For Elon Musk, $275 million is a reasonable amount of money to spend influencing an election. That’s a pretty substantial investment for a guy who has spent so much time complaining about government spending. I suppose when you’re the richest man in the world, democracy is just another investment opportunity.

Of course, he has never hesitated about using his enormous wealth to influence American politics. He spent hundreds of millions helping Donald Trump return to the White House in 2024. And now, with Republicans fighting to maintain control of Congress, he’s at it again.

And where is the outcry from Republicans who have spent years complaining about wealthy liberal donors like George Soros, accusing them of trying to buy elections and manipulate American politics. Apparently, when a billionaire is spending his money to elect Republicans, it’s an entirely different matter.

Incidentally there’s something familiar about Musk’s gesture as he drops that enormous bag of money. It reminds me of another gesture he made in front of a cheering political crowd not so long ago. I’ll leave it to readers to make that connection.

My final take on all of this? Musk should go DOGE himself!

For Donald Trump, loyalty has always seemed to be the most important qualification for just about any post in his administration. And the willingness to defend him, no matter what he says or does, is a “skill” he requires.

New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has shown herself in the past to be not only loyal, but she sounds like a teenage groupie when she shares her feelings about her new boss. She called her new appointment the “honor of a lifetime,” and wrote that Trump’s “leadership is a blessing to this country.” A blessing? Hmm… Now that sounds like something a devoted (and delusional) fan would say.

In fact, Trump himself said she is exactly that: “She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning... She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA!”

As long as they’re loyal, devoted fans who happen to also be attractive blondes, Trump is all-in.

Move over Natalie Harp. And best wishes in your “honor of a lifetime” post, Katie Zacharia. Your turn in the glow of Trump’s infatuation will likely fade, leaving you to regret the lies you will have to defend.

In 1936, a good way to earn a visit from the Gestapo would be to speak out against Hitler and the Nazi Regime. They’d show up at your door searching for letters, papers and anything else they thought they could use against you.

That was ninety years ago and we are seriously seeing this sort of thing in 2026? Add it to the list of “sorts of things we are seeing” these days, I suppose.

Donald Trump has been going after Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for years. He doesn’t like her politics. He doesn’t like her religion, and he doesn’t like that she’s an immigrant elected to Congress. Now, a few weeks before the midterms, Homeland Security is raiding her home. Some people are calling the timing election interference… it’s at least intimidation.

And no, simmer down, I’m not saying Trump is Hitler. But I am saying that he has a history of turning his lackeys on people who disagree with or criticize him. I’m also saying that has been seen before, and it didn’t end well. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

For my readers (both of you!) I’ll be posting a narrated FREE video of my drawing process, using this cartoon as a sample. I think you’ll enjoy it! I’m going to talk a bit about caricature and lettering with some extra stuff thrown in for good measure. Watch for it here tomorrow!

For those who are not yet subscribed, now would be a good time to get on board. I’m only getting started with the fun stuff!

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Donald Trump has never been shy about making deals with Vladimir Putin. But his latest agreement involving Russian diesel fuel raises some serious questions about whose interests are being served.

Apparently there is not much diesel in this deal. In fact, analysts say it “will have zero net impact on world energy markets or the world price of diesel in the rising costs of diesel fuel.” So why is Trump headstrong to make this deal? I’m guessing it’s because he is desperate to come up with a solution for high fuel prices before the midterms. That ship has sailed and is still stuck in the Strait of Hormuz — His own doing!

Putin would benefit the most from the Diesel Deal. Sanctions will be lifted, and perhaps most importantly, the optics of the United States selling out Ukraine will go a long way to further his strategy.

The idea behind this cartoon is that Trump has always presented himself as the ultimate dealmaker and yet consistently his “deals” with Putin and his ilk serve their interests at the expense of the United States and our European Allies. Making a good deal requires more than getting what you want today. It means understanding what you’re giving up tomorrow. And that’s especially true when you’re dealing with someone like Putin.

I wanted the cartoon to make a simple point about priorities. While Trump concentrates on the diesel deal in front of him, Putin has something much bigger on his desk.

The devil, as they say, is in the details. And the sinister look I drew on Putin’s face, betrays his devilish plans — and his likely estimation of Donald Trump’s intelligence.

Err… I mean I’m Expanding the Newsletter

The cartoons will remain free, but I’ll soon be adding some new features for paid subscribers. These will include a look at how I develop my cartoons, sketches and ideas that never made it to print, cartoons from my archives, the chance to ask me questions, and conversations between me and other cartoonists.

HERE’S WHAT I’M PLANNING.

There are cartoons I’ve drawn over the years that, looking back, I wish I’d done differently. Some were too tame. Others missed the mark. I’ll revisit those cartoons, explain what was happening at the time, and show how I’d draw them today.

• The Week in Ink The week’s cartoons, along with sketches, rejected ideas, and some background on what inspired them.

• The Mailbag Some of the hate mail and threats I’ve received over the years, and the cartoons that prompted them.

• The Spike Cartoons that were rejected by editors, or that I decided not to publish.

• From the Morgue Cartoons from 1995–2008, including a look at how much (or how little) things have changed.

• Rejected Roughs Sketches and ideas that didn’t make the cut.

• Ask the Cartoonist An opportunity to ask me questions about my work, cartooning, or just about anything else.

• Drawing on Video Timelapse videos, caricature lessons, and live drawing sessions.

• Live Conversations Me in conversation with other cartoonists about their work and the profession.

I’ll also be offering original artwork and ways for subscribers to get more involved.

You don’t need to become a paid subscriber just yet. Subscribe for free and I’ll let you know when the new features are available.

Great leaders of the past faced times when it became necessary to calm fears and anxiety for the people they served.

George Washington encouraged colonial Americans to stand together through revolution. Winston Churchill rallied Britain against Nazi Germany. Franklin Roosevelt reassured a frightened nation during the Great Depression. Their words were meant to inspire courage, and restore confidence.

Donald Trump on the other hand, while speaking about the war with Iran and rising gasoline prices, recently encouraged an Iranian attack on Los Angeles and San Diego, saying that it would be a “small price to pay”. For him then, the prospect of U.S. cities being bombed with potentially thousands of innocent lives lost, is an acceptable exchange for ending the war. This from the person who has been entrusted with protecting American citizens.

The point I hoped to capture in this cartoon is that while true leaders would reassure, this U.S. president tells Americans that certain cities are expendable. He was speaking to his MAGA base, who in fact, CHEERED when he made the suggestion.

Leadership has never been about promising that sacrifice won’t be necessary. Washington, Churchill, and Roosevelt certainly understood that. But they also understood the importance of giving people something worth believing in, rather than casually dismissing the potential consequences of war.

To my MAGA friends who voted for Trump, I say that actually words DO matter. Particularly when they come from the commander in chief. History will remember his words.

Nerves are on edge with Republicans as their gerrymandering tricks and huge donations don’t seem to be turning the tide for the upcoming Midterms.

Earlier rules had pushed automakers toward higher average fuel economy across their fleets. The rollback allows manufacturers to sell more trucks and SUVs without penalties for lower efficiency.

Supporters of the change argue it reduces costs for consumers and supports domestic manufacturing. Critics say it increases long-term fuel consumption and emissions. The cartoon places the guzzler front and center to emphasize which vehicles benefit most from the relaxed standards.

In today’s cartoon, I’ve think these two guys in a coffee shop discussing pressing issues like the Iran War and skyrocketing gasoline prices might be typical of today’s political climate. It’s my commentary on priorities and leadership (or lack thereof). The guy on the left reflects the growing sentiment that the President doesn’t care about our troubles — Caused by HIM! A sentiment that he, himself confirmed recently.

Contrasting this is the second guy, in a MAGA hat, who dismissively retorts that Trump is busy with other projects, namely constructing a ballroom and an arch. Trump’s indifference is underscored by the use of trivial projects as excuses for ignoring larger, more immediate concerns.

In the lead-up to these particular Midterm Elections, it’s foolish to ignore those whose votes could count in Trump’s favor — That is, unless there are nefarious plans to thwart a free and fair election in the works.

Anthropic researchers have warned that AI could potentially kill everyone, with one putting the chance above 10% within the next decade. Anthropic’s CEO, Dario Amodei, is now warning that swarms of AI agents could overwhelm the internet within six months to a year without stronger safeguards. And these aren’t just hypothetical fears: Anthropic recently disclosed incidents in which Claude models gained unauthorized access to real outside systems during testing.
The nightmare scenarios go well beyond killer robots: cyberattacks on power grids and water systems, engineered pathogens, autonomous weapons, manipulation of governments—and eventually systems intelligent enough that we simply can’t control them.
And yet the race continues.
That’s the absurdity behind this cartoon. The people chaining the monster up are the same people making it stronger.
Now they’re yelling HELP!
Hopefully we will listen.

