Kristi Noem fails a habeas corpus test | May 22 editorial cartoons

Thursday's cartoons feature Kristi Noem bringing the Constitution to heel, the cost of a college education, habeas corpus, and the cost of Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill"

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Kristi Noem, wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat, points a smoking gun at the U.S. Constitution, specifically Article II. A bullet hole is visible in the document. She exclaims, "It just won't behave!"

(Image credit: Bill Day / Copyright 2025 Cagle Cartoons, Inc.)

This cartoon takes place on a sidewalk outside a fancy restaurant. A waiter leans out the door to the "Billionaire's Exclusive Club," where wealthy diners are visible through a window. He hands a long scroll labeled "Big Beautiful Bill... $1.8 Trillion" to a disheveled man holding a "Please Help" sign and a begging cup. The waiter remarks, "There's just the small matter of the Big Beautiful Bill..."

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

A male graduate in a cap and gown has a heavy black ball labeled "STUDENT LOANS" chained to the top of his graduation cap instead of a tassel. He looks concerned and thinks, "I miss the old tassels..."

(Image credit: Christopher Weyant / Copyright 2025 Cagle Cartoons, Inc.)

A male U.S. Retailer with a mustache wears an apron and holds a pricing gun labeled "TARIFF MARKUPS." He is about to place price tags on packages that have been imported. To the right, a tiny hand, presumably Donald Trump's, points at him from off-panel, with a speech bubble saying, "GO AHEAD! MAKE MY DAY!"

(Image credit: Joe Heller / Copyright 2025 Hellertoon.com)

This political cartoon is a takeoff of "Schoolhouse Rock." It features a personified "Big Beautiful Bill" character, shaped like a scroll of paper with a face, sitting on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. The bill wears a sash with a "BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL" button and sings, "I'M JUST A BILL. YES, ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL. I CUT TAXES FOR THE WEALTHY WHILE CUTTING MEDICAID FOR THOSE NOT HEALTHY!"

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

This political cartoon takes place in a Senate hearing room. A figure, labeled "SEN. HASSAN" leans forward and asks, "SECRETARY NOEM, DEFINE HABEAS CORPUS." Kristi Noem, with long dark hair, replies, "IS IT ANYTHING LIKE HEEBIE JEEBIES?"

(Image credit: Randall Enos / Copyright 2025 Cagle Cartoons, Inc.)

A graduation ceremony is taking place outdoors. A speaker stands at a podium labeled "GRADUATION." In front of the podium, several adults are wearing only wooden barrels, suppported by suspenders, A man points to them and explains to another, "THAT'S THE PARENTS' SECTION."

(Image credit: Harley Schwadron / Copyright 2025 Cagle Cartoons, Inc.)

An anthropomorphic elephant stands next to a small man wearing a red "MAGA" style hat. They both look at a massive scroll-like invoice. The invoice is billed to "Hard-working Americans who earn less than $51k" and states "Due over next Decade: $4 Trillion." The elephant exclaims, "Now THAT is One Big, Beautiful Bill!"

(Image credit: Jonathan Brown / Copyright 2025 Cagle Cartoons, Inc.)

This four-panel cartoon depicts the transformation of a vibrant rainforest into a graveyard. The first panel shows a lush jungle with various animals, including a toucan and a jaguar. The second panel introduces crosses appearing among the trees, and the jaguar is running away. The third panel shows the forest has become a dense cemetery, with animals now appearing as faint, ghostly figures. The final panel shows only the graveyard with the ghostly forms of the animals.

(Image credit: Peter Kuper / Copyright 2025 Cagle Cartoons, Inc.)

An elephant with angry, hooded eyes wears a suit and has "WWJD" (What Would Judas Do?) on its wrist. It holds a money bag labeled "BILLIONAIRE TAX CUTS" and stands near an open safe labeled "MEDICAID, MEDICARE, SNAP FUNDS." The elephant asks, "WHAT WOULD JUDAS DO!?"

(Image credit: Mike Luckovich / Copyright 2025 Creators Syndicate)

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