White House Musical Chairs

What's Happening

Politics

White House Musical Chairs

What's going on: President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he’s replacing his national security adviser, Michael Waltz, and nominating him to be the next UN ambassador — a role that requires Senate confirmation. Stepping in as interim national security adviser? Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who’ll juggle both roles for now (much to the surprise of at least one State Department official). Several factors led to the personnel shake-up, the first of Trump’s second term. CBS reports that White House officials felt Waltz didn’t properly vet National Security Council (NSC) staff, struggled to mesh with the senior team — and, of course, there was Signalgate. (It appears Hegseth is safe for now.) In a statement on X, Waltz said he was “deeply honored” to continue to serve Trump. The move comes just two weeks before Trump heads to the Middle East for his first major international trip this term and right in the middle of delicate talks with both Moscow and Tehran.

Tell me more: It’s not the only change in the White House — Elon Musk is also stepping back (kind of). Earlier this week, he said he’s in the process of pulling away from his near round-the-clock role with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to focus more on his businesses. Musk says he’ll now only work on DOGE one or two days a week, popping into DC every other week (perhaps to sneak some ice cream and play video games in his tiny office, as reported by NBC). He claims DOGE can function just fine without him running the show daily — but when asked who might take over, Musk shrugged and said, “You wouldn’t ask who would lead Buddhism.” How zen. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reports that about a month ago, Tesla’s board was looking for his successor as CEO (a claim Tesla denies), leading some to believe this pullback is a lot less casual and a lot more strategic.

Related: President Trump’s Latest Executive Order Targets NPR and PBS (AP)

Health

Placebo Politics: Health Experts Concerned Over RFK Jr.'s New Vaccine Testing Plan

What's going on: When RFK Jr. was confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary, many doctors worried his history of anti-vaccine advocacy might influence his decisions. This week, some say, he’s proving them right. He not only made a misleading claim that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine includes “aborted fetus debris,” but he also dropped a controversial new plan for vaccine testing. The proposed change? He wants all new vaccines to go through placebo trials — meaning some people would get vaxxed, while others would get an injection of a substance like saline (maybe you remember the Adele placebo scandal from Grey’s Anatomy). His team says the plan will increase transparency. But critics, including Dr. Paul Offit of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, say it’s ethically fraught — and risks eroding public trust in vaccines.

What it means: It’s unclear when or how RFK Jr.’s plan would be implemented — or what would be considered a “new” vaccine, since some, like the flu shot, are typically updated each year. While placebo testing is common for vaccines targeting new diseases, health experts say it doesn’t make sense for well-known illnesses like measles or polio, where effective vaccines already exist. In fact, some think it’s unethical because it could deny people a proven treatment while exposing them to serious illness. (One infamous example of unethical placebo use is the Tuskegee Experiment, in which researchers let Black men suffer from untreated syphilis for decades.) Meanwhile, the proposed change comes as measles outbreaks have hit Texas and other states, and public trust in vaccines continues to decline. Dr. Offit also says RFK Jr.’s plan could make it more arduous and expensive to produce vaccines like the COVID-19 booster, adding: “You are watching the gradual dissolution of the vaccine infrastructure in this country.”

 Related: A Second State Is About To Ban Fluoride in Public Drinking Water (The Guardian)

Culture

But Really, Where Did You Get That Recipe?

What's going on: A bake-off of sorts is playing out on social media — and it’s anything but sweet. Australian food writer Nagi Maehashi, of RecipeTin Eats, is accusing influencer and bakery owner Brooke Bellamy of stealing her caramel slice and baklava recipes in the bestselling cookbook, Bake With Brooki. Maehashi posted side-by-side pictures of the instructions and ingredients, noting that the similarities are “far too specific and detailed to be dismissed as coincidence.” Meanwhile, Bellamy faces similar accusations from US baker Sally McKenney over a recipe titled, “The Best Vanilla Cake I’ve Ever Had.” Penguin Random House Australia, which published Bellamy’s book, denied the allegations. As for Bellamy, she says her cookbook recipes reflect her “own experience, taste, and passion for baking.”

What it means: The accusations spark a broader question: With so many recipes in the world, can you really plagiarize one? Odds are you’ve probably come across so many recipes that are same same but different. Still, when there’s money on the line (Bellamy’s book has generated more than $4 million in sales, according to Maehashi), plagiarism can leave a bad taste. One expert notes that for Maehashi to make a strong legal case, there would have to be “exact copying.” Others point out this is part of the risk when creators, from chefs to influencers, post their content online — it’s easy for people to borrow, tweak, and reshare ideas. But in this case, the court of public opinion might’ve already served its ruling.

Related: This Is the One Thing Martha Stewart Wouldn’t Eat at a Dinner Party — and We Don’t Blame Her (People)

Settle This

The Met Gala — known for couture, A-listers, and those stairs — is on Monday. How much do individual tickets go for?

Extra Credit

See

Take a shot of limoncello, because your favorite twisty duo is back. In Prime Video's Another Simple Favor — the aptly-named sequel to 2018’s A Simple Favor — tightly wound mommy vlogger Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and glamorous party mom Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) travel to Capri, Italy for Emily’s lavish wedding to a wealthy Italian businessman. But just because Stephanie scored an invite — and was asked to be Emily's maid of honor — doesn’t mean the past is forgiven (if you need a refresher, click here). Also starring Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Allison Janney, and Elizabeth Perkins, expect murder, betrayal, and no shortage of glamorous outfits.

Game Time

Kick your weekend off with Pile-Up Poker, a brand-new game where poker meets solitaire. Create as many poker hands as possible to earn cash and climb the leaderboard. We’re all in.