‘Cap’-py days are here again — Capitol Ink’s best of 2025 - Roll Call

President Donald Trump’s return to the White House this year brought chaos, clawbacks, discharge petitions, shutdowns and plenty of satirical fodder for Roll Call political cartoonist R.J. Matson.

From Elon Musk to Jeffrey Epstein, and from “Big Beautiful” bills to White House bulldozing, this was a fast and furious year like no other.

Matson shares some of his favorite images of 2025.

Matson skewers the so-called Department of Government Efficiency during the group’s crackdown on U.S. Agency for International Development offices on Feb. 4.

Matson laments the state of U.S. democracy and liberty on Feb. 19 amid the start of ICE raids and crackdowns on immigrants and others.

Matson had some fun with lawmakers on March 11 as they scurried to pass yet another short-term spending bill.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer gets a raking on March 19 after his capitulation to Republicans on a continuing resolution. The shutdown saga reached epic status later in the fall.

Matson evokes MAD magazine mascot Alfred E. Neuman to send up Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on April 11.

This post from June 26 sees congressional Republicans readying their “One Big Beautiful Bill” — and its cuts to some Medicaid funding for rural hospitals.

After news broke that Trump plans to build a ballroom at the White House, Matson came up with some new branding for Congress on July 8.

The August recess started early for House members in this July 24th post, just as a a legislative effort to get the Justice Department to release Jeffrey Epstein documents started to gain steam.

In this post from Sept. 9, Matson had another rebranding idea for Congress following the Trump administration’s announcement of its aim to change the Defense Department’s name.

This post from Nov. 4 shows the House out for another lengthy period due to a partial shutdown of the federal government, and as the Epstein discharge petition continued to gain momentum.

Matson has fun with Republicans on Nov. 6 after an Election Day blitzing that saw Democrats score some big wins in an off-cycle year.

Matson’s Nov. 18 post follows up on the nearly unanimous vote on legislation to release the Epstein documents days before Trump-ally-turned-foe Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation announcement.

The post ‘Cap’-py days are here again — Capitol Ink’s best of 2025 appeared first on Roll Call.