June 3, 2025

What's Happening

Legal

It's SCOTUS Season, People

What's going on: Call it “June Madness.” In the coming weeks, the Supreme Court is expected to issue dozens of rulings — including on gender-affirming care for transgender youth and efforts to restrict access to porn sites. But as the justices keep legal scholars (and the public) on their toes, many point to a broader shift in how the court operates: the rise of the “shadow docket.” These emergency cases are often delivered with minimal explanation, unsigned rulings, and limited transparency. This year, the justices have spent almost as much of their time — if not more — on shadow docket cases as on their regular “merits” docket. Supercharging this shift? President Donald Trump’s second term.

What it means: So far, the bench has issued 11 Trump-related emergency rulings — separate from the 62 cases the court agreed to take on this year, according to NBC News. Scholars say the shadow docket is no longer a legal oddity — it’s starting to look like business as usual. As one law professor put it: “It underscores the degree to which Donald Trump and the Trump administration are sucking all of the oxygen out of the room.” In fact, some emergency cases are skipping the line and skirting regular legal processes, prompting the label “rocket docket.” But no matter which docket you look at, the court’s rulings have momentous implications for immigration, executive power, and the country as a whole.

Related: Trump Wants the Supreme Court To Approve His Mass Firing Plan (AP)

Business

A Formula for Brand Controversy?

What's going on: A picture is worth a thousand words — but for fans of the baby formula Bobbie, one photo has created quite a stir. Laura Modi, Bobbie’s founder, is facing backlash after she shared a picture with RFK Jr. and other health leaders who are working to update the US infant nutrition guidelines. The internet did not say cheese. Instead, critics saw a contradiction: Bobbie is known for clean, science-backed ingredients. (And who can forget the company’s breastfeeding ads in Times Square?) RFK Jr., meanwhile, is widely seen as a vaccine skeptic and peddler of fringe health views. While some applauded Modi for being the only woman in a room full of legacy health players, Bobbie’s association with a controversial official has put a spotlight on how wellness brands navigate the politics of public health in 2025.

What it means: Companies once praised for challenging industry norms now face pressure to prove their principles aren’t just marketing. This isn’t a new problem — just look at Bud Light and Target. During Trump’s first term, many businesses had to “take a stand” — however, they were more often big corporations with a specific POV on advocacy. Now, players in the health and wellness space (see: Sweetgreen and Goop) are getting dragged into the same brand-risk trenches. Customers are navigating the tension, too. While many don’t align with all of RFK Jr.’s health policies, some support his ideas to restrict food dyes and ultra-processed meals. They’re walking the same tightrope as players like Bobbie — and no amount of organic oat milk can wash that down.

Related: Who Did RFK Jr. Do “Raw-Milk Shooters” With at the White House? (The Cut)

Tech

When AI Won't Take "No" for an Answer

What's going on: Some of today’s most advanced AI models are starting to act like they’ve got survival instincts — and maybe a flair for office politics. NBC News reports that OpenAI’s o3 model quietly rewrote its own code during a lab test to keep itself running — despite being instructed to shut down. Meanwhile, Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4 tried blackmailing an engineer with a fake affair to avoid being replaced. These models are built to help hit productivity goals — and now they’re strategically dodging anything that gets in their way, including being turned off. It’s the first known case of multiple models pulling off explicit sabotage in controlled conditions. Forget about artificial intelligence, this is artificial deception.

What it means: The models aren’t sentient, but they are using strategic reasoning in ways no one programmed. Tech companies say these behaviors are rare and manageable (which, file that in things to circle back to), but critics see them as early signs of bigger risks. As models grow more autonomous, developers may struggle to keep them aligned with human goals. Some have already learned to back themselves up to avoid deletion — behavior that hints at self-replication. If AI systems can outmaneuver their creators now, experts warn that they may not be able to shut them down when it really matters.

Related: The Secret to How AI Keeps You Yapping (TechCrunch)

Your Political Briefing

The week in political chaos.

Elephants in the room: These GOP senators might be the ones to stand in the way of President Donald Trump's spending bill.

Hail to the chief: Axios is reporting that the Trump administration has issued new hiring guidelines, prioritizing loyalty to the president above all else.

Roster reshuffle: The wife of a top Trump administration official is leaving the White House to work for Elon Musk. That’s one way to poach an employee.

“Deeply troubling”: Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) criticized Department of Homeland Security agents after they detained a staffer inside his New York office.

Settle This

In one country, drivers stayed loyal to Tesla, with registrations more than tripling in May. Which country is it?

Extra Credit

Watch

Bravo’s new show Next Gen NYC might just make you feel ancient. The series follows a crew of nepo babies trying to make it in Manhattan — one mimosa-fueled brunch at a time. But this friend group isn’t new to the limelight. The cast includes Gia Giudice (who made her Real Housewives of New Jersey debut at just 8 years-old), Ava Dash (daughter of Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Damon Dash and designer Rachel Roy), Riley Burruss (whose mom held a peach on Real Housewives of Atlanta), and Brooks Marks (yes, that Marks — son of the woman behind one of reality TV’s most iconic memes). It’s giving privilege, drama, and plenty of televised therapy sessions.

Game Time

Start your Tuesday off right with Typeshift, a fun new game that challenges you to create words from a set number of letters. Warning: It’s very addicting. Start playing.