CNN jokingly calls Trump DC's Batman but Internet says it makes him sound cooler

CNN host Abby Phillip mocked Donald Trump as DC’s 'crime-fighter-in-chief' and compared him to Batman after his federal crime cleanup announcement
President Donald Trump said he would federalize the DC police department and put it under US Attorney General Pam Bondi’s authority to address crime (Getty Images, Grok/X)
President Donald Trump said he would federalize the DC police department and put it under US Attorney General Pam Bondi’s authority to address crime (Getty Images, Grok/X)

WASHINGTON, DC: CNN host Abby Phillip drew unexpected praise from President Donald Trump on Monday night, August 11, after she likened him to Batman during a segment on NewsNight.

While Phillip intended to mock Trump’s newly announced federal takeover of Washington, DC’s police force, many online users saw the comic book comparison as flattering.



 

CNN anchor dubs Donald Trump ‘Batman’ amid DC police federalisation move

Abby Phillip opened the roundtable by noting Trump’s move to invoke Section 740 of the Home Rule Act, a decision that brings federal resources into Washington, DC, to address what he described as a surge in violent crime endangering both residents and visitors.

Introducing the story, Phillip quipped that “Let’s get right to what America is talking about. Donald Trump makes himself Batman and the nation’s capital is Gotham City. The President of the United States has declared himself Crime Fighter in Chief, and he’s taking over Washington’s police force. It is a move that the DC Mayor is calling ‘unsettling and unprecedented.’”

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 30: U.S. President Donald Trump, joined by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. Musk, who served as an adviser to Trump and led the Department of Government Efficiency, announced he would leave the Trump administration to refocus on his businesses. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump, joined by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30, 2025 in Washington, DC (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

On Monday, Trump announced plans to place Washington, DC’s police department under the control of US Attorney General Pam Bondi, invoking his authority under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which allows the president to assume federal oversight of the force for up to 30 days.

He also said roughly 800 National Guard troops would be deployed to “reestablish law, order and public safety” in the capital.



 

The remark quickly trended online, but instead of shaming Trump, it provided fresh material for his supporters.

CNN’s Batman jab at Donald Trump sparks social media praise instead of ridicule

CNN’s Abby Phillip may have inadvertently handed President Donald Trump a new nickname that his supporters are now wearing like a badge of honor.

Trump backers quickly flooded X with memes and jokes embracing the “Batman” label.

The official X account for media watchdog NewsBusters asked, “Does she know that makes him sound awesome?”



 

The popular conservative account Libs of TikTok chimed in, “I already voted for him! You don’t have to keep convincing me!”



 

Others went full comic-book mode, “I voted for this,” one wrote alongside an AI-generated image of Trump as Batman and Vice President JD Vance as Robin.



 

“I’m whatever Gotham needs me to be,” another posted with an image of Trump in cape and cowl.



 

“We call this stumbling upon truth,” one user quipped.



 

“Ya’ll really trying to make @realDonaldTrump look even more bada**, aren’t you?” another added.



 

And as many reminded, Trump himself once told a young boy years ago: “I am Batman!”



 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

'We are not out there to terrorize children, rather to look for illegal aliens with final orders of removal,' Tom Homan said
4 hours ago
Donald Trump said he had 'a wonderful life' before politics but chose to pursue his 'Make America Great Again' vision
5 hours ago
The US said the strike protected shipping and followed the first US attack on Iran since July, after CENTCOM cleared mines from Hormuz routes
6 hours ago
Trump has pledged to campaign for Ken Paxton and spend significant time in Texas, but the White House has not put a dollar figure on his planned support
6 hours ago
Trump touted that his tariffs 'saved' the American auto industry, after it had been exploited by Canada, which he branded 'one of the Worst Abusers'
7 hours ago
Donald Trump said he plans to campaign for Republican candidates and urged voters to treat the 2026 elections as a referendum on his agenda
7 hours ago
Donald Trump backed a $250 million Kennedy Center renovation, while Justice Department lawyers warned blocking it could lead to demolition
9 hours ago
Kennedy said he does not want the US to be the world’s policeman, but does not want Xi, Putin, or Iran’s Ayatollah filling that role either
15 hours ago
President Trump shared an AI-generated graphic on Truth Social, saying 'mission accomplished' as the US-Iran war  hit its six-month mark on August 28
15 hours ago
Trump tells Canadian businesses to move south for tariff-free access as his increasingly bitter trade fight with Ottawa escalates
15 hours ago