The nation honors the heroism of former DOGE employee Edward Coristine, more popularly known as “Big Balls”, who suffered a brutal assault while protecting a young woman from a mob of thugs intent on carjacking her. However, and as debate intensifies over President Donald Trump’s expressed desire to federalize Washington D.C. as a result of the local government’s inability to handle crime, there hasn’t been a single mention of this incident on legacy media other than CNN.
On NewsNight with Abby Phillip, Scott Jennings memorialized the heroism of Big Balls, which triggered a broader discussion about a potential takeover of D.C. Metro Police:
.@ScottJenningsKY: "I'm just going to tell you right now: the plight of American hero Big Balls has set off- has set off a firestorm in the Republican Party." pic.twitter.com/3CsSenRx9O
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) August 7, 2025
SCOTT JENNINGS: I'm just going to tell you right now: the plight of American hero Big Balls has set off- has set off a firestorm in the Republican Party. This kid- this kid who worked for the DOGE guys, didn’t shut down any diners that I know of, but he goes out on the street, he protects a woman from being attacked by a roving street gang and he had the crap kicked out of him. And, you know, we had a congressional intern murdered not too long ago. I’m just telling you. Republicans right now have about had it with the violence and the idea that you can’t even walk around D.C. right now without getting attacked by street gangs.
Per The New York Post:
A 19-year-old former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer was beaten and bloodied by a mob of 10 minors early Sunday as he thwarted a carjacking attempt in the nation’s capital, according to DC police.
Edward Coristine, whose LinkedIn handle earned him the nickname “Big Balls” at DOGE, was with a woman near downtown DC when he saw the group of juveniles approach their car and “make a comment about taking the vehicle,” according to a Metropolitan Police Department incident report obtained by The Post.
“At that point, for her safety, [Coristine] pushed his significant other … into the vehicle and turned to deal with the suspects,” the dramatic report continues.
“The suspects then began to assault [Coristine],” the ex-DOGE staffer told officers, who rolled up on the scene at the same time he was being attacked.
That’s a pretty significant incident, yet there was not a single mention of this on any of ABC, CBS, or NBC’s nightly newscasts, or on MSNBC programming. CNN is the ONLY legacy outlet so far that has reported or made any reference to the incident.
Jennings would later inquire whether his mention of Big Balls’ heroism was the first on CNN air. It was not, as Kasie Hunt reported the incident some six hours prior:
KASIE HUNT: President Trump, once again making comments about federalizing- taking over Washington, D.C. after former DOGE staffer Edward Coristine, also known as… his online name is “Big Balls”...he was assaulted trying to stop a carjacking.
It bears noting that ABC, CBS, and NBC each ran online items about the assault. Because the story highlights out-of-control crime in D.C. and does not cast Democrat governance in a most favorable light, it reasonable to expect no further legacy media items on the heroism of Big Balls UNLESS it can be Trumpwashed somehow. And this is likeliest to happen only if Trump were to say something in support of ending home rule outright and enacting retrocession. Until then, CNN is it.