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Ciokajlo: Resilient restaurateurs point the way in Detroit
Crain's Detroit Business Executive Editor Mickey Ciokajlo reflects on the role resilient restaurant owners have played in Detroit's comeback story. Three of them recently spoke at a Crain's Power Breakfast event.
US Business Activity Picks Up on World Cup, July 4 Spending
US business activity expanded at the fastest pace in eight months as strong domestic demand for services offset cooling factory production, growing supply chain delays and rising costs.
What experts are saying as Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda kills more than 1,000 people
The fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history has killed more than 1,000 people in eastern Congo as health officials race to contain a virus with no approved vaccine or treatment.
Fast-tracked, but falling short? Mamdani’s efficiency measures head to NYC voters
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s government-efficiency panel unanimously approved five proposed City Charter changes for the November ballot Thursday evening, setting
'The difference is significant': Why tourists are flocking to South Korea for medical care
Travellers are increasingly adding comprehensive health check-ups to their South Korea itineraries, drawn by affordable prices, fast results and English-language support.
This breakfast favorite can be healthy with a few tweaks. Here's why
Experts agree that you don’t need to eliminate cream cheese from your diet. Instead, look for ways to pair it with other healthy foods.
10 iOS 27 Performance Improvements You'll Actually Notice
With iOS 27, Apple focused on making improvements to iOS performance, optimizing everything from system animations to AirDrop transfer speeds. iPhone performance is smoother and faster on all iPhones able to run iOS 27, which includes the iPhone 11 and newer. There are over 80 iOS 27 improvements Apple announced, with 10 of the most useful listed below. App Launching Apps launch up to 30 percent faster in iOS 27, and that includes Apple's own apps and third-party apps.
Why creative leadership drives business growth
Ndidi Oteh explains why creativity isn’t just a cultural value—it’s a critical force behind innovation, transformation, and long-term business success.
UNC turns to LLC model as college sports money game shifts
UNC is creating an LLC to manage key athletics programs, aiming for more flexibility and new revenue in a fast-changing college sports landscape.
Democrats seize on AI data center backlash that's dividing rural Republicans
The fast growth of massive data centers has already upended races for local offices across the country, often uniting conservatives and liberals.
Japan’s popular prime minister is burning political capital fast
Markets and the Diet are mounting resistance
American breakfast spots boom in protein, fiber, budget, social trends
In an America obsessed with cost management and hitting protein goals, breakfast is an unlikely hero.
MLOps transformation at BBVA: delivering business value faster
In a previous article, we explored how BBVA is scaling its Machine Learning capabilities with a new architecture based on AWS technologies.
WNBA All-Star Renee Montgomery talks the future of women's sports
Renee Montgomery, former WNBA player, joins 'Fast Money' to talk the future of women's sports as investments and audiences grow.
Why the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history is becoming more challenging
More than 1,000 people have died in eastern Congo’s latest rare Ebola virus outbreak.
Angry Mobs Are Attacking Health Workers in Congo. It Will Only Make the Ebola Outbreak Worse
There have been dozens of attacks of health care providers amid an ongoing Ebola crisis in Congo. It’s expected to increase the death rate in what’s already one of the fastest-growing outbreaks.
Nearly 1,000 people dead from Ebola outbreak in Congo amid health worker strike
Healthcare workers in Congo have faced local resistance, unpaid labor, and physical assault during the declared fastest Ebola outbreak in history.
Biz Talk Today TV's Franchise Value Spotlights the Business Behind Sports with Investment Strategist Shana Orczyk Sissel
CrossCheck Media announced today that Franchise Value, its newest original series on Biz Talk Today TV, officially premiered this month and returns today with another in-depth examination of one of the fastest-growing sectors in the global economy—the business of sports.
Rice spinout company receives Small Business Innovation Research award
LumiStrain, a Rice spinout commercializing a Strain Sensing Smart Skin (S4) for structural testing and health monitoring, has received a $1.55 million award through the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research Fast-Track program.
UK inflation cools faster than expected to 2.6% in June as food and fuel prices drop
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Combat Patrol is now live in your app!
Everything you need to play fast-paced games is now in the Warhammer 40,000 app.
