Editorial cartoons for Dec. 28, 2025: Epstein files redacted, CBS News controversy, Trump-Kennedy Center – Syracuse.com

The U.S. Department of Justice released three batches of files related to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein beginning a week ago Friday, the deadline mandated by Congress in legislation signed by President Donald Trump under pressure from Republican members of Congress. Many of the documents were heavily redacted, prompting commentators to wonder if it was to protect the victims trafficked for sex by Epstein or his powerful friends in government, finance and entertainment.

Editorial cartoonists ran with the redaction theme this week.

Nick Anderson leads the editorial cartoon gallery with his view of the Constitution’s Article 1 blacked out, inferring that Congress is being deleted by the executive branch. Drew Sheneman draws Trump dumping the Epstein files into a vat of black ink. Michael Ramirez reproduces a page with the word “transparency” the only one visible in the text and “Justice” redacted from the Department of Justice. Jack Ohman glimpses Trump between the black boxes.

CBS News was itself in the news again. A report about the notorious prison in El Salvador that received Venezuelans deported by the United States was yanked from the broadcast by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. The report aired in Canada and quickly spread on the internet. Critics accused Weiss of holding the story to placate Trump. Cartoonist Mike Luckovich sees the network’s credibility running like sand through an hourglass. Ohman resurrects the ghost of legendary CBS newsman Walter Cronkite. Drew Sheneman draws CBS as Trump’s lapdog.

Other news events in this week’s gallery include sharp responses to Trump putting his name on the Kennedy Center; the looming health insurance price spike under the Affordable Care Act; and wishes for peace on our precarious Earth.

Cartoons were drawn by Nick Anderson, Bill Bramhall, Pedro Molina, Jack Ohman, Joel Pett, Drew Sheneman, Scott Stantis and Joey Weatherford of Tribune Content Agency; and Steve Breen, Mike Luckovich and Michael Ramirez of Creators Syndicate.

Marie Morelli is editorial/opinion lead for Syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. She is an award-winning editorial writer, opining on such topics as politics and elections, public accountability, free speech and…