• Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has been buying shares of BuzzFeed.
• He says he wants to remake the publisher, starting with its board, and insisted on adding 3 new members by July 15.
• But it looks like that's not happening. So what's his next move?

Here's an update from Vivek Ramaswamy's attempt to take over, or at least influence, BuzzFeed: Nothing's happening.

Which seems to have been the case since Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate, disclosed that he was buying up shares of the digital publisher earlier this year.

There's a reason the non-news is worth noting today, though: It's July 15, the deadline Ramaswamy set for BuzzFeed to expand its board of directors by adding three new members he proposed.

And from what I can tell, that deadline turned out to not be a real deadline.

Last month, Ramaswamy and two of his proposed directors met with BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti via conference call, which people on both sides of the table described as cordial. There is also talk of a second, in-person discussion at some point.

But there's been no movement to actually put any of the men Ramaswamy endorsed — media consultant Chris Balfe, podcaster Patrick Bet-David, and Clay Travis, who created the conservative sports site OutKick — on the board, per two people familiar with the situation.

So, assuming that the status quo holds, what next?

"The first meeting was productive, and Vivek looks forward to continuing the dialogue," emails Tricia McLaughlin, a Ramaswamy PR rep. BuzzFeed PR adds that Ramaswamy's board recommendations "will be sent to [BuzzFeed's board of directors'] governance as per the formal process that he is no doubt aware of."

So, again: status quo. And if Ramaswamy has any plans to ratchet up pressure on BuzzFeed, he has yet to disclose them.

Which leaves us right where we were back in May, when Ramaswamy's move to buy BuzzFeed equity — he currently owns 8.9% of the company's common shares — became public information.

That is: We're still wondering if Ramaswamy has spent millions on BuzzFeed because he wants attention, or wants to make money, or maybe both. But it's hard to see what he's gotten out of it to date.

In the meantime, he's scheduled to speak at this week's Republican convention.

• Here are the famous people who died in 2024.
• O.J. Simpson, Shannen Doherty, Carl Weathers, Chita Rivera, Richard Simmons, Donald Sutherland, and Louis Gossett Jr. passed away.
• So did broadcaster Charles Osgood, fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, producer Roger Corman, NBA legend Jerry West, and MLB Hall of Famer Willie Mays.

Below, we look back at those we lost in 2024.

Seth Binzer (aka Shifty Shellshock)

With his tattoos, frosted tips, and high energy, Crazy Town lead singer Shifty Shellshock was the epitome of the late 1990s-early 2000s rap-rock front man.

With that also came a hit song: 1999's "Butterfly," which hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was a staple on the radio and MTV's "Total Request Live."

By 2003, the band had disbanded, and despite an attempt to reunite a few years later, Crazy Town was relegated to one-hit-wonder status.

Shifty Shellshock, whose real name is Seth Binzer, appeared on the first season of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab" in 2007 and the spin-off "Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House" a few years later.

Binzer died at his home in Los Angeles on June 24 from an accidental drug overdose, according to his manager.

Eric Carmen, 74

Carmen was a rock ballad king whose songs still get constant play to this day.

"All by Myself" was a hit in the mid-1970s. It became an even bigger hit when Celine Dion did her own rendition in 1996.

The Grammy-nominated "Almost Paradise" from the soundtrack to the hit 1984 movie "Footloose" became a staple at school dances and weddings.

Carmen repeated the feat when his song "Hungry Eyes" showed up on the soundtrack for the 1987 classic "Dirty Dancing."

Carmen's death was announced on his website on March 12, stating he "passed away in his sleep, over the weekend." No cause was given.

Roberto Cavalli, 83

The Italian fashion designer was known for his flamboyant designs and game-changing innovations.

Cavalli's use of leopard prints beginning in the 1970s became one of his trademarks. His revolutionary method of printing leather and patchwork denim was beloved by everyone from Madonna to Gwyneth Paltrow.

