The White House's birthday tweet to Melania is turned into hilarious memes - as Twitter mocks bizarre choice of photo, which shows her sitting on an Oval Office couch ALONE surrounded by photographers (26 Pics)

The first lady celebrated her 49th birthday on Friday  The White House tweeted a picture of Melania seated by herself on a couch in the O...

• The first lady celebrated her 49th birthday on Friday 
• The White House tweeted a picture of Melania seated by herself on a couch in the Oval Office to wish her a 'Happy Birthday' 
• The photo was taken last month during President Donald Trump's meeting with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis
• Not only is she sitting alone, but the photographers who surround her are focused on the president and prime minister — not her
• People couldn't resist taking to Twitter to mock the strange choice of photo
• The awkward birthday tribute has inspired viral memes showing Melania with comically edited photos of her husband, Kellyanne Conway, and more 

Awkward: The White House shared this photo of Melania Trump sitting on a couch in the Oval Office by herself last month to wish her a 'Happy Birthday' on Friday 

Confusing: People couldn't resist taking to Twitter to mock the strange choice of photo

In the image, Melania is sitting on the far end of the couch in a green double-breasted coat. Her legs are crossed, and she is staring off into the distance, away from her husband. 

To add insult to injury, the photographers who surround her are focused on the president and prime minister — not her. 

'WHY WOULD YOU PICK THIS PHOTO,' one writer tweeted, while someone else commented: 'All alone and p****d off. Lovely photo to choose of your wife on her birthday.'

'Melania Trump sitting alone while every single person in the room ignores her in favor of someone else... and that's the photo the White House goes with,' another person wrote. 'This is what is meant by "A picture speaks a thousand words.' 

One Twitter user wondered if the staffers who are in charge of the White House's social media accounts 'really hate her that much.' 

Going viral: The birthday tribute inspired plenty of memes, including this one that shows Vladimir Putin cuddling up to the first lady 

Clever: Another shows President Donald Trump's face edited onto the bouquet of yellow flowers that sits on the coffee table in front of Melania

Funny: Someone else posted an image of Kellyanne Conway on her knees on the couch alongside a picture from an episode of Seinfeld in which someone peed on Jerry's new sofa

What a sight: Another meme shows Melania and Kellyanne sitting on the couch together with a blimp depicting Trump in a diaper between them

Brilliant: One Twitter user imagined Kellyanne adjusting the shoulder of Melania's trench coat 

Smile for the camera! Another shows the White House counselor leaning over to take the first lady's photo with her phone 

While many agreed that it was a bizarre photo to be shared in honor of someone's birthday, the number of memes it has inspired has brought plenty of people of joy. 

One clever Twitter user edited the photo to show Putin rubbing elbows with the first lady, a nod to the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. 

Another imagined Kellyanne sitting with Melania, using a picture of the White House counselor kneeling on the couch in 2017.  

The Twitter user posted an image of Kellyanne on her knees on the opposite end of the couch alongside a picture from an episode of Seinfeld in which Jerry is reeling after someone peed on his new sofa. 

'Well, the right side has been tarnished,' the person captioned the images. 

No Ross to  her Rachel: Someone else Photoshopped Melania into a scene from Friends' opening credits

Star Wars-inspired: Some Twitter users created elaborate scenes that were more comical than realistic 

Made for the movies: Someone else was inspired by the movie Forest Gump when creating this meme 

Loving it: People seemed to take delight in Photoshopping the image so Melania would have someone to sit next to

Couldn't resist! One person Photoshopped himself into the picture of Melania 

Added touch: In one doctored snapshot, Trump is wearing a white tank and eating pizza while sitting on the couch next to his wife

Say what? Even forlorn-looking Keanu Reeves makes an appearance in one of the memes

A similar meme shows Melania and Kellyanne sitting on the couch together with a blimp depicting Trump in a diaper between them.  

The first lady's husband has been doctored into quite a few memes, though the images are far from flattering. 

In one Photoshopped snapshot, he is wearing a white tank and eating pizza while sitting on the couch next to his wife.

Another shows his faced edited onto the bouquet of yellow flowers that sits on the coffee table in front of Melania.  

Someone else Photoshopped Melania into a scene from Friends' opening credits, but instead of being surrounded by Rachel, Chandler, Ross, Monica, Joey, and Phoebe, she is alone on the couch. 

Even forlorn-looking Keanu Reeves makes an appearance in one of the memes.  

Trump has yet to post a birthday message to his wife on social media, though he did send out a mass email asking for one million signatures for her birthday card the day before.   

'We all know that Melania is an INCREDIBLE wife, mother, and First Lady. Help me show her how much the American people love her!' he wrote.

Last year, Trump admitted during a call with Fox & Friends that he didn't get his wife a birthday present because he didn't have time.

'I got her a beautiful card and some beautiful flowers,' he said. 'I'm very busy to be running out looking for presents, okay?'

There is no word if he has gotten her a present this year.  

Melania will spend her 49th birthday at a private dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe and his wife Akie Abe in the White House on Friday evening. 

'There will be a dinner celebration in the residence. The Abe's will attend,' Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's communications director, told DailyMail.com of Trump's birthday plans.