A Tale of Two Meetings

US News

A Tale of Two Meetings

The National Intelligence plot thickens: President Donald Trump abruptly postponed the Senate confirmation of Jay Clayton on Wednesday, his own nominee for director of national intelligence (DNI). Just hours before Clayton was expected at his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill, Trump refused to move forward with the nomination unless Congress passes the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and attaches it to the SAVE Act, a Republican-backed voter ID measure that has stalled in the Senate. Congressional leadership on both sides had hoped to quickly confirm Clayton so they could reauthorize surveillance measures that lapsed. Trump’s reversal means that controversial acting Director Bill Pulte will take over the DNI position on Friday. Here’s a reminder of his intelligence qualifications (or lack thereof). 

And over at the Fed: It was the beginning of a new chapter at the Federal Reserve yesterday, but the plot hasn’t changed… at least not yet. For the fourth time in a row, central bank officials left interest rates unchanged. But in his first meeting as Fed chair, Trump pick Kevin Warsh signaled rate hikes could be on the horizon as he emphasized his priority for the central bank to return inflation to 2%. The market responded swiftly to Warsh’s announcement, delivering the S&P 500’s worst performance for a new chair since 1994. President Trump, who joked earlier in the year he would sue Warsh over interest rates, responded with an enthusiastic: “It’s all right. Whatever.”

Related: Here’s the Star-Studded Guest List Expected at the Obama Presidential Center Opening (The Hill)

The News in 5

🗞️ The presidents of the US and Iran both signed an initial peace deal, which is now in effect. 

🗞️ Luigi Mangione will use a psychiatric defense in his murder trial for the alleged killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, but here’s why experts have doubts.

🗞️ Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went for the jugular in her strongest criticism of former President Joe Biden yet. 

🗞️ One airline announced plans to remove this in-flight favorite, and we will not be clapping when we land.

🗞️ On the list of what every state donated to the American250 time capsule, Iowa’s takes the cake.

Your closet

Rentals Are Reshaping Us

What’s going on: At UPS these days, you can almost always spot a pile of blocky, zebra-striped bags among the boxes. On Instagram, everyone is wearing the same jeans. And at all those summer weddings, you see that same satin midi dress. Piece these trends together, and you have evidence of the meteoric rise of clothing rental companies like Nuuly, Rent the Runway (RTR), and BNTO. Though RTR established dominance first, Nuuly has become the largest by far, with 477,000 active monthly subscribers, The Atlantic reports. In a tough economy, some users say these services help them save money, paying around $100 per month to access multiple looks instead of investing in individual pieces. Plus, if you ruin your rented dress, most companies don’t charge you, as one clumsy Skimm writer (hi) learned after a terrible chocolate sauce incident. But there could be a catch… 

Empty closets, full grids: Of course, the industry has its critics. Some argue that if you use these services constantly, you’re spending over $1,000 per year on… what again? A cool Instagram grid that isn’t all that sustainable? But millennials are built different: We rent everything from our homes to our clothes (possibly because that’s all we can afford). Yet the short-term gains have long-term costs. Raiding the same giant closet may flatten our personal style. That could mean we won’t become known for that one classic staple that’s so “us” (like Carrie Bradshaw’s necklace or Nora Ephron’s black turtlenecks). And clothing rentals are often the first to go when money’s tight, so renting could eventually put you in a jam if you need to cut back, only to find your closet a ghost town. Then what would you wear — your low-rise jeans?

Related: Why Did This Fashion Favorite Close Its Fitting Rooms? (The Independent)

Dad Jokes

Just Punning Around 

What's going on: Everyone who’s ever had their “I’m hungry” met with “Hi hungry, I’m dad” will appreciate this important research. A study titled “What’s Brown and Sticky?” (answer: a stick, of course) analyzed over 32,000 such dad jokes — or “masterpieces of human creativity,” as the authors put it. Specifically, they focused on three qualities: puns, literalization, and pedantic humor. Of course, others define dad jokes a little differently: “A good dad joke has to be so astonishingly stupid it leaves your child wondering if you are, in fact, a bit simple,” says one comedian.

When is a joke a dad joke?: When it becomes apparent. That’s just one of dozens of dad jokes the study authors included in the preprint of their paper. And these corny puns serve a purpose. “Humor is a playful social glue that makes everyone feel a little bit better, a little more at ease, and closer to the people they’re with,” co-author Paul Silvia told The Washington Post. Of course, you don’t have to be a father to make a dad joke — all you need is a bunch of bad puns and a willingness to lean into cringe. But the study authors did discover that “science has found that dads find dad jokes funnier.” Who else could love a line like “I’ve started a new job taking care of horses. It provides a stable income”? 

Related: Slightly Mean Moms Make the Best Moms (Vogue)

Quick Hits

🧺 This actually useful AI hack can save you time on a seasonal chore. Maybe the robots are our friends after all.

🥲 Here’s what Michelle Obama recently wore that made her husband cry. 

🍌 M&M’s recently launched a brand-new flavor based on a favorite breakfast treat. You could say it’s very a-peeling.

🎬 An iconic actor says he’s temporarily changing his name. And he’s wearing quite an outfit for the occasion.

😘 Emily Blunt fully supports fans shipping her with this co-star. “We’d be great together," she said.

On Our Calendar

Thursday, June 18

⛳ US Open tees off 

The tournament brings 156 players to New York’s Shinnecock Hills, including Árni Sveinsson, the first golfer from this country to make the field.

🍿 I Will Find You on Netflix 

The latest Harlan Coben book-to-Netflix adaptation — about a wrongful conviction and prison escape to find a missing child — stars Sam Worthington and Milo Ventimiglia. 

🏎️ The Fast and the Furious turns 25 

If you missed it in theaters the first time — or want to relive the start of the (seemingly endless) franchise — you’re in luck. 

😋 International Sushi Day

Spend about 20 minutes making this easy roll at home.

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Skimm'd by: Marisa Iallonardo, Stephanie Gallman, Molly Longman, Aryanna Prasad Bhullar, Erika W. Smith, Jessica Prois, Marina Carver, and Kylie McConville. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.