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Trump's Truth Social lays bare narrow obsessions of an extremely online president
The bulk of the president's social media posts don't make news. But taken together they show what's on his mind as he leads the nation through war and domestic turmoil.
Ukraine war challenging the Western obsession with 'perfect' weapons
The West has long focused on making exquisite weapons, but the war is demonstrating that weapons that are adaptable and widely available is key.
May the 4th be with the ballpark: Inside MLB's Star Wars obsession
What began as a novelty promotion has evolved into a leaguewide tradition as nearly every MLB team now hosts a Star Wars-themed game.
The politics of Trump's ballroom
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — President Trump was about a half-hour into his second speech of the day, musing about the danger he faced last week at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “Saturday night, it was good for one thing. People are loving my ballroom now,” Trump told a crowd last night. “That’s the only thing. They love my ballroom.” Ever since he was hustled off stage at the Washington Hilton last week, after an attempted shooter breached the dinner’s security perimeter and sent guests diving to the floor, the president has argued that the incident is proof for why his White House ballroom is needed. Only his planned $400 million, 90,000-square-foot project, Trump has reasoned, can keep a president truly safe at major events. It’s true that a bunch of GOP lawmakers have jumped on board with new legislation and words of support for Trump’s project. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Rand Paul and other prominent Republicans went on TV to talk about the need for a ballroom. But as we reported at The Washington Post this week, “people” aren’t really changing their minds on Trump’s ballroom. A new Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that most Americans still oppose the ballroom project: 56 percent against it versus 28 percent in favor. The numbers are the same as a poll from last year, the Post’s polling whiz Scott Clement found. Other new polls have found similar margins, too. “I’m just not a giant fan, especially of extravagance,” one independent voter told me. “I mean, in the era we’re in right now, given how much people are struggling, it just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to spend $400 million on a ballroom.” How we got here The Washington Post has followed Trump’s ballroom project very closely. (My colleague Jonathan Edwards may have written the most total words of any reporter about the project; I may be second.) The project exploded as a national issue after Trump tore down the White House’s East Wing after initially promising not to touch it.1 Historic preservationists sued, and about a month ago, a federal judge ordered a halt to ballroom construction.2 The only way the ballroom could proceed, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled, was if Congress explicitly authorized Trump’s plans. (An appeals court has stayed Leon’s order for now.) The judge’s ruling raised an obvious question: would Congress authorize the project? Keep in mind, “authorization” doesn’t mean that Congress needs to necessarily fund the planned $400 million project; they could just sign off on the private donations that Trump has solicited to pay for the ballroom.3 But GOP lawmakers really didn’t want to talk about the ballroom, we reported at The Post just a few weeks ago. One major reason was the ballroom’s bad polling — not a small detail with many of their own midterm elections looming. The White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident, and Trump’s advocacy, may have changed the political conversation around the ballroom. As this week’s polling shows, it doesn’t seem to have affected the fundamental questions surrounding the project. To put it another way, voters still say that cost-of-living concerns are top-of-mind heading into the midterms. Some Republican and independent voters have told me that they see the ballroom as a vanity project that will help Trump but do nothing for their own lives. It might not help Republicans that Trump has dismissed some of the cost-of-living concerns. He’s described “affordability” as a buzzword manufactured by Democrats whose policies helped cause inflation. “They’ve got one good line of bullshit,” Trump said in his first speech yesterday, delivered at a Florida retirement community known as The Villages. Thanks for reading Dan Diamond's newsletter! Subscribe for free to stay up-to-date on my work. Subscribe Speaking of Trump’s speeches… I’m down in Florida because it’s my “duty week” as a White House reporter — basically, I follow the president wherever he goes. (And then hand the baton off to one of my Washington Post colleagues next week.) As part of my duty week, I’ve spent a few days covering the White House’s reaction to Saturday’s attempted shooting, including officials’ review of the security protocols to protect the president. Trump was restrained in the wake of the incident, addressing the nation from the White House briefing room about the need for peaceful dialogue and trying to lower the temperature. But he’s clearly been itching to get back out of the White House, and I was curious to hear how his Florida speeches would go. And — to my ears — it was an unburdened Trump. Not the one we saw Saturday night in the White House briefing room, but the one we witnessed on the campaign trail in 2024. Loose, dropping profanities, mocking everyone, including members of his team. “We have a man