The #Benghazi meme stems from the intense and prolonged political scrutiny surrounding the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Over time, the phrase evolved from a serious call for accountability into an internet shorthand for 'whataboutism' and political obsession. It is frequently used to mock individuals who pivot to old controversies to deflect from current news events. In meme culture, it serves as a versatile punchline that highlights the absurdity of cyclical political discourse, often appearing as a desperate or non-sequitur rebuttal in unrelated online arguments.