With all of the seriousness that envelopes most of the day-to-day operations within the government, sometimes it’s good to let down the hair, loosen the neckties, and think up a good prank for the social media team to run with for April Fools’ Day.
The Department of Health and Human Services led the charge with a post showing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — notorious for his strict diet and opposition to fake dyes and additives in food — at a grocery store buying items that would definitely be considered contraband.
“BREAKING NEWS: SECRETARY KENNEDY CAUGHT PURCHASING ARTIFICIALLY-DYED CANDIES IN BULK,” the headline read.
— HHS Rapid Response (@HHSResponse) April 1, 2026
Kennedy followed with a post of his own admitting that it was a joke.
The Department of Homeland Security shared a poster advertising free flights to the moon for illegal aliens. “FLY TO THE MOON FOR FREE!” the poster read, along with a caption that said, “This April 1st, we kindly ask all aliens to GO HOME.”
This April 1st, we kindly ask all aliens to GO HOME. #ArtemisII#TheyAreGoingBack pic.twitter.com/RJ2Z5yH33E
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) April 1, 2026
The National Archives got in on the joke with screenshots of a “group chat” between the Founding Fathers as they prepared to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson kicked off the conversation: “Ok, patriots, the final draft is ready.”
“Wait, do I sign with my real signature or my cool one?” John Hancock wanted to know.
“Make it BIG, John,” Benjamin Franklin advised. “Go viral or go home.”
Another frame showed the men arguing about how long the process was taking and who had brought the snacks.
“Can someone please proofread before I sign?” George Washington asked — and Jefferson replied, “Too late. I already tweeted it.”
The last line showed King George III of England being added to the chat, and he responded with just an emoji: wide eyes.
Breaking news: The National Archives has released the Founding Fathers group chat for the signing of the Declaration of Independence.#AprilFoolsDay pic.twitter.com/2YHku5K4VI
— U.S. National Archives (@USNatArchives) April 1, 2026
The U.S. Department of the Interior went for the two-fer in a post outlining proposed changes to the national animal ahead of the United States celebrating its 250th birthday in 2026.
“As part of preparations for America’s 250th anniversary, Interior is reviewing wildlife nomenclature to better reflect the nation’s history and character. Following this review, the raccoon (Procyon lotor) will be renamed the Liberty Bandit, effective April 1, 2026,” the first post read.
Known for its resourcefulness and ability to operate under cover of night, the Liberty Bandit reflects a distinctly American spirit of independence.
Additional updates will be announced in phases, including renaming the skunk (Mephitis mephitis) the Freedom Fogger. 😉 pic.twitter.com/TzKJIAQ5Dj
— US Department of the Interior (@Interior) April 1, 2026
An immediate follow up added that in addition to giving the raccoon a place of prominence as the “Liberty Bandit,” they also planned to rename the skunk the “Freedom Fogger.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service promised immediate compliance with the new nomenclature, saying, “We’ll get this updated on our website ASAP.”
We’ll get this updated on our website ASAP. https://t.co/FoHyeLuS3n
— U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (@USFWS) April 1, 2026
The U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command (ACIC) stole the show with new guidance detailing the proper headgear for soldiers with Top Secret security clearances.
“The new Frequency Obstructing Interception Layer (FOIL) covers are designed to mitigate unauthorized SIGINT collection and ensure your thoughts remain on a ‘need to know’ basis,” the description read — and the accompanying illustration showed eight different types of military headgear redone as tinfoil hats.
ACIC releases headwear guidance for Soldiers with Top Secret clearances.
The new Frequency Obstructing Interception Layer (FOIL) covers are designed to mitigate unauthorized SIGINT collection and ensure your thoughts remain on a “need to know” basis.
(Graphic made with AI) pic.twitter.com/KJFdVLIlu1
— Army Counterintelligence Command (ACIC) (@Real_ArmyCI) April 1, 2026
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