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Politics
Policy, power, and the news of the day.
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Trump’s Too Busy for Don Jr.’s Wedding—But Not Too Busy for Golf
Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump says he is too busy to attend his eldest son’s wedding—but the demands of the presidency have not kept him off the golf course. Despite hitting the links at least 14 times since going to war with Iran, according to online trackers and a Daily Beast analysis, Trump said his son’s Memorial Day weekend wedding was “not good timing” for him and that he needs to be in Washington.Read more at The Daily Beast.
The Fate of Colbert’s Set Revealed
Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty ImagesFollowing speculation about what would happen to Stephen Colbert’s Late Show set and high hopes from fans that it wouldn’t be tossed, CBS News has revealed its fate. According to the outlet, Colbert will donate the set to the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago. The museum, which already houses Colbert’s desk from when he broadcast live from the city during the 2024 Democratic National Convention, has an extensive collection of late-night memorabilia, including Tonight Show desks from both Johnny Carson and Jimmy Fallon, as part of its “The Johnny Carson Centennial” and “The Evolution of Late-Night Television” exhibits.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Trump’s Goons Humiliated by Judge in Immigration Cause Celebre
Andrew Harnik / Getty ImagesA federal judge has slapped down the Trump administration’s criminal charges against a wrongfully deported Maryland dad as “vindictive prosecution.”District Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr., an Obama appointee, tore into Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over the Justice Department’s dogged pursuit of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose wrongful removal to El Salvador in March last year became a flashpoint in the administration’s deportation blitz.The government brought human smuggling charges against the 30-year-old father of three after it was forced by the Supreme Court to facilitate his return to the U.S. Abrego Garcia contested the criminal charges, which stemmed from a November 2022 traffic stop that was ultimately closed, “for vindictive and selective prosecution.”Read more at The Daily Beast.
SNL Stars Reveal How They Lie to ‘Bombing’ Celebrity Hosts
Netflix/XSometimes, a bit of shmoozing from the Saturday Night Live cast can go a long way for their celebrity hosts, John Mulaney and Pete Davidson revealed on Friday.“When I was 25, I’d tell Oscar-winning hosts, I’d write their monologue and be like, ‘You’re gonna say all that. It’s gonna go great.’ And they’d tank eight times out of ten,” Mulaney, 43, who wrote on SNL for four seasons, told Davidson on his Pete Davidson Show live audience taping in Los Angeles, which was taped on May 9 at the Netflix Is a Joke festival but released on the streamer Friday.“But when they get off—and they know they’ve tanked—you still have to be like, ‘It crushed,’” Davidson, 32, agreed. Read more at The Daily Beast.
Brawling Parents Derail Kindergarten Graduation
WGTVA kindergarten graduation in Ohio descended into chaos after a dispute over seating allegedly spiraled into a violent brawl. Parents at the Queen of Apostles School in Toledo had gathered for the ceremony, where tensions erupted before it even began. Parent Craig Mays told local station WGTV the children were downstairs rehearsing while adults argued over chairs after one family began rearranging seating, blocking his child’s mother’s view. He said insults quickly escalated into violence. Police said a woman was arrested and charged with felonious assault after allegedly grabbing another woman by the hair and striking her head against a chair. The victim reportedly required stitches. Mays claimed the situation quickly snowballed. “I literally don’t remember anything,” he told the station, saying he was “sucker punched” before being knocked to the ground and repeatedly punched and kicked. School leaders called 911 and shut down the ceremony entirely. Mays, himself a kindergarten teacher, said the outcome was heartbreaking. “I couldn’t watch my daughter graduate today,” he said.Read it at WGTVRead more at The Daily Beast.
What It’s Really Like to Mock MAGA Stars to Their Faces
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/GettyRobert Smigel, better known for his puppeted alter-ego Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, came face-to-face with nearly the entirety of Trump’s presidential Cabinet on the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner red carpet. “Honestly, we had no expectation of having that much access to that many people,” Smigel, 66, told Obsessed: The Podcast host Matt Wilstein. “First of all, I didn’t know that practically the entire chain of command was going to be at this thing—and maybe it shouldn’t have."Read more at The Daily Beast.
