Is the Call Coming From Inside the Pentagon?

What's Happening

Politics

Is the Call Coming From Inside the Pentagon?

What's going on: The Pentagon isn’t typically defined by dysfunction — but current and former officials say that’s what’s happening under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Washington Post reports that reality-TV-level feuds among top advisers, internal rifts, inexperience, and leadership gaps have raised doubts about Hegseth’s ability to stay in the role. One former official described the atmosphere as a “cold war that exists in between flash points.” (Which, frankly, sounds about as fun as it reads.) Alarm is also growing among White House officials, who have expressed disbelief over Hegseth’s claims that illegal wiretaps were behind a Pentagon leak. Hegseth’s involvement in Signal(s)Gate, the purge of senior women, promotion of loyalists, and restriction of press access — all while insisting the Pentagon is more “transparent” than ever — has only fueled the turmoil.

What it means: With no chief or deputy chief of staff and a churn of internal drama, officials say the Pentagon is running on fear, retaliation, and distrust. Experts warn that dysfunction threatens more than optics — it clouds judgment and slows decision-making at a time of global volatility. The leak investigation has also strained relations between the White House and Pentagon, with some on President Donald Trump’s team unsure who — or what — to believe. So, will President Trump, who recently called Hegseth a “tough cookie,” stick with him or eventually go with someone who can clean up the crumbs?

Related: US Pauses Scheduling of Student Visa Interviews, Works To Expand Social Media Vetting (AP)

Technology

Big Tech's MAGA Pivot: All Risk, Little Reward (So Far)

What's going on: After years of backing Democrats, many tech CEOs — from Mark Zuckerberg to Elon Musk — threw their weight behind President Donald Trump in the last election. In exchange, they seemed to score prime seating at his inauguration, and, some hoped, a friend in the White House. But that alliance hasn’t exactly paid off for Big Tech. Just last week, Trump threatened to slap an extra 25% tariff on iPhones made abroad. The federal government is also still trying to break up Meta, despite Zuckerberg’s pro-MAGA swing. At this point, once-liberal tech CEOs may be wondering: What was jumping ship from the Democrats all for?

What it means: Right now, experts say tech’s MAGA rebrand is looking like a sunk cost. But if history’s any clue, a well-timed ego stroke might just flip the script. Exhibit A: The New York Times reports the Apple tariff threat came after Tim Cook skipped Trump’s Middle East tour. Nvidia’s CEO did make the trip (even after Trump’s China policy cost the company $5.5 billion), and in return got presidential praise and a data-center partnership deal in the UAE. Coincidence? Analysts say CEOs may be playing the long game: Flatter the boss, ride out the chaos, and wait for the next pivot.

Related: AI Had a Very Big Week — and It Could Change the Way We ’Google’ Things (Axios)

Travel

Fasten Your Patience

What's going on: US airlines might be the only ones not excited about summer travel. As of April, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had logged at least 250 aviation incidents — 215 of them fatal. That doesn’t include the string of recent near-misses on runways. (At this point, applauding the pilot might feel less like tradition and more like relief.) Amid a staffing shortage causing delays and cancellations, many air traffic controllers have requested trauma leave after witnessing crashes. This has left the system even more strained. That is, if there isn’t a tech outage to blame. Still, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects the busiest summer since 2020. United Airlines alone projects 50 million passengers this year — 3 million more than last year.

What it means: Experts say flying in the US is safe, but that hasn’t done much to calm public anxiety. Others warn that the chaos plaguing some airports (looking at you, Newark) could soon spread to others. While the federal government tries to clean up American aviation, some White House policies are hurting the travel industry in other ways. Fewer international tourists want to party in the USA this year, either out of concern over immigration enforcement or in protest. The drop-off will hit American airlines where it hurts: their bottom line. As for your summer travel plans? Brace yourself for delays, potential cancellations, and some very stressed-out airport dads.

Related: It’s the End of an Era: Southwest Will Start Charging for Checked Bags Today (AP)

Highlight Reel

BY SKIMM SPORTS

The week's sports news and culture stories, ranked.

Hang it in the Louvre: You can’t stop time, but you can capture the moment people eat dirt at England’s annual cheese-rolling race. Gouda luck walking tomorrow.

Winning: These three sisters led their college to a national championship. The family group chat must be wild.

Swing and a miss: Coco Gauff forgot something very important before her match at the French Open.

Off-court cutie: Rafael Nadal’s son was the real big shot at Roland-Garros — just ask these tennis legends.

Settle This

Most Americans say companies should slow down AI development to ensure they get it right — even if it means waiting longer. What's your take?

Extra Credit

Read

Bad news: Fredrik Backman — the bestselling author of tearjerkers like Anxious People and A Man Called Ove (yes, the one that became a Tom Hanks movie) — is here to make you cry in public again. At the heart of his latest novel, My Friends, is 18-year-old Louisa, a budding artist who becomes obsessed with a world-famous painting. Specifically, the three barely-there figures sitting at the edge of the artwork’s long pier. Most people just see a tranquil seascape, but Louisa is convinced there’s a deeper story hidden in the brushstrokes — so she sets off on a cross-country journey to uncover the identities of the teens who inspired the painting 25 years earlier. Told across alternating timelines, Backman’s story is a deeply moving ode to friendship, chosen family, and the art that connects us. Just make sure you have tissues nearby.

Game Time

Looking for a crossword that’s not impossible to solve? You’re in luck. This one even offers hints when you get stuck. The faster you finish, the better your score — and the more impressed the group chat will be. Go on.