Former Washington Post cartoonist Ann Telnaes publicly announced her resignation, citing the newspaper's refusal to publish a cartoon critical of owner Jeff Bezos and his relationship with President-elect Trump. Telnaes, writing on her Substack, claimed the Post's decision marked the first time in her tenure that a cartoon was rejected due to its target. The unpublished cartoon reportedly depicted Bezos, other affluent figures, and Mickey Mouse (symbolizing Disney) bowing before Trump with offerings of money, illustrating what Telnaes described as attempts to gain favor with the incoming president.
This incident follows Bezos' recent $1 million contribution to Trump's inauguration fund and a dinner meeting at Mar-a-Lago, despite past tensions between the two. The Amazon founder also drew criticism for the Post's decision against endorsing a presidential candidate, a move that reportedly angered some liberals and Post staff. Telnaes's cartoon also seemingly referenced Disney's recent $15 million settlement with Trump, a situation some believe influenced ABC News' coverage.
While Telnaes argues the rejection was politically motivated, Washington Post Editorial Page editor David Shipley offered a different explanation. He stated the decision was based on avoiding redundancy, as the paper had recently published content on a similar theme. Shipley insisted the rejection wasn't driven by a political agenda but rather a desire to avoid repetition. Telnaes maintains her stance that the suppression of her cartoon represents a threat to a free press. At the time of reporting, she had not responded to requests for further comment.