Trump Reveals the One Insult He Hates Most
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/GettyPresident Donald Trump says he can handle being called a tyrant and a dictator—just don’t call him dumb.In fact, the 79-year-old told supporters on Friday that he hates the insult so much that it spurred him to take a cognitive test to prove the naysayers wrong.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Jones Road’s Mini Sale Is the Perfect Excuse to Try the Viral Miracle Balm
The Daily Beast/Jones RoadAll products are selected independently by The Looker’s editors. If you purchase something from our post, we may earn a small commission.Although Jones Road Beauty has only been around for a little over five years, Bobbi Brown’s sophomore brand has already cemented itself as a go-to for age- and shade-inclusive makeup that’s equal parts effortless, elevated, and approachable. The formulas are intentionally fuss-free and multifunctional, but they still deliver the kind of performance makeup artists covet, which is why the brand is beloved by novices and the pros alike. While pretty much every product in the JR lineup has earned cult status, Miracle Balm remains the undeniable hero. Described by the brand as a “light-reflecting balm,” the bestselling formula delivers a dewy, lit-from-within finish without glitter or shimmer. The multi-tasking formula can be tapped onto the cheeks, lips, or anywhere on the face for a sheer, buildable wash of color and glow. You can layer it under or over your foundation or wear it alone for a no-makeup-makeup look. Read more at The Daily Beast.
1980s Hip-Hop Legend Dead at 59
robbasemusic and robginyard_jr / robbasemusic and robginyard_jr/InstagramHip-hop pioneer Rob Base died Friday, four days after his 59th birthday. “We share the heartbreaking news that hip-hop legend Rob Base passed away peacefully, surrounded by family,” said a statement on his Instagram account. “Rob’s music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world. Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten,” the tribute added. “Thank you for the music, the memories, and the moments that became the soundtrack to our lives.” The Harlem-born rapper, whose real name was Robert Ginyard, was half of the iconic hip-hop duo with DJ E-Z Rock (Rodney “Skip” Bryce), who became pals in fifth grade. The pair paved a path mixing hip-hop and house music, and taking it mainstream. Their best-known song was the smash 1988 hit “It Takes Two,” which has since been honored by Snoop Dogg in his “I Wanna Rock” and The Black Eyed Peas in “Rock That Body.” Base continued to perform after E-Z’s death in 2014, and performed on the I Love the ’90s Tour with fellow rap icons Vanilla Ice and Young MC.Read more at The Daily Beast.
How Trump Is Exposing His Bottomless Grift
Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty ImagesThe Department of Justice’s nearly $1.8 billion fund for so-called “victims” of government weaponization isn’t Donald Trump’s only sleazy scheme. The Daily Beast’s Joanna Coles and Hugh Dougherty, on a new episode of The Daily Beast Podcast, delved into what the establishment of that largely unregulated, taxpayer-funded commission overshadowed this week: the president’s stock trades. Read more at The Daily Beast.
MAGA Warmonger Thirsts Over New Target After Trump Summit
Elizabeth Frantz/ReutersAs President Donald Trump weighed taking further action in his war with Iran, Lindsey Graham appeared ready to start shopping for the sequel.The South Carolina senator fired off an ominous message on Friday, suggesting Cuba could be next in line for “liberation.”“I believe the liberation of the wonderful people of Cuba from the clutches of communism is close at hand,” Graham wrote on X. Read more at The Daily Beast.
Trump, 79, Flashes Heavily Bruised Hand Ahead of Holiday Weekend
The Daily Beast/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump’s bruised right hand was on display Friday night while heading back to Washington, D.C., after a speaking engagement in New York.Trump, 79, was photographed with that hand up while addressing a group of reporters on the tarmac of Morristown Airport in New Jersey. He had just given a speech at Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York, in which he yet again proudly claimed to have passed several cognitive tests, created nonsensical math about prescription drug prices, mocked transgender weightlifters, and made it known that he really doesn’t want to be seen as dumb.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Scouted: Discover the Brand On a Mission to Make the Most Comfortable Hoodie Ever Made
ComfrtWhen it comes to your wardrobe, nothing is as necessary as a go-to hoodie—an everyday essential you can easily throw on and never want to take off. If you’re looking for an unmatched level of coziness, Comfrt raises the bar with its selection of ultra-soft hoodies that will leave you feeling like you’re floating on a cloud.Comfrt is a premium attire brand that is out to create the most comfortable hoodie ever made. Each of its pieces is crafted from an ultra-soft, slightly weighted combed cotton designed to keep you cozy, calm, and grounded. For everyday use, the original Comfrt hoodie is a clean, elevated option with a slightly oversized, unisex fit that looks genuinely good on anyone. Plus, it comes in a variety of colors to match your personal style.The right hoodie can elevate any travel experience, and Comfrt’s Airplane Mode design rises to the occasion. With a built-in eye mask and eight pockets, this travel-ready essential is made for airports, road trips, or wherever else your wanderlust takes you.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Trump Judge Throws Out Michael Wolff’s Bid to Sue Melania
The Daily Beast/GettyThe author Michael Wolff has had his lawsuit against Melania Trump thrown out by a federal judge appointed by her husband.Wolff, the co-host of the hit Daily Beast podcast Inside Trump’s Head, had sued the first lady under laws designed to protect freedom of the press, after she threatened to sue him for $1 billion.The best-selling Trump biographer filed a so-called anti-SLAPP lawsuit in Oct. 2025 after receiving a legal threat from the first lady over comments he made about her and Jeffrey Epstein. Melania threatened to sue him for allegations which included that she met Donald Trump in Epstein’s social circle, that Trump liked to have sex with his friends’ wives, that he first slept with Melania on Epstein’s private jet, and that she played a part in her husband’s handling of the Epstein files. Read more at The Daily Beast.
