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.

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