Ann Telnaes, a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, has resigned from the Washington Post following the paper’s decision to reject her satirical cartoon targeting its billionaire owner, Jeff Bezos, and other tech moguls. The cartoon depicted Bezos, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman kneeling before a statue of President-elect Donald Trump, presenting bags of cash. Mickey Mouse, representing Disney, was also included, referencing a $15 million settlement ABC News paid Trump in a recent defamation lawsuit.
Telnaes announced her resignation in a Substack post on Friday, expressing her frustration: “In all that time I’ve never had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at. Until now.” She criticized the decision, asserting that it undermined the principles of a free press. According to Telnaes, the cartoon was intended to satirize billionaires leveraging their influence to secure lucrative government contracts and ease regulations.
David Shipley, the Post’s editorial page editor, defended the decision to pull the cartoon, citing concerns over repetition rather than its content. “We had just published a column on the same topic and had another satire scheduled,” Shipley explained. He added, “Not every editorial judgment reflects a malign force.”
The controversy highlights a broader debate about the influence of billionaires in media. Critics argue that Bezos, through his ownership of the Washington Post, has interfered with editorial decisions, pointing to his intervention weeks before the November election to prevent the editorial board from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. That decision reportedly cost the paper over 250,000 subscribers.
Telnaes’ resignation has reignited discussions about the delicate balance between media independence and ownership. Her parting words call for vigilance, warning that suppressing critical voices risks eroding journalistic integrity at a time when a free press is crucial for democracy.
As the media landscape continues to navigate its complex relationship with power, Telnaes’ departure serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by journalists and artists committed to speaking truth to power.