here who knows more about Medicaid, Medicare, medical crap than any human being. Where’s Dr. Oz? Where the hell are you, stand up,” Trump said, referring to Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “It’s the most boring trip I’ve ever made. He’s telling me about Medicare, Medicaid. All I want to do is take care of you, I don’t care. I said, ‘You work out the details.’” I wrote up the speech, as Trump headed to West Palm Beach to deliver more remarks a few hours later. The White House didn’t like my story. Their rapid-response team called it the work of a “total loser”4 and “a miserable TDS-ridden moron.” You can be the judge of whether it’s a fair story or the product of someone afflicted with “TDS.” (The White House’s shorthand for “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”) I’ve pasted the story below with a gift link, meaning that you don’t need to be a Washington Post subscriber to read it. It might prompt you for an email address, though. Meanwhile, I’ll be down in Florida for the rest of the weekend, covering the president. It’s TBD whether those stories will be deemed TDS-afflicted, too. 1 Jonathan details the past six months of ballroom fallout, reactions and the implications for executive authority here. I also had a great time talking about Trump’s ballroom and other projects with Australia’s ABC News Daily on a podcast this week. 2 The judge allowed underground construction and national security-related work to continue. But that hasn’t been enough for Trump, who says the ballroom itself is essential for his protection. 3 The ballroom donors include companies like Palantir, Google and Amazon. For transparency, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post, where I work. No one has ever interfered with our team’s coverage of the ballroom or our mentions of Amazon or Bezos, and if that changed, I’d speak out. 4 To be fair, I’ve spent the morning working on stories and writing this Substack post rather than enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. So they may be onto something about who’s winning and who’s losing.
'The Goblins Came Back to Haunt Us': OpenAI Explains How ChatGPT's 'Nerdy' Personality Got Out of Control
OpenAI is ready to talk about ChatGPT’s goblin obsession.
OpenAI blames ‘nerdy personality’ for ChatGPT obsession with goblins
The company said in a blog post that it ended up retiring the “nerdy” personality entirely, but the issue remained, forcing it to create a specific override code instruction.
League obsessions can help Gunners in Europe
When I compare the heady mania that followed Gabriel Martinelli's clincher at the Bernabeu last season to the slightly stiff 'see you at the Etihad' the fans gave the team after an uninspiring 0-0 draw against Sporting, it's hard to believe both nights achieved the same thing. When PSG followed in late April sunshine for our first Champions League semi final since 2009, the pre-game atmosphere was carnival-like — towers of pre-game beer snakes wobbling through the concourse. The fun came to an end when Ousmane Dembele shanked PSG in front within five minutes, but the dream was there.
Cosmeticorexia: a worrying obsession with flawless skin or just a new term for an old problem?
The uptick in children focused on skincare has some experts concerned about body image and mental health. But others warn of the risks of rushing to ‘medicalise’ new trends or behaviours
Where MrBeast is turning for entertainment inspiration
The world's biggest creator, Jimmy Donaldson, grew up on YouTube videos. Now he has another media obsession: Hollywood films.
Obsession with primaries takes hold in French politics a year out from presidential race
On both left and right, talk of primaries continues to stall amid logistical challenges, personal rivalries and deeper strategic voids that experts say traditional parties have yet to confront.
How Do You Measure an A.I. Boom?
A chart created by METR, a nonprofit A.I. organization, has become an industrywide obsession as it measures the rapid development of big A.I. systems.
CMAT came to Coachella with politics on her mind and an Irish dance step for California
Irish country-pop star CMAT made her Coachella debut after achieving major fame at home, bringing her blend of American cultural obsession and Irish identity to California crowds.
The New Gut Health Obsession Comes With a Catch, Experts Warn
Is 'fibermaxxing' actually healthy?
The New Gut Health Obsession Comes With a Catch, Experts Warn
Is 'fibermaxxing' actually healthy?
New Reality: While Politics of Immigration Have Changed, GOP’s Mass Deportation Obsession Has Not
Washington, DC — Last Friday, before Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and the House Freedom Caucus scuttled the Senate funding deal in order to continue the DHS shutdown, America’s Voice highlighted the reality that the mass deportation obsession remained paramount for President Trump and de facto President Stephen Miller. This despite recent GOP attempts… Continue »
Behind the lobster merch, China’s latest tech obsession could be a game changer
At China’s hot new tech events, lobsters are everywhere – lobster balloons, lobster headbands, lobster plushies in claw machines, even live lobsters in an inflatable kiddie pool. But the attendees swarming the meet-ups are not here for the crustaceans – they’re here for the new technology they represent: OpenClaw
How Dems are committing political suicide over anti-ICE obsessions
Democrats now risk a midterm-elections fiasco if they can’t let go of their anti-ICE obsession, and their related insistence on protecting even violent-criminal illegal immigrants from deportation.
Fishwife, other tinned sardine brands are cashing in on protein craze
Hate 'em or love 'em, our shared obsession with protein has made a stinky little fish from brands like Fishwife the new superfood.
‘Chinamaxxing’ your health: America’s obsession with Chinese medicine is taking over TikTok
As US-China tensions simmer, people online are joking about wanting to ‘become Chinese’ – starting with their wellness routines
I Followed All the Best Wellness Advice on TikTok. It Landed Me in Hell.
How could my health obsession have gone so wrong?
America’s Protein Obsession, Explained | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Most Americans get plenty of protein—but under-consume other important nutrients.
It Seems Like It Would Be Fun to Go to Mars. Well, No One Considers This Part.
Elon Musk says his obsession with the red planet is cooling.
Health experts raise awareness about orthorexia, an obsession with healthy eating
Opinion: More than the Game: The rise of sports betting culture
It’s Sunday night, and anticipation hangs in the air as people gather around their TVs, hoping their parlay finally hits. But what drives this obsession with sports betting? Is it the adrenaline of watching your favorite player execute a seamless play, the conversation and community that form around the game, or something else — because...
How my best friend and I built a sandwich empire
A former banker and his lifelong friend turned a franchise obsession into owning Capriotti's and running the sandwich chain together.
‘Heated Rivalry’ Is Bringing New Fans to Hockey. Does the Sport Deserve Them?
Obsession over a show about two closeted hockey players has brought new fandom to the sport just ahead of the Olympics. But men's hockey's lack of support for LGBTQ+ players and fans is notable.
America's sweet tooth is looking for a new chain obsession
Sprinkles' abrupt closure at the end of 2025 marked the end of the cupcake era. Now, bundt cakes and cookies are vying for the top sweet spot.
OPINION: America’s runaway sports betting obsession ensures that ‘Everybody Loses’
OPINION: America’s runaway sports betting obsession ensures that ‘Everybody Loses.' Read more at The Nevada Independent.
La Verne teenager with autism turns his obsession with trash trucks into a small business
A 19-year-old entrepreneur with autism is successfully turning one of his passions into a profitable neighborhood business.
Amid FBI investigation, Trump's 2020 election obsession is still shaping Georgia politics
The FBI search of a Fulton County election office isn't the only sign that Trump's loss six years ago is echoing through Georgia. Just look at the race for governor.
Trailer: Dirty Rotten Scandals Coming Soon To E! Entertainment
E!’s new documentary series exposes the dark side of our pop culture obsessions! The Dr. Phil Show, America’s Next Top Model, and The Price is Right. Dirty Rotten Scandals premieres Wednesday, March 4th on E!
Cairn review – obsession, suffering and awe in a climbing game that hits exhausting new heights
A punishing, beautiful survival game that turns mountaineering into an intimate test of endurance, fixation and emotional resolve – you’ll be in tears by the end
PC hardware is entering a golden age of design and engineering, while Windows — with its newfound AI obsession — has never felt worse. Something must change.
Microsoft's cramming of AI into every corner of Windows is alienating lifelong users and creating unnecessary frustration. Too bad it's happening as PC hardware is hitting its stride.
“The ultimate cheater of all time” – Former Bulls center recalls Michael Jordan cheating on Dunkin’ Donuts bets
Jordan’s obsession with winning showed up in places fans never noticed.
The invisible microbes that help keep us healthy
Not all microbes are villains—many are vital to keeping us healthy. Researchers have created a world-first database that tracks beneficial bacteria and natural compounds linked to immune strength, stress reduction, and resilience. The findings challenge the long-standing obsession with germs as threats and instead highlight the hidden health benefits of biodiversity. This shift could influence everything from urban design to environmental restoration.
"Microslop" trends — backlash to Microsoft's on-going AI obsession continues
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella penned an AI-heavy blog post to close out 2025, leading to widespread mockery and a brand new moniker for the big M.
Pinterest predicts 21 trends will rule 2026 aesthetic. Take notes.
Pinterest predicts that mismatched beauty, nostalgia, and an obsession with cabbage will be 2026's biggest trends.
Weird Science: Citizen science and monkey sweat help NC researcher determine whether current obsession with skincare routines may be doing more harm than good
Dr. Julie Horvath is the head of the Genomics & Microbiology Research Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and also an Associate Research Professor at North Carolina Central University. She’s studying personal hygiene and its effects on the microbes on our skin – by taking samples from people's arm pits and from the underarms of other primates.
Inside Gen Z's obsession with renting everything
From dresses to strollers to wine glasses, renting lives in Gen Zers' heads rent-free.