Donald Trump appears in a briefing with a NASA scientist. He points to a display showing an asteroid labeled DEI on course for Earth. Trump states he relies on common sense. The display includes tracking text for an earth-destroying asteroid. The scene references recent comments tying diversity programs to scientific matters.
The cartoon shows a gray helicopter marked with DEI on its rotor housing. The image responds to discussions around the Department of Government Efficiency reviewing federal programs including diversity initiatives at agencies like USAID following a January 2025 midair collision near Reagan National Airport.
The cartoon by Adam Zyglis contrasts a 1955 segregated bus scene labeled 'BACK of the BUS...' with a 2025 scene where a figure marked DEI is thrown under a modern bus by Donald Trump, accompanied by the caption '... UNDER the BUS.' Published January 31, 2025, the work responds to recent debates over diversity, equity and inclusion programs following high-profile incidents including aviation accidents. It visually links past racial exclusion to current political rhetoric blaming DEI for systemic failures. The composition uses the bus motif to highlight continuity in scapegoating tactics across decades.
