Reference Checks

And Why Should We Hire You? 

First up, Todd Blanche: The Senate began confirmation hearings yesterday for two critical Trump administration positions. But Blanche has been acting attorney general since April, so his was more of a performance review. Blanche faced pointed questions from both sides about setting up President Donald Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” as part of an IRS settlement, which has been criticized as a potential cash grab for the president’s allies. Blanche promised the fund is not moving forward — though lawmakers seemed unconvinced. Lame-duck Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) grilled Blanche on the part of the settlement that grants Trump protection from future IRS audits. If just one Republican on the committee votes "no" to Blanche’s nomination, it will effectively end his chances. And Cornyn seems to be flirting with the idea. Blanche also fielded questions about the Justice Department’s mishandling of the Epstein files. Dems plan to bring an Epstein survivor to testify against him later today. 

Coming up Clayton: Meanwhile, Trump’s intelligence director pick, Jay Clayton, had his first hearing. Clayton was expected to sail through confirmation (if only because no one wants acting Director Bill Pulte in the job). But after Trump delayed the proceedings, Dems had time to get skeptical. When Clayton’s hearing began yesterday, he faced tougher questions than initially anticipated. He repeatedly declined to say that former President Joe Biden won the 2020 election, and defended subpoenaing journalists. (Tonight, Trump is expected to make further false claims of election fraud during a primetime address.) Despite all this, Clayton is expected to be confirmed. Job interviews don’t matter as much when you’ve got pals on the hiring committee. 

Related: And Then There’s Dr. Erica Schwartz’s CDC Director Confirmation Hearing (ABC News)

Drill, Baby, Drill…?

A Monumental Shift

What’s going on: This week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to “shrink” two national monuments… to less than 10% of their current size. We’re not talking about the Lincoln Memorial. These national monuments are massive, federally-protected areas of land that have historical significance — like national parks, except overseen by the president, not Congress. Under Trump’s order, these must-see Utah monuments — called Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears — will shrink by three million acres. But there’s more at risk than Instagram backdrops: The land is sacred to Native Americans, and home to ancient cliff dwellings. As one Navajo leader put it, it carries their “ancestors’ footprints.” But Republican leaders in Utah and DC are itching to mine the land’s coal, copper, zinc, and uranium deposits –– which are critical to developing nuclear power. 

A game of ping-pong: Trump’s order didn’t come out of thin air –– it’s been an ongoing fight for decades. He tried to scale back these monuments during his first term, but that decision was reversed by former President Joe Biden. Trump said the monument designations took the land from Americans, and he’s “giving it back.” Native communities would like a word. Historically, when the government needs natural resources, it’s been quick to renege on promises made to tribes. Energy independence is becoming a bigger focal point for Trump amid the Iran War and rising fuel costs –– but opponents point out that these resources are single use, and the consequences of tapping into them can last for generations. Just ask Louisiana. Advocates plan to sue, and most Utahns believe national monuments should remain unchanged.  

Related: Yes, the Heat Dome Is Making the Wildfire Smoke Worse (CBS)

The Queue Coup

Everyone’s Having What She’s Having

What’s going on: In simpler times, waiting in long lines was largely reserved for the DMV, Disney World, and Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway. With the rise of social media, things got worse. Call it the cronut era, a time when Big Gay Ice Cream reigned, and Rory Gilmore was assigned to cover the phenomenon by Condé Nast. But analysts and everyday people agree, in 2026, queue culture has become truly ludicrous. People now wait for hours to access very specific versions of chicken Caesar wraps, bagels, and pizza. Yes, they could go down the block and get a non-viral variant in five minutes, but if it’s not the slice everyone on TikTok loves, they don’t want it. (We have twisted Nora Ephron’s famous "I’ll have what she’s having" line into something cheap.) This is traditionally a “city” problem, but the trend has also infected rural diners, national parks, and pumpkin patches. We should have known the farmstand apple cider donuts couldn’t stay sacred.

A fine line: So, how did we end up here, at the end of the line, physically and metaphorically? It’s something to ponder while we wait 40 minutes for our “dotcake.” Part of the problem, as one person told New York Magazine, is “herd mentality.” AI also plays a new, troubling role. Now it’s not just the algorithm telling us where to eat and shop; ChatGPT is, too. People use AI to create travel itineraries, and many LLMs pull from the same Reddit threads and top ten lists. Everyone gets funneled to the same five places with decent boba tea. The shift has even reached the gig economy: line-sitting is the new Uber-driving. We’re increasingly willing to pay someone else to wait for us. Because who minds a line, when you can magically (through the power of disposable income) start at the front?

Related: A Writer Used AI To Plan a Road Trip and There Were Problems (Travel & Leisure)

Quick Hits

♥️ According to oncologists, there’s one kind of cooking oil that stands above the rest (and significantly decreases cancer risk). Feels good to be right.

🦁 Some New England beaches are issuing high alerts to watch for this new summer villain. Someone get Spielberg on the phone. 

🍔 Two iconic fast food chains are prepping for a turf war, animal style. Choose your fighter. 

🧺 Yes, you really need to wash that brand new dress before wearing it. And the reasons are strong enough that we’ll do the extra load of laundry.

🌸 The latest perfume trend is inspired by an iconic summer beverage — and no, it’s not the Aperol Spritz. We had our doubts, but it makes perfect sense.  

🤔 A restaurant in Madrid is putting this classic American snack into centuries-old Spanish recipes. We’re intrigued. And hungry. 

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