YouTuber Announces Tragic Death of Son, 14
Daniel Coleman Instagram / InstagramYouTube’s Danny Go! kids’ show creator Daniel Coleman is mourning the death of his 14-year-old son following a wrenching battle with cancer. “Isaac Daniel Coleman 10/3/11 – 5/21/26,” Coleman wrote on Instagram. “Oh my sweet boy. There’s so much I want to say, but I don’t know how yet. I already miss you so much, and the pain in my heart is far more than I can process,” he revealed. But looking through “thousands” of videos and photos, “I’m also filled with tremendous pride,” he added. “Your 14 years were full of so many challenges, but you met them all with such grit … and you somehow kept your trademark joy in spite of it all. You truly had a spark like no other, Isaac! Being your dad was the honor of a lifetime. Rest peacefully, son." Coleman shares Isaac and 8-year-old Levi with his wife, Mindy Coleman. He revealed late last year that Isaac was suffering from mouth cancer, and entered end-of-life hospice care last month. Coleman’s YouTube kids channel, launched in 2021, has more than 4.5M subscribers. The program debuted on Netflix in April.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Millions of Canadians to Vote on Whether to Split From Canada
NurPhoto / NurPhoto via Getty ImagesCanada is facing its biggest test of national unity in decades after Alberta announced a vote that could reignite the country’s separatist battles. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said that voters in the oil-rich province will head to the polls on Oct. 19 to decide whether the government should move toward a future referendum on separation. The move follows months of pressure from separatist groups who argue that Alberta has long been overlooked by decision-makers in Ottawa and constrained by federal policies, particularly around the province’s powerful oil and gas industry. Still, Smith said she personally opposes leaving Canada. “That is how I would vote on separation in a provincial referendum,” she said during a televised address on Thursday. The debate carries echoes of past national fractures. The 1995 Quebec referendum came within a whisker of splitting the country, with the “No” side prevailing by less than two percentage points. Even if Albertans eventually back separation, any path out of Canada would likely be long and legally fraught. Prime Minister Mark Carney has already warned that any breakaway effort would face significant legal hurdles.Read it at BBC NewsRead more at The Daily Beast.
Trump Takes Aim at Colbert With Trashy AI Fantasy
Kylie Cooper / REUTERSPresident Donald Trump is not ready to let his feud with late-night star Stephen Colbert die just yet.On Friday evening, one night after The Late Show aired its final episode, the president, 79, shared an AI video that depicted him gleefully attacking the comedian/host and throwing him into a large trash receptacle. The AI president is seen tossing Colbert into a dumpster just as the host is talking about his last broadcast. A smirking Trump is then seen morphing into his cringey “YMCA” dance moves.Read more at The Daily Beast.
ICE Recruitment Posts Spike Possibility of Neo-Nazi Violence
Seth Herald / REUTERSA public safety agency is sounding the alarm that ICE recruitment posts will attract violent white supremacists and neo-Nazis into immigration enforcement—if they are not already there.The Colorado Information Analysis Center, whose job is to gather, analyze, and share threat-related intelligence to law enforcement, first warned about the threat in a March bulletin. Now, internal records obtained by The Intercept show that the center has determined there is now a “permissive environment to engage in vigilante action and/or violence against individuals perceived to be immigrants.” Read more at The Daily Beast.
