Mark Knight’s Trump tariff tee off cartoon comes to life as President looms large over federal election

Donald Trump has become the elephant in the room during the federal election. Now, Mark Knight reveals how he brought him to life as a cartoon. SEE THE VIDEO

US President Donald Trump has become the elephant in the room during the federal election as the fallout from his trade tariffs causes political headaches.

On one hand, Labor has accused Peter Dutton’s campaign of being “just a cut and paste” from Mr Trump’s playbook.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his ministers are constantly trying to link Mr Dutton to Mr Trump, by saying the Coalition are importing US-style policies.

Peter Dutton attends a a rally in Mount Pleasant on the campaign trail for the 2025 federal election with Jacinta Price and Michaelia Cash. Picture Thomas Lisson / NewsWire

On the other, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price unintentionally vowed to “make Australia great again” in a campaign press conference on Saturday.

She backtracked afterwards, saying: “The media, you’re all obsessed with Donald Trump. We’re not obsessed with Donald Trump. We’re actually obsessed with ensuring that we can improve the circumstances for Australians.”

Mark Knight’s cartoon of Donald Trump for April 13.

Labor’s Education Minister Jason Clare also jumped on this saying: “What she said today tells us that they just want to import US policies and US slogans to Australia.

“The only thing she didn’t have today was the hat.”

Given Mr Trump’s prominence in the news headlines, Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight decided to draw the President once again in his cartoon published on Sunday.

WATCH THE TIMELAPSE VIDEO OF THE CARTOON ABOVE

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“The President has two great loves, one is golf and the other is trade tariffs and I thought wouldn’t it be great to combine those two loves of his in one cartoon,” Knight said.

“So I started sketching this idea of Donald Trump teeing off on his trade tariff campaign in the ‘Trade Tariff Masters’.

“When the Donald is teeing off ... there’s no safe place to stand.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the campaign trail In the WA. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

Jason Clare, Labor’s Education Minister. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

For now, Mr Albanese has welcomed Mr Trump’s 90-day pause on tariffs, including those levelled at Australia.

“This is a new statement by the President. We welcome it. We believe that reciprocal tariffs on Australia should be zero,” he said.

Mr Dutton earlier accused Mr Albanese as being “a weak Prime Minister”, in managing the tariff issue.

Originally published as Mark Knight’s Trump tariff tee off cartoon comes to life as President looms large over federal election