together in a cozy living room

America’s longest-running animated sitcom has somehow become our nation’s most unlikely oracle, with fans claiming “The Simpsons” predicted everything from Trump’s presidency to Elon Musk’s Mars obsession decades before they happened.

Story Highlights

The 2000 episode “Bart to the Future” showed Trump as president inheriting a budget crisis, 16 years before his actual election
A 2016 Halloween episode featured an “Ivanka 2028” campaign badge, now circulating as fans speculate about her political future
Episodes from 2015 depicted Mars colonization scenarios that mirror Musk’s current SpaceX timeline for the 2050s
Fact-checkers debunk many viral claims while confirming the show’s uncanny ability to satirize trends that later become reality

The Trump Prophecy That Started It All

Twenty-five years ago, “The Simpsons” writers crafted what seemed like an absurd political joke. In “Bart to the Future,” Lisa Simpson becomes president and mentions inheriting “quite a budget crunch from President Trump.” The episode aired when Trump was merely a real estate celebrity known for bankruptcies and tabloid headlines, making his political ascension seem laughable.

The 2016 election transformed this throwaway gag into internet legend. Suddenly, millions of viewers rewatched the episode with fresh eyes, noting Lisa’s purple inauguration outfit that eerily matched Kamala Harris’s 2021 ensemble. The coincidence sparked a cottage industry of “Simpsons prediction” videos that now rack up millions of views.

The Musk Connection Gets Weird

Elon Musk’s rise to prominence has given conspiracy theorists fresh ammunition. Fans now draw parallels between the billionaire and Hank Scorpio, the flamethrower-wielding supervillain from the 1996 episode “You Only Move Twice.” Scorpio’s grandiose schemes to control the world while selling novelty weapons mirror Musk’s real-life ventures, from his Boring Company flamethrowers to his growing political influence.

The Mars angle adds another layer. A 2015 episode, “The Doodlebug,” featured government recruitment for Mars colonization with a target date of 2050. Musk’s SpaceX has independently set nearly identical goals, aiming to establish a million-person Mars colony by mid-century. The timing feels too precise to be coincidental, yet the show’s writers insist they were simply extrapolating from existing scientific discussions.

Separating Prediction From Pattern Recognition

Professional fact-checkers have systematically debunked many viral claims surrounding the show’s supposed prophecies. Politifact recently dismantled false rumors about “The Simpsons” predicting Trump’s death in February 2025, pointing out that no such scene exists in any episode. Similarly, claims about specific COVID-19 or Ukraine war predictions collapse under scrutiny.

The reality appears more mundane than mystical. After 35 seasons and over 700 episodes, “The Simpsons” has covered virtually every conceivable political and cultural scenario. When writers satirize obvious trends like technological advancement, celebrity political ambitions, or economic cycles, some predictions inevitably align with future events through sheer probability rather than prescience.

The Economics of Viral Prophecy

YouTube content creators have discovered that “Simpsons predictions” videos generate massive engagement, particularly during election cycles or major news events. These compilations selectively edit clips while ignoring countless failed predictions, creating an illusion of supernatural foresight. The confirmation bias proves irresistible to viewers seeking patterns in an unpredictable world.

Media scholars note that the show’s longevity works in its favor. Trump appeared in popular culture for decades before entering politics, making his fictional presidency a logical satirical target in 2000. Similarly, Mars colonization has been a staple of science fiction since the 1950s, with episodes simply reflecting existing aerospace industry timelines rather than creating original prophecies.