Donald Trump with the Green Lantern ring and John and Hal in Lanterns
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‘Embarrassing’: White House condemned for using Lanterns to promote Trump’s border wall

'This really is the cringiest collapse of a nation in real time'

Daisy Phillipson
7th September 2026, 11:03
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The White House is once again under fire after using beloved IP to promote its government, this time with a video showing Donald Trump taking control of the DCU’s Lanterns ring to build a border wall and boost American manufacturing.

Lanterns is the latest DCU offering, following Green Lanterns Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as they investigate a mysterious series of murders in small-town Nebraska. 

Episode four landed on HBO Max on Sunday, September 6, but at the same time, the White House decided to put its own controversial spin on the show.

The official account shared what looks like an AI-generated video depicting Trump wielding the Green Lantern ring. He uses its powers to build a glowing green wall, which stops a group of people from entering the country. 

He’s also seen building a booming industry labelled ‘American Manufacturing’ and a fleet of military vehicles. Alongside the 27-second clip, the White House wrote, “In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil’s might beware my power… Green Lantern’s light!”

The post has sparked heavy criticism, with multiple calls on HBO and the DCU to take action. “Hey @DCOfficial lawyers. You up?” asked one, while another said, “@DCOfficial @HBOCome get some free money on this lawsuit right here.”

A third also tagged HBO and the DCU, saying, “WTF? Sue Trump and the White House.” And a fourth even tagged DCU head James Gunn, writing, “You can literally stop this sh*t.”

Others are just baffled by the clip, with one person saying, “This really is the cringiest collapse of a nation in real time.” 

Another wrote, “We’re either in a Black Mirror or Simpsons episode,” and a third commented, “Gross. Do not embarrass the Green Lanterns like that.”

A fourth chimed in, “I don’t even know anymore, this has to be hell. I truly do believe damnation is better than all of this because at least it’s consistent.”

Some did have a more positive perspective on the situation, including this person who said, “Is it weird that I have mixed emotions on this? Obviously f**k everything about this. It is and will always be disgusting. But there is something kind of nice knowing that Lanterns is doing well enough that the f**king White House is noticing it lmao.”

This isn’t the first time the White House has come under fire for using film and TV to promote the government. A similar situation unfolded last month when it made an ICE-themed Spider-Man: Brand New Day post.

Film Shrine has contacted Warner Bros. Discovery for comment. 

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Featured image credit: X/@whitehouse/HBO