In the 2000 episode “Bart to the Future,” The Simpsons portrayed Lisa Simpson as the first female president of the United States, succeeding a presidency led by Donald Trump. This storyline led many to speculate that the show had predicted Kamala Harris’s potential rise to the presidency, especially after she became the first female vice president in 2021. Notably, Lisa’s attire in the episode—a purple suit and pearls—bore a striking resemblance to Harris’s inauguration outfit, further fueling these speculations.
However, the 2024 U.S. presidential election concluded with Donald Trump defeating Kamala Harris, as reported by People on November 6, 2024.  This outcome diverges from the anticipated scenario where Harris would ascend to the presidency following Trump’s tenure, as some had inferred from the show’s narrative. Consequently, the prediction attributed to The Simpsons did not materialize as expected.
This instance highlights the limitations of interpreting fictional narratives as accurate forecasts of real-world events. While The Simpsons has coincidentally depicted scenarios that later occurred, such as Trump’s initial presidency, not all of its portrayals align with actual outcomes. The 2024 election results serve as a reminder that, despite occasional parallels, fictional content should not be regarded as prophetic.
