Hi.
We’re doing something new today. As usual, we’ll skimm what's going on and what’s coming up, but now we want you, our brilliant readers, to be part of that. We’re kicking off Skimm This, an all-new way to skimm with us. More on how to submit, plus our first prompt, below. But first, the news…
— Marisa Iallonardo / Staff Writer / White Plains, NY
Kicking & Screaming
The Red Card Seen Round the World
What’s going on: Team USA had its World Cup dreams dashed last night in a blowout 1-4 loss to Belgium, but not before stirring up a whole lot of drama off the pitch. On Sunday, after receiving a phone call from President Trump, FIFA lifted a red card suspension that would have benched US star player Folarin Balogun during last night’s game. FIFA’s decision was extraordinary: A World Cup red card suspension has been lifted only once before... in 1962. This allowed Balogun to start in the Round of 16 matchup — despite Belgium's last-minute appeal. (Though their social media manager did get the final word in after the game.) Balogun got the red card in last week’s game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, after a slow-motion replay showed that he had stepped on another player's ankle. The ref's on-the-field decision was immediately controversial. But it was Trump’s call — and FIFA lifting Balogun’s suspension — that took this from a hot-button sports story to a political headline.
Switching goals: As an organization, FIFA is no stranger to allegations of corruption. And FIFA president Gianni Infantino hasn’t been shy about his quest to cozy up to President Trump. The timeline of events has certainly raised some eyebrows. Soccer officials now worry about the precedent this sets. Can world leaders just dial up FIFA and get calls reversed? This episode turned the tournament from a fun global monoculture event into another messy example of the Trump administration's strained relations with Europe. Take us back to the days when we all united over how great Waffle House is.
Related: All the Ways Trump Has Damaged Europe-US Relations — Maybe Permanently (The Wall Street Journal Gift Link)
The News in 5
🗞️ Graham Platner, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine, is facing calls to end his campaign after a woman accused him of rape.
🗞️ Planned Parenthood got federal funding back a year after Republicans cut its Medicaid resources.
🗞️ Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky asked the US and other countries at the NATO summit to “stop this terror” following a new round of deadly Russian attacks on Kyiv.
🗞️ Egg producers are donating a truly incredible number of eggs to settle price-fixing claims. Quiche, anyone?
🗞️ Frozen blueberries sold at a major grocery store are being recalled across eight different states after 12 cases of E. coli-related illness. Time for a quick freezer check.
✴︎
In Our Rotation
Today’s budgeting hack? This impressive credit card offer. It includes a long no-interest period on purchases and balance transfers, 5% cash-back rewards, no annual fee, and a $200 bonus.*
It's the last day to grab a bra at Thirdlove for as low as $29. You can't beat the comfort of their T-shirt bra.
Immigration
The Birthright Citizenship Conversation Is Far From Over
What's going on: One week after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship, Republicans are proposing a straight-up ban on pregnant foreign travelers to the US. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin pitched the idea on Fox & Friends, and suggested that so-called “birth tourism schemes” are prevalent and problematic, without citing evidence. On the same day as the SCOTUS decision, the Justice Department made the odd choice to release an internal memo urging the US to prioritize prosecuting so-called birth tourism. Meanwhile, House Republicans have already introduced a bill of their own.
Can Republicans do that?: Beyond the obvious sexism, it’s unclear how a policy like this could be enforced (not to mention, the idea of the government collecting pregnancy data is concerning for women’s rights advocates). But this new birthright push is just one more example of increasing pressure on immigrant families. Spouses of US citizens seeking green cards have reported greater scrutiny by immigration officials, a new ICE facility specifically for families and unaccompanied children is in the works in Louisiana, and the administration has quietly ramped up deportations, with at least 10,000 ICE arrests in a five-day period last month. Taken together, these moves signal that when the courts slam one door, the president is more likely to try the side entrance than turn around.
