HuffPost asked Rep. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), co-founder of a new DOGE caucus, if he was familiar with the internet meme that started it all. “Uh, vaguely,” he said. “The dog?” The dog.

The Demon Core has become a meme in recent times, perhaps as a new generation believes themselves smart enough not to tinker with 6.2 kilograms of plutonium and a screwdriver. That’s not to say ...