Cardinal Health's latest deals won't move the needle overnight. They still matter.
Cardinal Health announced two tuck-in acquisitions Monday that further expand one of the fastest-growing parts of its business.
£100,000 of TikTok sales in a day: The business of live shopping
Buying on social media livestreams is fast becoming regular consumer behaviour for many.
McLeod Health Clarendon Hosts Anniversary Celebration Breakfast
McLeod Health Clarendon employees gathered Tuesday, July 14, for a celebration breakfast recognizing 75 years rooted in the community, 10 years as McLeod
PVAMU workshop prepares educators to teach the future of quantum science
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (July 20, 2026) – What if one of tomorrow's fastest-growing technologies could be introduced with spinning tops, flashlights, and hands-on activities? That was the idea behind QuanTime: Quantum Science Workshop for K-12 Educators, in which Prairie View A&M University partnered with Sandia National
The surprising benefits of red light
Better skin, faster wound healing and reduced vision loss are on the cards
Pokémon TCG: Pitch Black ETBs and Booster Bundles Are Back in Stock at Amazon — Snap These Up ASAP For Fast Easy Delivery
Amazon has finally restocked the Pokémon TCG: Pitch Black Elite Trainer Box and booster sets. Get the breakdown on pricing, set list details, and chase cards here.
Modern Warfare 4 gameplay debut reignites community debate about how fast Call of Duty movement should be
Though many would argue it wasn't the best format, Infinity Ward finally showed off Modern Warfare 4 gameplay, and it's clear not everyone is on board.
Starting a Business Has Become a Lot Easier — Here's Why 5.7 Million Americans Took the Leap Last Year
There has been a massive uptick in people launching businesses, with AI supercharging their ability to do things faster and more cheaply.
The real business risk is avoidance
Leadership helps people move toward real issues with clarity, courage, and purpose.
An 8-Seat Mazda Is Faster And Lighter Than A 420-HP Dodge Charger R/T
New test data shows the three-row CX-90 with an inline-six is lighter than a Charger R/T and faster at the top
The competitive edge small businesses can’t afford to ignore
In a world of automated everything, bet on high human touch.
Zohran Mamdani puts his democratic-socialist version of DOGE to the test
The New York mayor’s government efficiency effort is a potential path forward for Democrats around the country. But some are concerned he’s moving too fast.
Why More Millennials Are Buying Businesses Instead Of Starting Them
Why more millennials are buying businesses instead of starting them and how acquisition entrepreneurship is creating a faster path to ownership and wealth.
How Jefferson Health eases the wait for cancer care
Jefferson Health’s unique program sees patients within 48 hours, fast tracking care and intervention, and offering emotional and social support.
Lockheed Martin Plans Bargain-Rate Patriot Missile to Replenish Low Stockpiles
The defense contractor says the new design could be fielded faster and cost less than half as much as its bestselling version.
Laramie County health and food inspections (7/10/26–7/16/26)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department inspects restaurants, bars, convenience stores, delis, grocery stores, bed and breakfasts
Windows 11's big 2026 update is almost here, and these 10 things you need to know before upgrading could save you time and frustration
Windows 11 2026 (26H2) Update looks like a new version, but it follows Microsoft's newer approach of smaller, faster upgrades.
Small Businesses Adopted AI Faster Than They Wrote Rules For It
Most small businesses run on AI with no written policy. EU disclosure rules and state laws are coming. The one-page AI policy that answers regulators and clients.
Does summer actually make your hair grow faster?
Probably not, but it might affect beard growth.
Can Intermittent Fasting Help Reduce Visceral Fat?
Some dietary changes and patterns, like intermittent fasting, may be effective for shrinking visceral fat, which could protect your health.
Small business employment growing faster in New England than nationwide
It is no surprise that small businesses are extremely important when it comes to job growth, and a recently released Federal Reserve Bank of Boston report not only confirms that but says that small business job growth in New England is outpacing the rest of the country. In New England, the report says small businesses […]
The biggest winners of the American economy fear they’re sinking fast
Waves of layoffs and growing pressure to automate jobs are creating existential panic in the tech industry. Economists say other white-collar workers are next.
iOS 26 vs iOS 27: How Apple Is Completely Replacing Siri With Next-Gen AI
Comparing iOS 27 vs iOS 26 reveals faster app launches by up to 30% and an 80% quicker AirDrop. See the new full-page widgets and liquid glass slider.
