Review of political cartoons in major US publications

Pulitzer Winner Ann Telnaes Quits Washington Post After Cartoon of Bezos and Billionaires Genuflecting to Trump Rejected

Jan 4, 2025, 07:14 AM

Ann Telnaes, a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist who joined The Washington Post in 2008, has resigned after the newspaper rejected her cartoon. The cartoon depicted its owner, Jeff Bezos, and other tech and media billionaires, including Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI's Sam Altman, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, and a representation of The Walt Disney Company, genuflecting toward a statue of President-elect Donald Trump. Telnaes stated that this was the first time a cartoon of hers was killed due to its content, describing the decision as a 'game changer' and 'dangerous for a free press.' David Shipley, the Post's opinions editor, defended the decision, stating it was to avoid repetition as the newspaper had recently published a column on the same topic and had another satire piece scheduled. Telnaes emphasized the importance of editorial cartoonists in holding powerful figures accountable, a role she felt was impeded by the rejection of her work.