Cavalli died on April 12. No cause of death was given.

Bill Cobbs, 90

From playing the concerned manager opposite Whitney Houston in "The Bodyguard" to the kind-hearted coach in "Air Bud," Bill Cobbs' ability to play the voice of reason in his roles made him a memorable character actor for decades.

Cobbs' other titles include "The Color of Money," "New Jack City," "The Hudsucker Proxy," "Demolition Man," and "Night at the Museum."

He died at his home in California on June 25 following a recent bout of pneumonia.

Dabney Coleman, 92

Dabney Coleman became a captivating scene stealer in the 1980s thanks to his gruff demeanor and booming voice. Whether he was playing the mean boss opposite Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin in 1980's "9 to 5," or the nasty TV producer in "Tootsie," or chasing Matthew Broderick in "WarGames," Coleman had a talent for playing the heel.

The Emmy winner most recently starred in the HBO hit series Boardwalk Empire from 2011 to 2014 and a 2019 episode of Yellowstone.

Coleman died on May 16. No cause was given.

Eleanor Coppola, 87

As the wife of Francis Ford Coppola, Eleanor had to navigate the stress and complexities of living with one of the greatest directors of all time.

She channeled that by filming her husband while he made his landmark 1979 Vietnam movie "Apocalypse Now."

Her documentary, "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse," has gone down as one of the most honest accounts of the making of a movie.

Eleanor died on April 12. No cause of death was given.

Roger Corman, 98

To say Roger Corman was the king of B-movies is too simple of a characterization.

For decades, Corman made ultra-low-budget genre movies that featured everything from cheesy monsters to crazed bikers. Corman-produced titles almost always made a profit, and many of them became proving grounds for the directors and actors who would go on to change Hollywood.

After directing the 1967 acid-trip fantasia "The Trip" starring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda and written by Jack Nicholson, the trio went on to make "Easy Rider," which would usher in the New Hollywood era of the 1970s.

Corman also produced titles directed by then-unknowns like Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron, and Martin Scorsese before they went on to mainstream studio success.

Corman died on May 9 at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., surrounded by family members.

Shannen Doherty, 53

It was hard to separate the characters Shannen Doherty played from who she was in real life, and that genuine quality led to her becoming an icon to a generation growing up in the 1990s.

Teens were glued to their TV sets every week to see the latest drama on "Beverly Hills, 90210" between Doherty's character Brenda Walsh and heartthrob Dyan McKay (played by Luke Perry, who died in 2019).

The on-screen drama spilled into Doherty's personal life, with tabloids chasing her to find who she was dating; she ultimately left "90210" after season four.

Though her star would never return to the heights of her "90210" days (she reprised her role for the revival series "BH90210," which lasted for one season), Doherty worked steadily, starring in the popular series "Charmed," making an appearance on "Dancing with the Stars," and appearing in a TV reboot of the 1988 cult classic "Heathers" after starring in the original movie.

Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015; two years later she announced it was in remission. In 2019, it returned and spread to her brain.

She died on July 13 due to cancer, according to her publicist.

Shelley Duvall, 75

With her striking features and formidable acting talent, Shelley Duvall was born to be on the big screen.

A muse of Robert Altman, Duvall appeared in seven of his films, including "Nashville," in which she played teen groupie, "L.A. Joan," and "Popeye," as Olive Oyl.

The two-time Emmy nominee also became a horror icon when she starred opposite Jack Nicholson in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining."

Duvall died on July 11 due to complications from diabetes.

Joe Flaherty, 82

As one of the original cast members of the Canadian sketch comedy show "SCTV" in the late 1970s, Joe Flaherty — alongside the likes of John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin, Martin Short, and Rick Moranis — created a brand of comedy that was edgier and more outlandish than their competition "Saturday Night Live."

In later decades, Flaherty made scene-stealing appearances as the Western Union worker who gives Marty McFly the 70-year-old letter from Doc Brown in "Back to the Future Part II" and the heckler Donald in "Happy Gilmore."

