Backlash for NY newspaper exposed.
A political cartoon from The Buffalo News has unleashed a firestorm of rage.
Catastrophic floods profiled.
The post landed just days after historic floods killed at least 82 people in Texas, with dozens still missing—many from rural Kerr County.
Just days before the cartoon hit, southern Texas was rocked by catastrophic flash floods following a torrential storm system that overwhelmed infrastructure.
Kerr County was among the worst hit—riverbanks overflowed, homes were torn from foundations, and families were stranded on rooftops for hours.
The confirmed death toll has now reached 82, with at least 30 more missing and rescue operations ongoing.
Entire towns like Hunt, Ingram, and Center Point were submerged. Survivors describe children swept from their parents’ arms and homes crushed in seconds.
“It all happened so fast,” said one local, whose parents remain missing. “We had no warning. Just water everywhere.”
The NWS insists it gave ample warning, but some residents say local leaders downplayed the storm’s intensity, leading to tragic delays.
Many of the hardest-hit counties are conservative strongholds, where residents are relying on churches, neighbors, and GOP-led volunteer efforts to recover.
Bodies were still being recovered when the cartoon hit the internet, prompting furious accusations that it mocked real-life suffering.
Shocking cartoon described.
The cartoon, by Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Adam Zyglis, features a red-hatted man submerged in water, holding a sign reading “HELP,” while saying, “Gov’t is the problem, not the solution.”
Zyglis captioned the cartoon “Swept Away…” and shared it on Instagram with hashtags like #MAGA and #DOGE, saying, “Tomorrow’s lines… that argument’s gone in a flash.”
Backlash for controversial cartoon highlighted.
Abigail Jackson, White House spokesperson, torched the cartoon, telling Fox News, “It’s shameful and disgusting… the left’s first instinct is to politicize a disaster.”
“False claims about the National Weather Service have been debunked,” Jackson added, noting the NWS issued a flood watch 12 hours before disaster struck.
“The Trump Administration is grateful to the first responders who saved hundreds of lives,” she continued, calling the cartoon a “twisted political stunt.”
Political figures from across the GOP are now demanding an apology from The Buffalo News, calling the cartoon “vile” and “shameful.”
Michael Kracker, Chairman of the Erie County GOP, posted on X: “They mocked families who lost loved ones, just because they voted Republican.”
“They owe those families an apology,” Kracker wrote, attaching a screenshot of the cartoon that has since gone viral online.
One commenter posted, “This is absolutely unacceptable and heartless too!!” — a sentiment echoed by thousands more.
“They hate Trump so much they’re willing to mock grieving families. That’s not journalism — it’s sickness,” another user raged.
“The amount of despicable people making hateful cartoons is unfathomable! Pure evil!” a furious reader posted.
Another angry Texan wrote, “I hope the folks in Buffalo boycott the paper. There’s nothing funny about this.”
“Young children perished,” one user reminded. “This cartoon crosses the line. Disgusting.”
Thousands of social media users have flooded The Buffalo News with comments calling the cartoon a disgrace.
“We’re still pulling bodies from rivers,” said one resident. “And they’re mocking us for who we voted for?”
As of now, the newspaper has not issued an apology and refuses to take down the cartoon from its platforms.
Cartoon sparks national debate on free speech.
Supporters of Zyglis argue the cartoon is satire, not cruelty, defending it as commentary on small-government ideology in times of disaster.
“It’s about the irony,” Zyglis said on Instagram. “Anti-government voices often rely on the very systems they reject when crisis hits.”
But critics argue satire can wait — and when kids are drowning, there’s no punchline clever enough to justify the joke.
The Buffalo News is now under mounting pressure to respond. Editors have not addressed calls for an apology or retraction.
The cartoon has reignited fierce debate over media ethics, political bias, and the weaponization of tragedy for clicks.
Despite the outrage, grief, and growing backlash, the cartoon remains live — no apology, no retraction, no remorse.