Iran’s Trumpism contest holds press conference

The Trumpism International Cartoon and Caricature Contest has been scheduled to be held in Iran.

The contest will be highlighting the importance of satire as a tool of resistance, the organizers announced during a press conference held in Tehran earlier this week.

The event, organized by the Artistic and Cinematic Organization for Sacred Defense and Resistance, will remain firmly rooted in confronting and critiquing the aggressive policies of the US President Donald Trump, the head of the organization Mohammad Yashar Naderi said.

The event also aims to expose the destructive nature of his administration’s actions and to encourage artists worldwide to participate in this ideological battle through powerful visual commentary, he added. 

He also underscored the organization's unwavering commitment to its revolutionary principles, particularly through the Trumpism Contest. 

Naderi highlighted that the contest was inspired by the explicit remarks of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who emphasized the need for ideological resistance against US policies. 

He pointed out that Trump’s persona embodies a logic of power where national interest and dominance are prioritized above all else and such actions reveal the true face of American imperialism, which relies heavily on economic sanctions, media manipulation, and military interventionism to maintain dominance.

Naderi emphasized that Trump's approach is characterized by aggressive interventionism and a reliance on economic warfare, including sanctions and covert operations against various nations.

So, the contest seeks to challenge this narrative, emphasizing that satire and caricature are powerful, universal languages capable of resisting silence in the face of injustice.

The contest is not merely about criticizing an individual but confronting the entire architecture of global hegemony rooted in greed, racism, and violence. 

The secretary of the contest Seyyed Masoud Shojaee Tabatabaee explained that the first edition of the contest was held in 2017, coinciding with the beginning of Trump’s presidency, and the second in 2019 attracted participation from 79 countries, reflecting its growing international influence. 

The themes of the competition focus on key issues such as Trump’s unwavering support for Israel, his withdrawal from the JCPOA, the imposition of sanctions, racial policies, family separation policies, and environmental neglect—each depicting the destructive impact of US imperialism and hegemonic ambitions.

The visual art forms like cartoons transcend language barriers and can resonate deeply with a global audience, influencing public opinion and raising awareness about the true nature of US policies, he concluded.

The participants may submit their works until December 13.