Daily Skimm

Fox: Friend or Foe?

A Network News Plot Twist

What's going on: When news outlets withheld press pool coverage in opposition to President Donald Trump's ban on CNN, MS Now, and Politico, many were surprised to see Fox News among them. The conservative network has long been known for its ties to the GOP and Trump — his daughter-in-law Lara hosts a weekly show, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is a former host. The Obama administration even called it “a wing of the Republican Party.” But in a joint statement with CNN and the three other members of the pool, Fox made its stance clear: “No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.” The message carries even more weight considering that the pool’s current chair is Fox’s Washington bureau chief. The White House Correspondents’ Association, which also condemned the president’s actions, is currently also led by a Fox News correspondent. That show of solidarity should be on full display Thursday when journalists from the three banned outlets are expected to return to work at the White House after a federal judge ordered the president to reinstate their press passes.

Has Fox News changed its tune?: As The New York Times puts it, the network’s position has “confused some liberal Fox critics and caused some heartburn for Trump hard-liners.” (Lobbyist Roger Stone called the conservative outlet “Globalist Deep Staters.”) But the channel’s move could be a strategy to ensure its access to future Democratic presidents. This worry doesn’t come out of nowhere: The Obama administration clashed with Fox News and surveilled its chief Washington correspondent as part of a criminal leak investigation. And while the network’s tone hasn't changed, there’s tension in the Trump/Fox News relationship. The Hill characterizes it as “on-again, off-again,” while a New Yorker headline called it a “love-hate” thing (sounds like a lot of situationships from our 20s). Over the past year, current and former Fox News anchors, including Brett Baier and Gretchen Carlson, have spoken out against Trump’s treatment of journalists. It appears the Fourth Estate stands together, even when its perspectives couldn’t be more different.

Related: All the Republicans Who’ve Spoken Out Against President Trump Ahead of the Midterms (Newsweek)

Grape Big Problem 

Wine Down-Turn 

What's going on: You wouldn’t know it by strolling through HomeGoods, where "mommy wine culture" thrives, but the vineyards are in trouble. People are drinking less, and if they’re drinking, they have a plethora of options from seltzers to beer to liquor to even cannabis. The result? Wine sales have decreased more than 20% over the last five years, leaving behind a surplus of grapes and frustrated growers unsure of what to do with them. Only half of California’s grape growers are coming into this harvest season with contracts from buyers. Typically it’s 70-80%. Also plaguing the industry: high prices on fertilizer and diesel fuel, and President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada, which is usually the largest foreign buyer of American wine. One vineyard owner said his wine crop has been a “big loser” for three years now. “I will lose money for sure. It’s just a matter of how much,” he told The Associated Press. 

No time to whine about it: Growers are in a tight spot. They can keep moving forward and hope the market has bottomed. Or, less appealing, especially for those with generational vineyards, replace their grapes with a crop more in demand (like almonds, walnuts, or olives). California is responsible for 80% of wine production in the US, but other states’ grape crops are hurting, too. Refresco, a global drink manufacturer, bought just half of its normal contract amount from Lake Erie-area vineyards earlier this year. Looking to make up the difference, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) announced plans to spend $500,000 on 350 tons of grapes from his state. They’ll be made into juice and donated to food banks. And in New York, the USDA agreed to purchase surplus Concord grape juice for federal nutrition programs. But while creative solutions are helpful, one chief wine strategist said the next step for growers to survive is “actually figuring out what it is that the other consumers want.”  

Related: Scientists May Have Found a Way To Protect Wine From Wildfire Smoke (Smithsonian Magazine)

Fashion

Thanks, It’s From Walmart

What’s going on: What do Kacey Musgraves, Megan Thee Stallion, and The Devil Wears Prada 2 have in common? In 2026, they all brought fashion lines to Walmart (to Miranda Priestly’s horror, we imagine). And there’s no need to cut the tags. As The Cut explains, Walmart is angling to become the next Target: a one-stop shop retailer that’s both classy and affordable. Celeb collabs pull shoppers in — designer Brandon Maxwell, who has styled Lady Gaga, has two lines with the retailer — but $45 cashmere sweaters do the heavy lifting (you’re on notice, Quince). And unlike Amazon and Shein, you can try before you buy.

How we got here: Walmart has been a retail powerhouse — 145 million customers visit weekly — but high inflation and tariffs have turned quick grocery runs into toddler clothing hauls. By placing clothing aisles steps away from the grocery section and ordering in massive bulk, the retailer keeps price tags low while capturing budget-conscious shoppers. The strategy is working, with Walmart successfully distancing itself from its once “uncool” reputation and problematic history (see: disputes over wages and allegations about its labor practices). Apparel is now one of Walmart’s fastest-growing categories, with families earning over $100,000 driving much of the uptick. With our wallets and social media feeds justifying our decisions, we’ve become more open-minded about where we buy. These days, there’s pride in scoring a soft, $4 T-shirt.

Related: Why Is Everything Polyester Now? (InStyle)

Quick Hits

🎄 Christmas came early: Jean Smart will star in a sequel to The Family Stone, and most of the original cast is returning, too.

🐣 The ‘90s are back, and that includes baby names. The A in Gen Alpha stands for Ashley.

🏠 If fall has you itching to redecorate, enter the “3-T Method." Warning: We don’t think Skelly the Skeleton or your other Halloween decor will fit in.

💙 Christian Bale helped raise $22 million to create a foster care village that can welcome up to 72 kids and their caregivers. Money well spent. 

🏆 A 6-year-old girl in China broke a world record by solving a Rubik’s Cube in under five seconds. We’ve had sneezes that lasted longer. 

📺 Stabler and Benson are back together for the 600th episode of Law & Order: SVU. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s going to be OK.

😮 Rita Wilson posted a topless photo to Instagram and revealed that she and her son Chet Hanks have matching back tattoos. But what about Tom? 

👖 We can’t stop wearing these relaxed, vintage-inspired wideleg jeans with a broken-in feel — now in two inseams.*

Moms Who Get It Awards

Parenthood comes with a major shopping list. From pregnancy, when a new wardrobe isn’t even the half of it, to postpartum, when you’ve got both your nipples and your newborn to tend to, there’s a lot to buy. The good news? Our Moms Who Get It Awards are back. Here are our airtight recs: 

• The Big Fat Activity Book for Pregnant People, a delightful reprieve from prep books that offers genuine belly laughs. 

• FitFlop’s iQUSHION Ergonomic Flip-Flops, because your feet bear the brunt of your changing body.

• This crossover tunic that’s the cozy holy grail and offers easy nursing access. 

• An all-purpose relief balm, since parenthood makes new demands on your muscles (who knew that constantly holding a newborn is a real arm workout?). 

• And more Skimm-mom approved recs, from prenatal vitamins to skin-to-skin bras.