Related: Deportations of Immigrant Children Have Tripled Under Trump (ProPublica)
KPI Hate It Here
The Department of Emotional Labor
What’s going on: We’ve heard of work wives and husbands, but what about work… moms? We may not have a playful nickname for it, but we do have a label: researchers call it the “empathy tax.” Last month, an MIT Sloan poll found that 81.6% of women managers spend at least 30% of their work week checking in with, listening to, and encouraging colleagues in matters professional… and personal. Before you do the math, yes, that’s more than one full workday spent on what’s essentially a part-time job — an unpaid, overlooked one that companies depend on, whether they realize it or not. Researchers say this trend is due in part to employee stress. Constant layoffs, AI, and healthcare concerns don't exactly spark creativity on Google Meet now, do they?
Oh great, more invisible work: Without formal support, people tend to turn to women, who often don’t feel that they can turn away. Psychologists call it the workplace “double bind”: Women are expected to be unemotional and work-focused yet flip the switch when their coworkers seek support. And when women can't live up to those unrealistic standards, research shows they’re judged negatively for it. Now, psychologists worry the empathy tax will widen the gender gap at work and speed up burnout. More than half of MIT Sloan poll respondents said their emotional labor at work has grown in the past year, and that’s making over a third of them consider leaving their jobs altogether. Clearly, we’re at capacity on deliverables.
Related: A Gen Z College Grad Explains How She Came Up With Her Ideal Salary (Fast Company)
Quick Hits
🌴 Don’t let this common travel issue spoil your next girls’ trip. How you split the tapas bill is another story.
🍼 Milo Ventimiglia (or Jess Mariano, for the real ones) and his wife just welcomed their second child, and they're on a roll with these baby names. Dean could never.
🥔 Pringles released a twist on a summer classic we didn’t know we needed. Points to them for staying on brand.
📺 Mental health experts explained why you can’t stop hate-watching shows like Love Island. Living for the drama.
🌸 A whiff of this Bath & Body Works lotion will bring every millennial back to 2006. Hence, why it was a billion-dollar hit.
👡 Birkenstock is stepping out of its comfort zone with this latest shoe release and — hear us out — we don’t hate them.
👀 We have a status update on Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. Everyone get back to that red table right now, please and thank you.
Skimm This
How would you skimm the photo?
Here’s the deal: Every Tuesday, we’ll share a photo, trend, meme, or very online moment. You see the image, then send us your best skimm… in 20 words or fewer. Don’t overthink it. Your group chat already knows you’re funny. Time to make it newsletter-official.
Once you’ve submitted, we’ll pick our top three, and then Skimm’rs will vote for their favorite here on Thursday. We’ll feature the winner in Friday’s Daily Skimm.
This week: Here’s Emma Corrin (yes, that’s Princess Diana from The Crown) at the Schiaparelli Haute Couture show in Paris yesterday.
Submit Your SkimmOn Our Calendar
Tuesday, July 7
🌎 NATO summit starts
The annual meeting kicks off in Turkey, where defense spending will be the hot topic of conversation between the 32 leaders — including President Donald Trump.
📚 Helpless by Jessica Knoll in bookstores
Luckiest Girl Alive fans, Jessica Knoll is back with a thriller about exes, obsession, and one very dangerous reunion.
📖 Country People by Daniel Mason out
The Pulitzer Prize nominee’s latest follows a stalled academic into the Vermont woods, where a cast of quirky characters — including a scythe-wielding biochemist — and a maybe-real local legend take over the story.
Psst…this is just the preview: Subscribe to theSkimm app and never miss a moment.
It’s Hot Out There
We’re only a week into July, yet we’re in full-blown summer mode. Most of our weekends are spent outdoors sweating, so wearing anything that feels too heavy, sticky, restrictive, or itchy is a no. Here’s everything we’re using during the year's hottest months:
A beauty subscription that grants us access to sweat-proof makeup
The light workout tee with UV protection and a back vent
The body lotion we use to replenish moisture post tanning
The mist that always refreshes our skin midday
KNOW IT ALL
Pack your sneakers. The world’s most walkable city is (unsurprisingly) in Europe. It’s:
Ease into your day with Typeshift, the word-building game. Start playing.
Skimm'd by: Marisa Iallonardo, Molly Longman, Aryanna Prasad Bhullar, Erika W. Smith, Kylie McConville, Kate Preziosi, and Jessica Prois. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.
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