AI’s new political donor class is already outspending Big Tech’s last one
Campaign filings show AI employees donating faster, more heavily, and more in sync than three prior tech-IPO donor classes. Here’s where the money is going.
Spidery Drone Goes Near-invisible By Spinning Really, Really Fast
Researchers demonstrate that something interesting happens when a small drone with a spindly airframe spins at a high speed: it very nearly turns invisible. The spidery device is shown mounted in i…
Wildfire Smoke Prompts Health Warnings
WASHINGTON — Scorching temperatures are contributing to wildfires that are erupting faster than usual this year in the United States and Canada while also prompting health warnings about air pollution. In the United States, some of the worst wildfires are burning this week in Colorado, California, Minnesota and other parts of the Upper Midwest. They … Continue reading "Wildfire Smoke Prompts Health Warnings"
Long-term study shows how neighborhood conditions shape women's heart health
Women who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods face worse heart health and experience faster decline as they approach menopause, according to a long-term study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.
Fast food, fries, and science: Inside U-M’s lab studying cravings
Inside a tucked-away laboratory in East Hall at the University of Michigan, researchers recreated a fast-food restaurant—not to serve lunch, but to answer a question millions of people wrestle with every day: Why do people make different food choices in tempting environments than they intended?
The MoonSwatch is expected to go fast. How to get one
Swatch said only a certain number of people will be approved to purchase the limited-edition watch. Here's how to get one.
SDSC to Host Fast Machine Learning for Science Conference
July 17, 2026 — The Fast Machine Learning (FastML) Foundation will hold the Fast Machine Learning for Science Conference 2026 through the University of California San Diego from Aug. 31 […]
Taco Bell has a diarrhea problem
Taco Bell has been the shining star of the fast-food business for several years. But now the company is contending with a restaurant’s worst nightmare: an explosive diarrhea outbreak.
Mind science may unlock effective leadership
Something is changing about what it means to lead.
Bizcap US Launches, Bringing Fast, Flexible Funding to SMBs
VICTORIA, AU / ACCESS Newswire / July 17, 2026 / Global non-bank funder Bizcap has officially launched in the US, expanding its international footprint and bringing its proven funding model to one of the world's largest small business markets. Already ...
Sports without politics is a fantasy and the World Cup proves it
From ancient Greece to Nazi Germany, sport and politics have long been intertwined. Nevertheless, we still imagine that international sport can be kept above the fray and serve as a neutral arena where nations compete on merit alone. In this article, diplomacy scholar Geoffrey Allen Pigman argues the 2026 FIFA World Cup shows this is a dangerous illusion. When international sport is left entirely to revenue-maximizing private bodies like FIFA, it doesn't escape politics, but rather surrenders to its worst expressions. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics fast approaching, the IOC must decide whether to learn that lesson or repeat the same mistakes. The largest and most lucrative FIFA World Cup ever draws toward its climactic conclusion amidst a swirl of controversy. Team members, staff, fans, and spectators have been denied their right to enter the United States to participate, and US President Donald Trump intervened with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to overturn a referee’s call that Trump believed disadvantaged the US national team. It is a moment to step back and reflect on what the purposes of international sport mega-events like the World Cup, and international sport more broadly, are, and what they should be. Does international sport serve public purposes? Is there a public interest? Or is it primarily a private endeavor organized by commercial enterprises to entertain the global public (and generate profit in the process), which is occasionally used by governments and leaders for raisons d’etat? Central to the idea of sport is the principle of fair play, which in the international context demands that games be free from political interference. However, it is impossible to separate sport from politics, all claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The most positive political use of international sport through the millennia has been to facilitate diplomacy. The use of international sport for diplomatic objectives has existed since at least the time of the ancient Olympic Games, around which was instituted the custom of the Ekecheiria, or Olympic Truce, between participating states to facilitate fair competition and diplomatic achievements by ensuring that participants could travel safely to the Olympiad. In his seminal work On Diplomacy (1987), diplomacy scholar James Der Derian characterized the objectives of diplomacy as overcoming alienation and mediating estrangement between governments and between peoples. One increasingly important diplomatic tool in the technology-infused media environment over the past century has been public diplomacy, under which governments and non-state diplomatic actors (e.g. transnational corporations) communicate to global publics about their international policy objectives and to shape their global brand image. Political scientist Michał Kobierecki, in his important book Sports Diplomacy (2020), views sports diplomacy as falling broadly within the ambit of public diplomacy, as international sport intimately involves the participation of global publics as spectators and consumers of global media. Diplomacy scholar Stuart Murray and this author, in a 2013 article, distinguish between international sport used for diplomatic purposes and international sport-as-diplomacy, which encompasses the range of diplomacy that occurs as teams and competitors, spectators and fans, and government officials all converge for international sporting events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. Diplomacy scholar H.E. Chehabi, in a 2001 article on US-Iran sports diplomacy, describes the interaction between spectators and fans at international sporting events as “people-to-people diplomacy,” in which relationships develop independently of governments and their objectives. Diplomacy by the aforementioned definitions is often unsuccessful. Moreover, all too often the tools of diplomacy may be employed by governments and other actors to thwart or oppose the objectives of diplomacy as characterized by Der Derian. Governments routinely use the tools of public diplomacy to disseminate propaganda, spreading misinformation in the attempt to deceive global publics about their objectives and to create misleading impressions about their brand identity. Within sports diplomacy, the term “sportswashing” has been coined recently to describe how governments invest in and promote international sport to create positive global public impressions of their nations and, in doing so, to distract the global public from their deficient records in areas such as human rights and democratic governance. Murray, in his 2018 book Sports Diplomacy: Origins, Theory and Practice, introduces the concept of sports anti-diplomacy, wherein governments intentionally use international sport to advance aggressive and nationalistic objectives. Obvious historical examples include Hitler’s use of the 1936 Berlin Olympics to glorify his Third Reich and the 1969 El Salvador-Honduras football “war.” SUGGESTED READING The beautiful game made ugly By Emily Ryall FIFA argues that it is and seeks to be apolitical in its stewardship of international Association Football (soccer). FIFA policies governing bids to host the World Cup require uninhibited and non-discriminatory access for players, team staff, and spectators of all participating countries to host nations and venues. It became clear soon after Trump returned to power in the United States in January 2025 that Trump’s political intentions and objectives to limit non-US citizens from living and working in the United States and, in numerous cases, even visiting the country, would collide with FIFA’s host nation policies. Beginning soon after the start of the second Trump administration, US federal authorities imposed restrictions on entry to the United States of citizens of between 20 and 40 countries for any purpose, with only limited exceptions. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting non-US citizens in the United States, including persons with and without legal status, holding them in jails, concentration camps, and other detention facilities until they were deported to their home or third countries, where they faced substantive risks to their personal safety. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, in an effort to ensure the most successful and lucrative World Cup in history, engaged diplomatically with President Trump in an attempt to facilitate entry to the US for World Cup participants. Infantino did all in his power to ingratiate himself with Trump, to the extent of creating a FIFA “Peace Prize,” which he awarded to Trump in December 2025 at a ceremony in the then Trump-controlled John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the World Cup draw. The prize was an ersatz consolation for someone who aspired in vain to win the rather more prestigious and well-known Nobel Peace Prize. And in the run-up to the World Cup, conditions became worse. In February 2026, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a war of aggression against Iran, illegal under international law, under the false pretence that Iran’s government was preparing to attack the United States and Israel. During the US aerial bombardment of Iran, US planes bombed Azadi Stadium, the facility where Iran’s national football team trained. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, it was clear that Infantino’s efforts had been for naught: the Trump administration would not adhere to FIFA policies governing access to World Cup host nations. World Cup referee Omar Artan, a citizen of Somalia, was denied a US visa to enter the United States to participate in the World Cup. Trump’s government only granted US visas to Iran’s football team ten days before they were scheduled to arrive for the tournament. Numerous members of the support staff for Iran’s team were denied US visas. Iran’s team, which had been scheduled to train in Arizona, was directed to shift its training site to Tijuana, Mexico, notwithstanding that all three of their group stage matches took place at US venues. The US Department of Homeland Security only permitted the Iranian team to enter the US on the day before each scheduled match and then to return to Mexico immediately after playing. Members of Iraq’s and Switzerland’s football teams were delayed for hours by US officials at the US border, and an Iraqi team photographer was refused entry. Spectators and fans from Haïti and Iran were denied entry to the United States altogether. A large number of fans from a range of countries had their applications for US visas rejected. There were multiple off-ramps through which participants could have avoided the negative consequences of Trump’s decisions for the 2026 World Cup. Once it was clear that the Trump government intended to violate the established expectations for World Cup hosts, FIFA could have shifted the matches scheduled to take place in the United States to Mexico and Canada. The three nations were already designated as co-hosts, and host cities and venues had been selected. Once it was clear that FIFA, governed by FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s dependent and dysfunctional relationship with Trump, would never consider this option on its own, it fell to the national football federations to act. The national federations, particularly some combination of federations of the leading contenders (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, England, Germany, etc.), could have refused to participate under the US-imposed conditions or, at the least, demanded an ironclad agreement with the Trump government that FIFA policies on access would be respected. ___ International sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. ___ Why did neither FIFA nor the national football federations act to protect the interests of players, team staff, referees, fans, and spectators? In essence, the relentless engines of capitalism prevailed over norm observance, ethics, and fair play. The revenue interests of FIFA, sponsors, global media, and host cities won out. FIFA’s managers viewed hosting another World Cup principally in the United States as a veritable pot of gold for FIFA and its collaborators. FIFA has estimated its own revenue over the 2023-26 budget cycle, which includes the 2026 World Cup, at $13 billion, revised up from an initial projection of $11 billion, and 72% higher than the previous revenue cycle. Of that total, FIFA is estimated to have generated $8.9 billion from the Cup itself in revenue from TV rights ($3.92 billion), sponsorships ($2.69 billion), ticket sales ($3.1 billion), licensing rights, and other sources. A joint study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates that the World Cup will contribute over $40 billion to global GDP, including nearly $14 billion in direct visitor spending in the three host countries (but principally in the United States, which hosted the lion’s share of the matches). The FIFA World Cup is now reportedly “the single most lucrative recurring commercial property in global sport.” And yet, notwithstanding the Trump government’s uses of the World Cup for sports anti-diplomacy, and the climate of anxiety that this created for participants and spectators, diplomacy that did not depend upon governments was able to thrive at the World Cup. Examples of successful people-to-people diplomacy were legion, as citizens of towns and cities across the States, as well as in Mexico and Canada, welcomed team members, their families and supporters, to training sites across North America. Fans of different teams joined together in person in stadiums for matches, at watch parties and bars, and at welcome events sponsored by host cities. The joy and camaraderie shared between the citizenry of Boston and Scotland’s “Tartan Army” of fans is but one example of how the “Beautiful Game” brings people together. Friendships forged across continents are likely to endure well beyond the Cup final. Even those achievements cannot be seen as unalloyed, however. As South African football fan Byron Pillay commented to Al Jazeera, “Football is called the Beautiful Game for a reason, for its ability to unite people. But it’s hard to believe in that magic with the politics and war rhetoric off the field of play, especially when one of the tournament hosts is central to that.” Ultimately, the experience of the 2026 FIFA World Cup illustrates that, as international sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. As long as there is the possibility of diplomatic progress in mediating estrangement between governments or between peoples, there is a broad and overarching public interest in international sport. Likewise, as it would be difficult to put on an international sport mega-event without international sporting organizations like FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), global media firms, and companies purchasing sponsorships, public and private interests in international sport must coexist, most likely somewhere on a shifting spectrum between partnership and rivalry or cross purposes. As the World Cup wraps up, the IOC needs to consider its lessons before the scheduled 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if they want to avoid a media-hyped Trump version of the 1936 Berlin Olympiad. The IOC and the National Olympic Committees need to set conditions on and make demands of Trump’s government with clearly articulated consequences for non-compliance, up to and including cancellation of the Games. Time is running out for the IOC, as unlike with the FIFA World Cup, there is no at-the-ready alternate venue for Los Angeles.
