Conservative critics, including former Superman star Dean Cain, have been vocal about their disapproval of James Gunn’s upcoming Superman film, calling it “woke” for its immigration themes. But the backlash took a surreal turn when the White House itself waded into the debate—by posting a meme of Donald Trump as the Man of Steel.
On Thursday night, the White House’s official X account shared an edited Superman movie poster, replacing star David Corenswet with Trump in the iconic red cape. The original tagline, “Look Up,” was swapped out for “Truth, Justice, and the American Way.” The caption declared:
“THE SYMBOL OF HOPE. TRUTH. JUSTICE. THE AMERICAN WAY. SUPERMAN TRUMP.”
The post was met with instant ridicule, with critics calling it “embarrassing,” “cringeworthy,” and further proof that the White House had become a “joke.”
“Delete this. Holy f–k, this is peak cringe,” wrote progressive commentator Dean Withers in response.
“I never thought I’d see the White House reduced to posting bad memes. This is next-level embarrassing,” another user added.
Many pointed out the irony of Trump being cast as Superman, given the character’s origins as an immigrant from Krypton—a stark contrast to the former president’s hardline stance on immigration.
“MAGA spent all week calling Superman ‘woke’ because he’s an alien, and now they’re photoshopping Trump as him? The lack of self-awareness is astounding,” one person tweeted.
“Superman was an undocumented refugee raised by farmers. Trump would’ve had ICE waiting for his pod the second it landed,” another user quipped.
Some even joked that Trump’s real “Kryptonite” might be the Epstein files, referencing his recent clash with a reporter over the DOJ’s claim that no Epstein “client list” exists.
The ‘Woke Superman’ Debate
The Trump meme comes amid conservative backlash against Gunn’s Superman, which has been criticized for its immigration themes—despite the fact that Superman has always been an alien refugee.
Gunn, DC Studios’ co-CEO, recently told The Times:
“Superman is the story of America—an immigrant who came here and helped shape the country. At its core, it’s about basic human kindness, something we’ve lost sight of lately. Yes, some people will take offense simply because it’s about decency. But screw them. Right now, we need a hero who reminds us that goodness still exists.”
Dean Cain, who played Superman in the ’90s series Lois & Clark, criticized Gunn’s approach in an interview with TMZ:
“How ‘woke’ will Hollywood make Superman? Why change these iconic characters to fit modern agendas? Superman stood for ‘truth, justice, and the American way’—and the American way is immigrant-friendly. But there have to be rules. You can’t just say, ‘Let’s erase all borders.’ That’s not how it works.”
When asked about the White House’s Trump meme, Cain’s response was brief—just two laughing emojis.
Whether the meme was meant as satire or sincere propaganda remains unclear. But one thing’s certain: The internet isn’t letting it slide without a fight.