Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s fiery House Judiciary testimony on the Epstein files redactions has cartoonists unleashing hell — chained files, “pedophile protection” locks, poodle-on-a-leash digs, and tone-deaf Dow 50,000 boasts while victims watched.
We’ve hand-picked six of the sharpest Pam Bondi cartoons from the most recent, hottest takes. Scroll down.
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As the government shutdown enters its sixth week, Republicans and Democrats don’t seem much closer to a solution both sides can agree on.
As Bob Englehart notes in his popular cartoon this week, we’re not listening to one another. The loudest, harshest voices dominate the discussion, with one side yelling at the other, as Gary McCoy depicted in his funny toon.
Hopefully the sweeping Election Night Democrats had this week loosens things up in Washington so a deal can get done before planes start falling from the sky. Our cartoonists don’t seem too optimistic about that.
Here are our top ten most reprinted cartoons of the week:
What do people want to read about in the waining days of summer? Gerrymandering.
In Texas, at the behest of Donald Trump, Republicans pushed through a controversial new election map expected to cost five Democrats in Congress their seats during next year’s midterm elections. Democrats in California responded by creating their own map that would flip five Republican congressional seats, a move which will be decided by voters during a special election in November.
This race to the bottom was the target of Monte Wolverton’s cartoon, our most-reprinted this week. I also liked Dave Whamond’s popular cartoon comparing new congressional maps to a Jackson Pollock painting.
With everything else going on, how much do American’s care? Are they even checked in? As Chris Weyant summed up well in his new back-to-school cartoon, the kids are happy “just to get a break from the news cycle.”
Here are our top ten most reprinted cartoons of the week:
Join host Daryl Cagle for a compelling episode of Caglecast, exploring the high stakes of political cartooning with guests Zehra Ömeroğlu and Terry Anderson. Zehra, a Turkish cartoonist, recounts her grueling five-year trial in Turkey over a satirical cartoon in LeMan magazine, facing potential imprisonment despite a recent acquittal now under appeal. Terry Anderson, Executive Director of Cartoonists Rights Network International, sheds light on global threats to cartoonists, from the shutdown of LeMan to arrests in Iran and Egypt. This episode uncovers the courage and risks behind political satire in an era of censorship and authoritarianism.
YouTube has rated our new podcast for adults only, which makes it difficult to find and view. Users must be registered with YouTube and must log in, and prove that they are over 18 years old to view the video. This has effectively blocked this important Caglecast from getting an audience on YouTube.
Guest Bios:
Zehra Ömeroğlu: A celebrated Turkish cartoonist and recipient of the 2025 Robert Russell Courage in Cartooning Award. Zehra faced a five-year trial for a LeMan cartoon deemed obscene, pushing her into partial exile. She’s currently working on a 200-page graphic novel about her ordeal and contributes to Cagle.com.
Terry Anderson: Executive Director of Cartoonists Rights Network International, tirelessly defending cartoonists facing censorship and persecution globally. Terry provides updates on critical cases, advocating for free expression in countries like Turkey, Iran, and Egypt.
Episode Highlights:
Zehra’s legal battle in Turkey and the ongoing appeal threatening her freedom
The closure of LeMan magazine and arrests of its editors over a controversial cartoon
Global cartoonist struggles, including Atena Farghadani’s release in Iran and Ashraf Omar’s detention in Egypt
The Charlie Hebdo cover mocking Erdogan and its diplomatic fallout
The New York Times’ 2019 decision to stop publishing editorial cartoons
The enduring power and peril of political cartoons in authoritarian regimes
Economic uncertainty. Continued inflation. Medicaid cuts. Crackdowns on universities across the country. The internet being filled with AI slop.
Boy, the new seems grim and relentless. Which is why Monte Wolverton’s cartoon about the search for a glimmer of good news struck a chord with editors this week, topping our list of the most-reprinted cartoons.
Jeff Koterba also tapped into the unease over the economy in a cartoon about the death of the penny, which shockingly costs almost 4 cents per penny to make. Unfortunately, they will only increase the need for nickels, which run 14 cents each. Add that to the list of depressing news items.
Here are our top ten most reprinted cartoons of the week:
For the past few weeks, mysterious drones flying over New Jersey have raised a lot of questions that remain largely unanswered by the government.
Authorities have said there’s nothing to worry about, and that a majority of the drone sightings are actually planes and passenger jets. Yet this week, the FAA temporarily banned drone flights over 20 locations in New Jersey “out of an abundance of caution.”
Not surprisingly, our cartoonists were fixated on the drone story, using the timing of Christmas to point their fingers at Santa. I liked Rick McKee’s cartoon, which features three wise men and a drone stand-in for the North Star.
McKee also had our most-reprinted cartoon of the week, but it didn’t have anything to do with drones – it shows Santa being confronted by a kid with an empty stocking. Just wait until Trump’s tariffs kick in.
Here are our top ten most reprinted cartoons of the week:
