Washington
Washington Post cartoonist quits over rejected Trump sketch
What’s New
Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigned from The Washington Post after the editorial team rejected one of her cartoons criticizing The Post‘s billionaire owner Jeff Bezos.
Writing on her Substack blog on Friday, Telnaes said it was the first time her work was censored due to its point of view, prompting her decision to leave
Newsweek has contacted The Washington Post via email for comment.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Why It Matters
Telnaes’ resignation highlights concerns over press freedom and the influence of billionaire owners on editorial decisions in major news outlets, including at the LA Times and The Washington Post.
Critics argue that billionaire owners could censor critical commentary, undermining journalism’s role in holding power accountable.
What To Know
The cartoon in question depicted Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, and The Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos, all billionaires, and Micky Mouse, representing Disney, kneeling before a statue of Donald Trump, offering sacks of cash.
Telnaes posted a rough of the cartoon in the blog post:
Telnaes described the decision to reject the cartoon as a “game changer” for her relationship with the paper.
But Post Opinions editor David Shipley, in a statement to Politico, said the cartoon was rejected to avoid repetition, because a column and a satirical piece on the same subject had already been published.
In her blog post, Telnaes outlined her career as an advocate for press freedom in various roles, having served on advisory boards for organizations supporting editorial cartoonists.
She emphasized the importance of holding power accountable and warned against efforts to “curry favor with an autocrat-in-waiting.”
What People Are Saying
Elizabeth Warren, Senator, on X: “@AnnTelnaes resigned after The Washington Post editorial page killed her cartoon. It’s worth a share. Big Tech executives are bending the knee to Donald Trump and it’s no surprise why: Billionaires like Jeff Bezos like paying a lower tax rate than a public school teacher.”
David Shipley, Washington Post Opinions Editor, in a statement to Politico: “My decision was guided by the fact that we had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and had already scheduled another column — this one a satire — for publication. The only bias was against repetition.”
Ann Telnaes, Cartoonist, on Substack: “For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job. So I have decided to leave the Post.”
What Happens Next
With Donald Trump set to assume the presidency, The Post faces increased scrutiny over its ability to maintain editorial independence under Bezos’s ownership. Telnaes’ departure raises questions about how the paper will approach coverage of Trump’s administration, particularly regarding its willingness to challenge powerful figures.
Washington
Deputies shoot armed suspect in Leesburg Walmart parking lot
Deputies shot an armed suspect in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Leesburg, Virginia, late Tuesday morning, authorities say.
Detectives, deputies and special agents from the FBI had tracked the suspect down after he tried to rob the Bank of America at Dulles Crossing on Monday, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office said. The suspect, who still hasn’t been named, didn’t get any money before taking off from the bank.
Authorities found the suspect was parked at the back of the Walmart parking lot just before noon Tuesday.
Deputies pulled up behind the suspect’s blue sedan at the back of the Walmart parking lot about 11:40 a.m. Tuesday. As they approached, the suspect got out with a gun, Sheriff Mike Chapman said.
Deputies then fired their guns at the suspect, hitting him. Chapman did not say how many times the suspect was shot or give specific information about his injuries.
Medics took the suspect to a hospital.
No deputies were injured, the sheriff’s office said.
Chapman said it was too early in the investigation to say if the suspect fired his gun or how many officers were involved in the shooting.
Stay with News4 for updates to this developing story.
Washington
The American story projected on the Washington Monument came from North Texas
Steve Deitz walks with the energy of a coach; however, he does not hide that he and his team are digital nerds and storytellers who specialize in large-scale visual content and software development. More specifically, the 48-year-old makes a living creating the wow factor at his agency, “900lbs.”
“We started the company working for the Dallas Mavericks, telling large-scale visual content on the Jumbotron, and next thing you know, Activision, Blizzard calls,” he said. “We get to work in the Perot Museum on the biggest exhibit in the museum, and then fast-forward another 12 years, and here we are now.”
His current project is wrapping up in the nation’s capital — sorta. Since Dec.31, projections of America’s story have been given to his agency.
“We’re telling the story of the 250-year birthday of America in the biggest way possible on the facade of the Washington Monument on all four sides,” Deitz said.
He said they started testing out the results a couple of nights before New Year’s Eve. Scenes from Thomas Edison’s light bulb, the Empire State Building, the Model T Ford, and the Industrial Revolution, to name a few, are projected onto the Washington Monument.
Deitz gives his team a ton of credit from the moment he received the call about the project. He also thinks back to the times when he was an athlete who loved to draw in Merkel, Texas. The kid who dared to dream beyond the city limits and outside of the box. The CEO is giving advice to that child who may need a little inspiration.
“Hard work, perseverance, dedication, surround yourself with a team of brilliant people that are way smarter than you, and do the best you possibly can,” he said.
Deitz said there is a likelihood his team’s creations will return to the nation’s capital this year.
Washington
Tracking crime in the DMV: Some areas see drop in violent crime, homicide
It is not the way any homicide squad wants to start an already busy new year.
Prince George’s County police Sunday were trying to figure out who was found dead in a car behind a strip center overnight and why. Police, who responded after a call about gun shots, told News4 they’re still searching for the most basic details.
It comes just a day after three people were shot and killed at a Temple Hills banquet hall early Saturday morning. Police told News4 that investigation is active and showing signs of promise.
But the busy start somewhat hides the bigger picture about crime in the area.
Despite the tough start to 2026, homicide in Prince George’s County was down 40% in 2025 percent compared to 2024, and violent crime on a whole was down 19%, both through mid-December according to Prince George’s County police.
In D.C. is a similar story.
“Now we have no crime in Washington, DC. We have no killing,” said President Donald Trump Saturday during a news conference about action in Venezuela.
While the crime rate is not nearly as good as Trump has repeatedly said, the District recorded five homicides in December and 126 in all of 2025. That’s down 32% over 2024. Violent crime is down 29%, according to D.C .police crime statistics.
In Fairfax, homicide is down 14% — but the county only had 12 total — and violent crime dropped 4%, according to the county’s online reporting.
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