5 costly editorial cartoons about the national debt

Political cartoonists take on the USA's financial hole, rare bipartisan agreement, and Donald Trump and Mike Johnson

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This political cartoon is set on a scenic overlook at the Grand Canyon where visitors can look down and see the national debt. A family with a mother, father, and two children look down at a canyon labeled $36.2 trillion hole. The U.S. Capital building is deep in the canyon with an arrow that reads, “More tax cuts.” The mother says, “Wow! The U.S. Congress looks so tiny and insignificant from up here!”

(Image credit: R.J. Matson / Copyright 2025 Cagle Cartoons, Inc.)

This cartoon is titled "Bipartisan Agreement” and pictures a smiley donkey on the left leaning toward a happy elephant on the right. They look friendly and chummy. The donkey says, “Cut spending?” The elephant says, “Not a chance!” as it throws away a note with “DOGE” written on it.

(Image credit: Dana Summers / Copyright 2025 Tribune Content Agency)

This cartoon is titled “Our National Debt”. The words “$36 TRILLION’ are written in a large font on top of the cartoon and dominate the image. The characters pictured from left are an elephant, a donkey, and a little girl with a backpack. The elephant says, “It’s very complicated...” The donkey says, “It’s very difficult..” The little girl says, “Cut spending.”

(Image credit: Michael Ramirez / Copyright 2025 Creators Syndicate)

The dominant image of this editorial cartoon is Donald Trump. He’s in the middle of the frame with wild, flowing, golden hair hiding a bald head that is being combed over by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. “Big Beautiful Bill” is written on Trump’s hair and “Trillions in Debt” on the bald spot. Two men with briefcases are in the back corner and one whispers to the other, “I get the feeling he’s trying to hide something.”

(Image credit: Phil Hands / Copyright 2025 Tribune Content Agency)

This political cartoon depicts an enormous yellow bomb labeled “One big beautiful bill” on top of the Senate half of the U.S. Capital building. The fuse attached to the bomb has been lit and is labeled “National Debt Bomb.” A voice from the House side of the building says, “The ball is in your court!”

(Image credit: R.J. Matson / Copyright 2025 Cagle Cartoons, Inc.)

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