Build Your Dream Fast-Food Business in Wrap House Simulator
Build and manage your own fast-food business in Wrap House Simulator, coming to XBOX Series X|S, XBOX One and XBOX PC on July 17.
TSMC Adds $100 Billion to Its U.S. Spending Plan
The pledge from the Taiwanese chip-making giant brought the total commitment to its fast-growing operations in Arizona to $265 billion.
Healey defends $2B courthouse deal for company connected to political heavyweights
Gov. Maura Healey is defending the nearly $2 billion state contract for a new Springfield courthouse awarded to a company co-owned by Ayanna Pressley’s husband and the current head of the MCCA.
Review: Denshattack! Fast Arcade Action That's Technically Rock-Solid and Highly Addictive
Multi-track drifting!!
4 Devices You Should Always Connect To 5GHz Wi-Fi (And 4 That Can Stay On 2.4GHz)
Not every device needs 5GHz Wi-Fi. Some gadgets benefit from faster speeds, while others perform better on reliable 2.4GHz connections.
American AI is expensive. Some startups are turning to cheap Chinese models
AI is a fast-growing business expense. Some companies are cutting costs by switching to cheaper Chinese AI models.
Motorola's brand-new Edge 70 Max flagship is exquisitely affordable and impressively feature-packed
Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor and equipped with blazing fast magnetic wireless charging, Motorola's latest Galaxy S26 Ultra rival is fully official... in India.
Ebola is spreading faster in eastern Congo than it can be tracked, as deaths pass 700
Eighty percent of new Ebola cases in eastern Congo are emerging from unknown chains of transmission, according to WHO, a sign the outbreak is spreading faster than health officials can track.
Early Verdicts on Claude Science: Faster Workflows, But Gaps Remain
AI giant Anthropic recently announced its scientific workbench, Claude Science. While scientists praised many of its features, they noted that its reasoning needs work.
Dak Prescott's viral transformation has one major problem
A viral photo made Dak Prescott appear far more muscular than he is. The edited image spread fast before fans learned it was digitally altered.
Windows Search just got a faster, cleaner overhaul - how to try it today
I tried the new Windows Search, and it offers a refreshing change with an updated layout that makes it easier to find what I need.
Flex Raises $70 Million To Put Business Banking On Stablecoin Rails
Invisible stablecoin rails are making cross-border banking faster for business owners. Flex has raised a $70 million Series B1 to capitalize on the shift.
Average MLB fastball velocity is up for the 6th straight year to 94.7 mph
Four-seam fastballs averaged 94.7 mph through Saturday, up from 94.5 mph last year, 93.7 mph in 2021 and 91.9 mph when Major League Baseball first started tracking in 2008.
Bipartisan bill seeks to bolster AI use in pediatric cancer care
Members of the Childhood Cancer Caucus are proposing the Accelerating Innovation for Kids Act, aimed at fast-tracking the deployment of this tech in pediatrics.
Stephen Miller remembers Lindsey Graham's vibrant political career and dedication to service
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller reflects on Sen. Lindsey Graham's, R-S.C., political journey, highlighting his transformation into a steadfast Trump supporter and his passion for public service on 'The Will Cain Show.'
Amex Platinum digital entertainment credit updating Aug. 1
Beginning Aug. 1, Peacock bundles, add-ons and third-party subscriptions will no longer qualify for the Amex Platinum digital entertainment credit.
