Gavin Newsom’s attempt to mock the president hilariously backfires
By Easton Martin | March 24, 2026
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently posted a side-by-side photo comparing himself to Patrick Bateman. The character is the infamous protagonist of the novel and film American Psycho. Newsom asked his followers what they thought about the resemblance. He was attempting to mock the president’s recent social media post about looking like Elvis Presley, but the attempted joke completely backfired.
Newsom clearly wants to think of himself as a cool, calm, and professional bad boy. The actual reality is quite different. The Bateman character is a superficial and materialistic psychopath, a delusional serial killer entirely obsessed with status and appearance. The governor’s self-comparison is surprisingly accurate for all the wrong reasons. Newsom’s joke here is that he is saying that Trump looked silly in comparing himself to Elvis.
By voluntarily leaning into this meme, Newsom handed his detractors a massive gift. Independent journalist Nick Shirley quickly pointed out the absurdity of the post. Shirley noted that boasting about a resemblance to a fictional cannibal is a bizarre political strategy.
Embracing a known serial killer meme shows his severe lack of self-awareness.
This move just proves Newsom’s disconnect from everyday voters. The attempt to troll the current administration fell completely flat. Social media users focused entirely on the gruesome nature of the Bateman character. The post also revealed an accidental truth for many frustrated residents, that many already view the governor as a slick and deeply delusional elitist.