‘30 Rock’ Star Dead at 52
@hammer31/ InstagramActor Grizzwald “Grizz” Chapman died Friday at the age of 52, his longtime representative confirmed to TMZ. Chapman was best known for portraying Grizz on the acclaimed American sitcom 30 Rock, created by Tina Fey, 56. Details surrounding Chapman’s death have not been released. Chapman received a kidney transplant in 2010 after spending a year undergoing dialysis treatments while filming 30 Rock and searching for a donor. Following his battle with kidney disease, he signed on as a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation the same year as his transplant. “I really had no life before the transplant,” Chapman told the Tribune. Chapman’s cousin, Donte “Hammer” Harrison, shared a tribute to him on Instagram, confirming that the actor died peacefully in his sleep after years of battling illness and undergoing dialysis. “A lot of people knew him as the sitcom star from 30 Rock, but we knew the man behind the screen. A good heart, good energy, and somebody who made an impact in this life,” Harrison wrote. Chapman leaves behind his wife and two children, who TMZ reports are “devastated” by their loss.Read it at The WrapRead more at The Daily Beast.
MAGA Rep Sparks Outrage With Crude Rape Joke
Tom Williams / Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesRepublican Rep. Mike Collins has fired a top aide to his Senate campaign after he made a crude remark about a woman who accused former NBC host Matt Lauer of rape.The controversy erupted Friday after Luke Thompson, an adviser working for the Republican Derek Dooley’s campaign, shared polling that showed Collins’ lead in the GOP primary in Georgia had narrowed.“48 hours later, and the Collins lead has cut in half,” Thompson wrote on X. “Dooley beats [Democratic Sen. Jon] Ossoff. Collins can’t. Not hard to understand.”Read more at The Daily Beast.
Coal Mine Disaster Leaves 90 Dead
cnsphoto / via REUTERSNinety people are dead after a coal mine gas explosion in China’s northern Shanxi province. According to Xinhua News Agency, the explosion occurred on Friday evening while around 247 workers were on duty. The Associated Press reported that more than 120 people were hospitalized, 90 people died, and nine remained unaccounted for as of Saturday afternoon. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for a thorough investigation into the explosion and a rescue mission for the missing workers following the incident. “I smelled sulphur, the same smell you get from blasting. I shouted at people to run. As we were running, I could see people collapsing from the fumes. Then I blacked out too,” one of the hospitalized miners, Wang Yong, told state broadcaster CCTV. The broadcaster also said, according to the AP, that discrepancies between the mine’s blueprints and its actual structure complicated the rescue operation. Some members of the mine’s management team have reportedly been detained, according to the BBC. The outlet also noted that the Liushenyu Coal Mine, where the explosion occurred, was listed as having “severe safety hazards” by the Chinese National Mine Safety Administration in 2024 and received further administrative penalties for safety issues the following year.Read it at The Associated Press Read more at The Daily Beast.
Shock Reason Behind Deaths of 5 Tourists in Ill-Fated Dive Emerges
DAN Europe / via REUTERSA member of the diving team that recovered the bodies of the five Italian scuba divers who drowned in the Maldives said their equipment “was not optimal.”Four of the divers’ bodies were found together in a cave 164 feet underwater. The divers died just 15 minutes from reaching the surface. Finnish diver Sami Paakkarinen told Italian media that “tragic human error” was the main reason for their deaths.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Colbert Trolls Bosses Who Fired Him With New TV Gig
LateNighter/ YouTubeStephen Colbert did not stay away from late-night television for long.About 24 hours after hosting his final episode of The Late Show on CBS, the 62-year-old showed up on Michigan public access television.“We were lucky enough to be here for the last 11 years, all right? Can’t take this for granted,” Colbert said in The Late Show monologue on Thursday night, which also marked one of his most-watched shows ever and his final episode.Read more at The Daily Beast.
Trump Unravels in Alarming Truth Social Rampage
Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump has unleashed a series of nonsensical posts to kick off his Saturday morning. The 79-year-old president had been scheduled to spend the weekend golfing in New Jersey, but as the region is seeing heavy rain this weekend, his plans appear to have shifted to posting AI-generated fantasies on Truth Social. Several of the posts appear to be thinly veiled statements on his threats to take over various sovereign states, including Greenland. Read more at The Daily Beast.