5 brilliantly barbed cartoons about free speech

Artists take on who gets to speak, the definition of hate speech, and more

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This is a two panel-editorial cartoon that depicts Donald Trump speaking to a woman in a USA T-shirt. The left panel is titled “Free Speech” and Trump says, “What I say.” The right panel is titled "Hate Speech." In this panel, Trump covers the woman’s mouth and says, “What you say.”

(Image credit: Jack Ohman / Copyright 2025 Tribune Content Agency)

This cartoon depicts Attorney General Pam Bondi at a podium speaking to one reporter. She says, “The DOJ will be targeting hate speech!” The reporter says, “Define hate speech.” Bond responds, “Speech that we hate!”

(Image credit: Dave Whamond / Copyright 2025 Cagle Cartoons, Inc.)

This Donald Trump cartoon is six panels and features Trump in each frame tapping out a message to Attorney General Pam Bondi on his phone. The message in the first four panels reads, “The radical left are trying to divide us with hate speech! Radical hate speech must be stopped and I want it stopped now! And by hate speech, you know what I mean.” Trump is silent in the fifth panel. In the sixth, he writes “And mention of the Epstein files. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

(Image credit: John Deering / Copyright 2025 Creators Syndicate)

This cartoon is titled "What Voltaire Did NOT Say." It depicts Voltaire with a long white wig and a book. He says, "I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to your death your right to say it!"

(Image credit: John Darkow / Copyright 2025 Cagle Cartoons, Inc.)

This political cartoon depicts a confused-looking Pam Bondi sitting at a desk. She reads a book titled, “The Constitution for Dummies: A Reference for Trumpies.”

(Image credit: Bill Bramhall / Copyright 2025 Tribune Content Agency)

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