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Sesame Street has a blunt message for Donald Trump | May 16 editorial cartoons

Friday's political cartoons feature a lonely Bibi, ChatGPT, RFK Jr. and his grandkids swimming in sewage, America's air traffic control woes, and Donald Trump's love of a military parade.

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By The Week US

published 16 May 2025

This political cartoon depicts a graduating student wearing a cap and gown, looking at their smartphone. A speech bubble extends from the phone, showing the text: "Hey ChatGPT, write my graduation speech on a 12th-grade level and make me sound real smart."

A political cartoon titled "DISTRACTION" shows two scenes. On the left, a figure in a judge's robe labeled "Rule of LAW" falls backward into a dark square opening, arms raised and a gavel flying in the air. On the right, Donald Trump holds a small airplane in one hand and level in the other. He exclaims, "LOOK! QATAR IS GIVING ME AN AIRPLANE!"

A cartoon depicts the Statue of Liberty standing tall. At the base of the statue, the inscription "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free" is partially obscured by graffiti. The words "WHITE PEOPLE" are written in large black letters over the original text. To the right, Donald Trump, wearing a suit and red tie, holds a black marker.

This is a three-panel political cartoon, described from left to right. Donald Trump, wearing a suit and red tie, is speaking to a man wearing a traditional Arab headdress and robe. The robe has "SAUDIS" written across the chest. Trump says, "QATAR GAVE USA $400-MILLION-DOLLAR PLANE." Both figures are smiling and looking at each other. In Panel 2, the same two figures are shown. Trump is looking directly at the viewer with a smirk. The man in the headdress is looking slightly away, also with a smile. In the third panel, Trump says, "JUST SAYIN'..."

A cartoon depicts a 1917-style propeller airplane plummeting downwards against a light blue sky. The plane is breaking apart, with pieces flying off and smoke trailing behind it. Attached to the tail of the crashing plane is a long, waving banner that reads "AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEM" in red letters. At the very end of the banner, a small American flag is visible.

Benjamin Netanyahu ("BIBI" is written on his suit) sits on a rock with his hands outstretched and dripping with blood. He has a distressed expression and is saying, "IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUT HE DOESN'T DROP IN? DOESN'T CALL? OR WRITE? SOME FRIEND! SOME ALLY! OY, IS ANYONE LISTENING?...". Around him, the ground is littered with numerous bodies lying in pools of blood. In the lower left corner, a sign reads "GAZA". In the background, there is a dark sky with explosions or conflict depicted by bursts of yellow and red.

The cartoon depicts Donald Trump as a marionette, controlled by strings while he says "I'm getting a $400 million jumbo jet from Qatar with no strings attached!"

The cartoon depicts a circular sewage plant with the words "SEWAGE PLANT" prominently displayed on its side. Inside, three children are swimming in the greenish liquid, seemingly enjoying themselves. Another figure labeled "RFK JR." is shown jumping into the water. One of the swimming children says, "GRANDPA TAKES US TO THE BEST SWIMMING HOLES!"

This political cartoon features five Sesame Street characters looking distressed. From left to right are Elmo with wide, worried eyes, Big Bird with a concerned frown, Oscar the Grouch emerging from his trash can with an angry expression, Bert looking stern and holding a sign that reads "PBS CUTS," and Ernie looking sad with his hands clasped. Below the characters, the text reads, "TODAY'S EPISODE BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTERS F AND U."

A chaotic political cartoon depicts a Donald Trump watching a military parade gone awry. Someone in the crowd says to Trump "...YOU WANTED A MILITARY PARADE." Trump is visible in a reviewing stand, wearing a crown and looking pleased.The parade features various elements of military hardware and disgruntled figures. A fighter jet with a banner reading "SUCKERS & LOSERS" flies overhead. Tanks labeled "V.A. CUTS" and "HOMELESS VETS" roll along the street. A rocket labeled "MUSK GRIFT" and "STARLINK" is pointed upwards with a "DUMP NATO" sign attached. Pete Hegseth marches in front of a tank as he wears only a bathing suite and carries an empty bottle of gin. Figures behind him carry signs that say "GET YOUR WAR PLANS HERE" and "JOIN OUR SIGNAL GROUP CHAT." The scene is further complicated by a Russian flag and a general sense of disarray, culminating in a sign at the bottom right that reads "ARLINGTON DISRESPECT."

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