Washington D.C., July 12 -- The intersection of pop culture and politics lit up again as the official White House X account posted a meme depicting President Donald Trump as Superman, just hours before the wide release of James Gunn's Superman reboot. The image swaps out actor David Corenswet, who plays the iconic hero in the new DC film, with Trump's face, emblazoned with the caption:
"THE SYMBOL OF HOPE. TRUTH. JUSTICE. THE AMERICAN WAY. SUPERMAN TRUMP."
The timing of the meme coincided with escalating right-wing criticism of Gunn's portrayal of Superman and his recent remarks in a Times of London interview where he said:
"Superman is the story of America. An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country... a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost."
Gunn's reference to Superman as an immigrant ignited backlash from conservative voices, including Ben Shapiro and Jesse Watters, who labeled the interpretation as yet another example of "woke" storytelling. These reactions echo similar outrage campaigns, such as Shapiro's attacks on 2023's Barbie.
Notably, neither Shapiro nor Watters have confirmed whether they've seen the film, which premiered widely on Friday. Despite the noise, the film's Thursday previews raked in $22.5 million -- the highest of 2025 so far and a career-best for Gunn, suggesting no major impact from the political discourse.
The comment came amid renewed disputes over Trump's immigration enforcement policies. Newsom criticized the deployment of National Guard troops during ICE raids, posting a video from a recent cannabis farm raid in Camarillo, in which children were caught in the chaos.
"Kids running from tear gas, crying on the phone because their mother was just taken from the fields. Trump calls me 'Newscum' -- but he's the real scum," Newsom posted.
In response, Rodney Scott, Commissioner at Customs and Border Protection, stated:
"10 juveniles were found at this marijuana facility -- all illegal aliens, 8 of them unaccompanied. It's now under investigation for child labor violations."
Newsom fired back:
"California prosecutes child exploiters and traffickers. Trump tear-gasses children, rips them from their parents, and deports farmworkers. Priorities."
Despite the culture war storm, Gunn's Superman is performing strongly at the box office. Early tracking shows:
The political discourse, while loud, appears to have little impact on the film's performance or public interest.
As Superman takes flight in theaters, the character once again finds himself at the heart of America's culture wars -- not just on the screen but across social platforms and political frontlines. Whether he's an alien immigrant, a symbol of truth and justice, or a meme starring a former president, Superman remains an enduring figure of debate in the American consciousness.