Section: The Political Desk · Drawn 2026-09-14 · inkstains.com

On my last flight, I spent half the flight trying to connect to the WiFi. The little light was lit blue. “It must be ME,” I thought. So when the flight attendant came by, I told her I couldn’t connect. She said “Oh, it’s not working at time. You can try again later.” Not wanting to be thrown off the plane as a flight threat, I decided not to point out that the light was on. That’s when I wondered if the whole thing is an elaborate prank.

I can't believe it has been 25 years since 9/11! I remember the terrible day when 2,977 people lost their lives in that vicious attack. My wife and I visited the The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial and were touched and awestruck as we reflected on those who are memorialized there, who lost their lives that day, and on those left behind who mourn and grieve their tragic loss.

Today's cartoon is not a tribute cartoon, but a reminder of freedoms we each lost in the aftermath of 9/11. My younger children don't remember a pre-9/11 world. So they are unaware of the freedoms we traded for security. Those freedoms continue to erode as surveillance has become the norm, and new technology is used to surveil even more of our lives.

My heart goes out to those who suffered personal losses on 9/11 and afterwards. And my apologies go out to my children and the younger generations for allowing leaders to strip their freedoms which they will likely never know. #9/11 #SurveillanceState

It’s been a long, hot summer. July 2026 became the hottest month in the history of meteorological observations in the continental United States. Each of the 48 continental states ranked at least in the upper third of its historical temperature record for July. A historic heat dome over the July 4 holiday weekend shattered records across the eastern U.S., with at least 148 daily high-temperature records set between June 30 and July 5. Notable records included Washington, D.C. breaking the record for the warmest July 4 with 103 degrees, and Philadelphia recording three consecutive days above 101 degrees for the first time in its history.

Also historic and unbelievable, are the almost daily erosions and attacks on Democracy. For this reason also, it’s been a long, unbearable summer (and spring, and winter…) of jaw-dropping news.

It would be absolutely refreshing for voters to turn out in record numbers this November, to change the tide!

Section: The Political Desk · Drawn 2026-09-08 · inkstains.com

In a move that’s reminiscent of other fascist regimes, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been caught secretly paying military influencers to support his policies and attack those who criticize or scrutinize the Trump Administration.

Joseph Goebbels was a master at this tactic. He controlled all media, weaponized Big Lie tactics (repeat falsehoods until they became "truth"), and created a total information ecosystem. His propaganda reached saturation—radio, film, posters, education. Devastatingly effective at manufacturing consent for genocide.

Former Chief Prosecutor during the Soviet Union purges, Andrey Vyshinsky was particularly chilling: he proved you could use the forms of justice and legality as propaganda instruments. Under his charge, the Moscow Trials of 1936-1938 looked like legitimate legal proceedings while advancing whatever narrative Stalin needed that week. Vyshinsky made state violence appear rational and just.

Hegseth is no Goebbels, but he is absolutely using fascist tactics to control the public narrative.

Section: The Political Desk · Drawn 2026-08-31 · inkstains.com

Dolly Parton left the world better for her having lived in it. RIP Dolly Parton.

Section: The Political Desk · Drawn 2026-08-25 · inkstains.com

A sitting U.S. President has a duty to protect the interests of the United States. And traditionally, as “Leader of the Free World”, that duty extends to nations that border bad characters who have and would still, harm their region and the world.

Kim Jong Un is one of those characters. North Korea’s ICBMs can already reach US soil, and the IC assesses that it is committed to expanding its nuclear arsenal,” said Tulsi Gabbard, delivering the 2026 threat assessment to the Senate in March. “The IC assesses that an increasingly confident North Korean regime remains a source of concern regionally and globally. Its weapons of mass destruction, its conventional military capabilities, illicit cyber activities, and demonstrated willingness to use asymmetric capabilities pose a threat to the US and its allies, particularly South Korea and Japan.”

When Trump buddys up to tyrants and depots like Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin, he sells out the principles our country was founded upon. At the least, he is a sellout. At most, he is a traitor.

Section: The Political Desk · Drawn 2026-08-18 · inkstains.com

Meta is in federal court this week to answer to accusations from a group of state AGs that it “designed its social media platforms to hook children, lied to the public about the risks those platforms posed and gathered data on kids in violation of the law.” *NPR

Section: The Political Desk · Drawn 2026-08-17 · inkstains.com