Lex Luthor vs. Donald Trump: Ego, Power, and Legacy
The parallels between Donald Trump and Lex Luthor go way back, long before Trump ever dipped his toes into politics. When DC Comics revamped its universe in 1986, creator John Byrne looked to the real world for inspiration in reshaping Lex Luthor, and who better to model the power-hungry villain after than Trump himself? As Byrne put it, “I used people like Donald Trump as the template for this new Lex Luthor... someone who had power and influence, not because of his inventions, but because of his money and reach.”
Trump and Luthor both ooze ambition, manipulation, and a never-ending thirst for power. But there’s a key difference: Luthor’s schemes are all about strategic brilliance, while Trump’s moves tend to be, let’s just say, a little more chaotic and…dumb.
It’s funny how life and art sometimes blend together so seamlessly. Trump’s political career skyrocketed, it became clear he began to mirror some of the very traits that made Luthor such a compelling villain—craving control, flexing his influence, and shaping the world according to his vision (whether you like it or not). Luthor reflected the corporate greed and power games of the '80s, while Trump became the poster boy for wealth, deal-making, and self-promotion in the real world.
Byrne’s Lex Luthor wasn’t just another comic book villain; he was a clever commentary on the rise of the business class, like Trump, whose wealth gave them more than just financial power—they could shape public opinion and politics, too. No wonder when DC Comics decided to make Luthor president in the early 2000’s, in retrospect it felt eerily similar to Trump’s real-life ascent when he ran for President. While Luthor’s tactics were slick and calculated, Trump’s were loud and often relied on stirring up the media.
As Rachel Maddow said, “Both Luthor and Trump present themselves as champions of the people, yet their actions are often self-serving.” And there’s the thing—both of these figures blur the line between hero and villain (to some people), making us question just how much of their actions are for the greater good versus how much is about securing their own legacy.
In the end, it’s a wild reminder that sometimes fiction and reality aren’t so different. Luthor may be Superman’s nemesis, but Trump’s rise to power has many wondering if his path was any less self-serving.
At the core, Lex Luthor’s cold, calculating genius and Trump’s more bombastic style both paint a picture of how far some will go to rise to the top.
Given Trump’s actions around January 6th and his racist and anti-democratic rhetoric it’s safe to say that he’s moved into villain category - with actions so unbelievable, you couldn’t make a believe comic book story out of it.