The Quintessential Trump-era Politician
In 2020, I wrote an article about collaboration and collaborators. The title was History Will Judge the Complicit, and it started with the story of two famous East Germans, Markus Wolf and Wolfgang Leonhard, who both landed in East Berlin just after the end of the war. Although they came from very similar backgrounds, the former stuck with the regime, eventually becoming its spy boss; the latter, horrified by the brutal reality of Soviet-style communism, escaped. By way of juxtaposition, I also wrote about Lyndsey Graham and Mitt Romney. These two men also made very different decisions when confronted by Donald Trump’s assault on the ideals that they had both grown up believing: A glance at their biographies would not have led many to predict what happened next. On paper, Graham would have seemed, in 2016, like the man with deeper ties to the military, to the rule of law, and to an old-fashioned idea of American patriotism and American responsibility in the world. Romney, by contrast, with his shifts between the center and the right, with his multiple careers in business and politics, would have seemed less deeply attached to those same old-fashioned patriotic ideals. Most of us register soldiers as loyal patriots, and management consultants as self-interested. We assume people from small towns in South Carolina are more likely to resist political pressure than people who have lived in many places. Intuitively, we think that loyalty to a particular place implies loyalty to a set of values. But in this case the clichés were wrong. It was Graham who made excuses for Trump’s abuse of power. It was Graham—a JAG Corps lawyer—who downplayed the evidence that the president had attempted to manipulate foreign courts and blackmail a foreign leader into launching a phony investigation into a political rival. It was Graham who abandoned his own stated support for bipartisanship and instead pushed for a hyperpartisan Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden’s son. It was Graham who played golf with Trump, who made excuses for him on television, who supported the president even as he slowly destroyed the American alliances—with Europeans, with the Kurds—that Graham had defended all his life. By contrast, it was Romney who, in February, became the only Republican senator to break ranks with his colleagues, voting to impeach the president. “Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office,” he said, is “perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one’s oath of office that I can imagine.” In the wake of Graham’s unexpected death on Saturday, I wrote about him again. He was, in many ways, the quintessential politician of Trump’s Washington, a man who shifted 180 degrees. Graham had been a fervent American patriot, proud reserve officer and military lawyer; he became one of the most important defenders of a president who believes soldiers are “suckers and losers” and shows no respect for law of any kind. As his politics changed, his language grew coarser and his behavior grew worse: He urged Israel to “level the place” in Gaza, and insulted the Danish prime minister in Munich, prompting a colleague, Senator Elissa Slotkin, to issue an apology. Here’s an excerpt from the article, which you can read in The Atlantic (gift link here) Like his close friend John McCain, Graham believed that America should stand at the center of a broad democratic alliance. The few times I met him were in that context, at the Munich Security Conference or at other European-American gatherings, which he once attended with great regularity. He also took seriously the practice of American democracy at home. In a 2014 conversation with The Atlantic, he described himself as a pragmatic politician who eschewed populist slogans. “I know Washington is broken, but what’s broken about it is everybody yelling and nobody trying to fix it,” he said. “I’m trying.” When Donald Trump first appeared in U.S. politics, Graham recognized him immediately for what he was: the spokesman for an alien ideology, one radically different from the idealistic patriotism that Graham had practiced and preached since childhood. Trump privately mocked the military that Graham loved as nothing but “suckers and losers.” He put falsehoods, cynicism, and personal greed at the center of his politics, while expressing disdain for transparency, accountability, and democracy itself. In 2015, Graham described Trump as a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” who should “go to hell.” Also as a “nutjob.” When Trump won, Graham understood, as did so many others, that he would have to make some important choices. For a while, he went silent. In the spring of 2016, I saw him at one of those conferences in Europe. He seemed too depressed to speak. But then, like many other Republicans—and, more important, like many other people who have lived under political occupation or experienced radical regime change—he made the decision to abandon his previous ideals, to bury the patriotism that was once so important to him, and to become, instead, a loud, opportunistic collaborator. As I wrote in 2020, it’s very hard to look in to anyone’s heart and to understand their motivations from the outside. But it does seem that Graham had a deep need to be relevant, to be in the game, to be a player, at any cost. And that, rather than any particular achievement, is what he will be remembered for. Continuing to monitor conflicts of interest, ostentatious emoluments, outright corruption and policy changes that will facilitate outright corruption. (Read my original article, Kleptocracy Inc and check out the SNF Agora Institute chart) June 27 Trump diverted funds from more than 900 projects nationwide—including safety upgrades at national parks—to finance beautification projects around Washington, including $700,000 used to fix a White House walkway. June 28 After a years-long Department of Justice investigation into Abbott Laboratories over its management of a baby formula facility where potentially deadly bacteria turned up enough evidence to criminally charge the firm, top department officials instead opted for a financial penalty—illustrating the department’s move away from strict corporate enforcement under the Trump administration. June 29 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stacked the Defense Policy Board—which is charged with providing independent national security recommendations to the Office of the Secretary of Defense—with Trump allies, including tech billionaire Marc Andreessen, who has invested in defense contractors like OpenAI and SpaceX, after purging the panel last year. Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in Axon—which makes about 90% of US tasers—two weeks before ICE solicited bids for a $220 million taser contract. The White House unveiled limited-edition US passports for America’s 250th birthday, featuring a portrait of Trump overlaid on the Declaration of Independence. June 30 Trump made around $1.2 billion from his various crypto companies last year, including more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial and $600 million from sales of his meme coin. Trump is considering issuing 250 pardons to commemorate America’s 250th birthday. These are expected to be largely doled out through the Office of the Pardon Attorney’s informal network of intermediaries. White-collar defense attorneys say they can typically win pardons for clients for $2 million. Last year, Trump administration officials awarded a no-bid contract worth up to $500 million to Clark Construction for the White House ballroom—negotiations in which the president was directly involved. July 1 The Amazon MGM Studios documentary about Melania Trump earned the First Lady more than $10 million. Trump made hundreds of individual stock purchases worth as much as $12.8 million the day before his announcement pausing “Liberation Day” tariffs for 90 days sent the S&P 500 soaring nearly 10%—one of the largest single-day gains ever. Mar-a-Lago and Trump National Doral saw record surges in revenue during Trump’s first year in office, earning $77.5 million and $121.9 million respectively, compared to average annual revenues of $25 million and $75 million during Trump’s first term. Entities across the Persian Gulf paid more than $300 million to Trump’s businesses last year, including $263 million from the sale of half his stake in World Liberty Financial to a firm backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a top UAE royal and brother of the country’s president. Kash Patel failed to properly disclose his stock purchase of a Department of Justice contractor, MicroStrategy, worth up to $250,000 last year, despite laws requiring disclosure within 45 days of the trade. July 2 Trump has been directing administration officials to steer more government contracts—so far worth more than $2.4 billion—to Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin aerospace firm, after Amazon gave $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, donated to the White House ballroom project, and reached a $40 million deal to license a Melania Trump documentary. Alongside the billions he made from cryptocurrency last year, Trump earned millions of dollars from real estate licensing fees, including $21 million from organizations in the UAE and $9.2 million in Saudi Arabia, along with smaller sums from merchandise sales, including $4.7 million from Trump Watches and $35,920 from 45 Guitar, a guitar brand endorsed by the president. House Democrats accused consultants tied to the Trump administration of financial fraud, alleging they gave prospective donors to America250—the bipartisan committee created by Congress to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial—the banking and routing numbers for Freedom 250, the White House’s fund for events like the UFC cage fight. Democrats also allege that Freedom 250’s CEO traveled to the World Economic Forum in Davos to solicit donations from foreign government officials and business leaders. The Trump administration’s proposed rollback of gun regulations would lift the prohibition on mailing handguns to individuals, a significant win for GrabAGun—the direct-to-consumer firearm retailer on whose board Donald Trump Jr. sits and in which he holds a 1.1% ownership stake. GrabAGun currently must rely on a middleman to transfer firearms to customers. Trump’s financial disclosure revealed that he made more than 21,000 securities trades during his first year back in office, growing his investment account to at least $858 million across stakes in around 1,600 companies, compared to the 13 total trades Joe Biden made during his entire presidency. July 4 Nearly 1 million people who bought the president’s meme coin—Trump Coin—collectively lost $3.8 billion on the token, while he walked away with $636 million. July 6 Shares of Dell closed up 4.4% after Trump recommended people buy the firm’s computers during a speech announcing the launch of Trump investment accounts for children, boosting the more than $1 million worth of shares the president owns in the company. July 9 Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh named crypto investor and Trump ally Marc Andreessen to a task force aimed at modernizing the Federal Reserve, including rethinking its approach to inflation—a key factor keeping interest rates elevated. Palm Beach International Airport has officially changed its name to Trump International Airport—a move that will require Florida to pay royalties to the president’s family for licensing his name. I was there a few months ago, during a trip to Barcelona. The sculptures were a revelation, I’d never seen so many together before. Each one has its own personality. Enjoy the good weather, if you are lucky enough to have it. History Will Judge the Complicit The Quintessential Politician Autocracy Inc Open Letters, from Anne Applebaum is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
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