Out of Office

All the President’s Women 

What’s going on: The revolving door in President Donald Trump’s administration keeps spinning, and another woman is out. This time, it’s Katie Zacharia, who lasted just five days as press secretary amid revelations that she never passed the bar, despite Trump calling her an attorney. Her rocky debut briefing even prompted Trump to ask if she needed the job. Still, her exit raises questions about who stays versus who gets a “You’re fired!” Last week, Kimberly Guilfoyle lost her post as US ambassador to Greece after The Wall Street Journal reported on her alleged misuse of power. Earlier this year, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and former Attorney General Pam Bondi were fired amid allegations of corruption and/or incompetence. FBI Director Kash Patel and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick still have their jobs, despite ongoing scrutiny over past statements and conduct. Plus, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remains in his post — even after sharing war plans in a group chat. Spot the difference?

Binders full of men: Trump began his second term by touting the number of women he'd hired to senior positions, including eight in his cabinet. He’s now down to four. And earlier this year, The Washington Post found that women accounted for just over 14% of Trump's nominees for senior executive branch roles subject to Senate approval. Career staffers who held their jobs before Trump took office haven't fared much better: Black women were overrepresented in last year’s DOGE cuts. The administration’s anti-DEI stance doesn’t help. Since Hegseth took over, Black and female military officers have been disproportionately removed from promotion lists, while others have been fired or resigned. Still, several women might be in the running to become the next White House press secretary — including another Katie. 

Related: A Look Back at President Trump's Six Press Secretaries (Business Insider)

A Nutty Story

The Billionaire Next Door 

What’s going on: Ninety-four-year-old billionaire Barre Seid was previously known for making the largest known political advocacy donation in history to a conservative group working to reshape the Supreme Court and broader federal judiciary. Now, he’s become famous for some seriously nutty drama in Chicago. For years, he’s reportedly hired people to scatter nuts for Lincoln Park neighborhood squirrels. And these aren’t gas station peanuts; they’re a “luxury mélange of really nice nuts,” as resident Caroline Novak told local news station WGN, including Brazil nuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts. Unsurprising in the sixth-rattiest city in the US, those fancy nuts led to an infestation of rats and pigeons that annoy residents, make parts of the park unusable, and disrupt the local farmer’s market. The city has issued tens of thousands of dollars worth of fines, but Seid just keeps paying them. He’s a billionaire, after all.

Please don’t be my neighbor: This isn't the first time people have discovered that tickets and fines simply don’t work on billionaires. For example, Jeff Bezos paid $16,800 in 564 parking tickets while renovating his DC home. Being that rich changes how you see the world, some argue: “The person of wealth rationalizes their actions as appropriate because the world in which they live rewards those who live like they do,” one psychotherapist told New York magazine. And then there are the stats that go beyond neighborhood spats, like the fact that the richest 1%’s carbon emissions outweigh what's generated by the poorest 66%. Is it any surprise that Americans’ views on billionaires are becoming increasingly negative?

Related: California Tech Bros Are Spending Millions Fighting a Proposed “Billionaire Tax” (The Guardian)

Preservation Panic

Your History Teacher Is Not Going To Like This

What's going on: President Donald Trump’s desire to leave a lasting mark goes beyond a White House ballroom and triumphal arch in Washington, DC. Two separate measures are threatening to disrupt the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) that became law 60 years ago this month. Then-President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the law that created the National Register of Historic Places, which lists sites deemed worth protecting. It includes more than 100,000 entries, from an oak tree in Johns Island, South Carolina, to the entire town of Deadwood, South Dakota. It also established guardrails to preserve them, including an Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and Section 106 review, which is the process any federal agency must go through before starting projects that could endanger historic properties.

So why would we want to mess with this?: An ACHP (mostly Trump appointees) effort aims to weaken Section 106 regulations. In July, the council voted to redefine what makes a property “historic” (the Grand Canyon could be excluded, for example) and remove the requirement to consult Native American tribes or seek public comment. None of these rule changes have gone into effect, but more concerning to historic preservation advocates is a bipartisan bill that could get voted on after the November midterms. It would narrow the review process for efficiency's sake, speeding up infrastructure and energy projects. Critics say the bill would “rewrite” the NHPA and jeopardize protections for historic sites. A lawyer leading a coalition to defend Section 106 said this fight isn’t about politics. “You shouldn't have to fight your own government for the right to remember your past."

Related: Elon Musk Reportedly Wants To Buy a State Park (Texas Monthly)

I've Probably Tried That

Ali here, Senior Commerce Director. I might still confuse hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, but working on Skimm Shopping has granted me access to countless brands to find exactly what delivers real results. Check out:

• The daily SPF I use that doubles as tinted moisturizer 

• How I plan to keep my hairline full throughout my thirties 

• The lip oil by my bedside that provides overnight hydration 

• The face cream that’s helping me stave off crow’s feet

Quick Hits

💔 Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber shared emotional tributes to Presley Gerber on Instagram. He died last month at age 27.

💸 Experts say a “money buddy” could be your secret to better savings habits, with regular calls to compare financial goals, celebrate wins, and confess a few questionable purchases. Friendship with added dividends.

🦋 Janelle Monáe spread her wings at the Academy Museum Gala in a butterfly gown that we’d like to borrow for Halloween. Not very practical, but oh so magical.

🧘 India wants to bring competitive yoga to the Olympics, though some instructors say yoga shouldn’t be about winning. Tell that to the overachiever in our morning vinyasa class.

🎂 If you have these 10 baking essentials in your pantry and fridge, you’ve got most of what you need for trendy desserts like matcha pound cakes or espresso blondies. That’s our kind of capsule collection.

🎃 Girls star Allison Williams explained how buying Halloween costumes for your kids is both an art and a science. Timing is everything, right, Marnie?

🍒 This fall’s coolest hair color is cherry cola, aka a deep brunette with cool red undertones. But is it better from a bottle, can, or fountain?