He was also a regular on TV through the decades, with roles in "Married… with Children," "Freaks and Geeks," and "The King of Queens."

Flaherty died on April 1 following a brief illness.

Louis Gossett Jr.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Louis Gossett Jr. made his stage debut at 17. After building his craft onstage through the 1960s, Gossett Jr. made the jump to screen and in 1977 was cast in the acclaimed miniseries "Roots" opposite the likes of Ben Vereen, LeVar Burton, and John Amos. He went on to win an Emmy for his performance as Fiddler.

He was nominated for seven more Emmys after that, most recently in 2020 for playing William Reeves in the HBO limited series "Watchmen."

He made history in 1983 when he won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his portrayal of the strict drill instructor Emil Foley in "An Officer and a Gentleman." It would mark the first time a Black actor won the prize in that category.

Gossett Jr. went on to star in hit movies and TV shows like "The Principal," "Toy Soldiers," "Iron Eagle," and "Boardwalk Empire."

Gossett Jr. died on March 29. No cause was given.

Norman Jewison, 97

The legendary director was best known for his eclectic filmography that included the drama "In the Heat of the Night," the musical "Fiddler of the Roof," and the beloved comedy "Moonstruck," all of which garnered him best director nominations at the Oscars.

The Canadian filmmaker's specialty was getting top-notch performances out of A-list actors like Steve McQueen ("The Thomas Crown Affair") and Denzel Washington ("The Hurricane").

It often led to Oscar glory for his movies and their stars. Twelve actors received nominations over his 40-year career, with five of his movies earning best picture noms.

Jewison died on January 20. No cause of death was given.

Glynis Johns, 100

The English actor starred in over 60 films and 30 plays, and is known best for playing Mrs. Banks in the beloved 1964 Disney movie "Mary Poppins."

Legend has it that Johns originally thought she landed the role of Poppins. To let her down easy, Walt Disney made sure that she got to sing a big musical number in the movie. It led to the famous "Sister Suffragette" sequence.

In 1973, Johns' breathy voice caught the attention of legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, who cast her in the original Broadway production of "A Little Night Music." Sondheim wrote "Send in the Clowns," the song she performs, with her in mind. Johns would earn a Tony Award for her performance.

She was also nominated for an Oscar for her work in "The Sundowners" (1960).

Johns died on January 4. No cause of death was given.

Toby Keith, 62

Keith became prominent in the 1990s thanks to his hit single "Should've Been a Cowboy."

It would make him one of the decade's top draws in country music.

Keith released 19 studio albums, two Christmas albums, and dozens of songs that topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in his career.

Keith died on February 5 following a bout with stomach cancer.

Jon Landau, 63

Alongside James Cameron, producer Jon Landau was behind some of the most successful movies ever made.

Landau won the Best Picture Oscar with Cameron for 1997's "Titanic," which at the time was the highest-grossing movie ever.

He then broke the box office record again with Cameron's "Avatar" in 2009.

Landau also produced Steven Soderbergh's 2002 remake of "Solaris," Robert Rodriguez's 2019 "Alita: Battle Angel," and Cameron's upcoming "Avatar" sequels.

He died on July 5 of cancer.

Richard Lewis, 76

In an era in the 1970s where stand-up comedy could be a path to superstardom, Richard Lewis was one of the biggest acts.

Often dressed in black and holding his hand up to his temple, his self-deprecating and neurotic style made him a constant visitor to Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show."

By the 1980s, he hit it big on TV, starring opposite Jamie Lee Curtis on the series "Anything but Love," which ran for four seasons.

His movie credits include the Mel Brooks comedy "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," "Leaving Las Vegas," and John Candy's final role before his death, 1994's "Wagons East." Lewis has said Candy's death was one of the things that finally got him sober.

Lewis introduced himself to a new generation when Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premiered on HBO in 2000. For 11 seasons, Lewis played a fictional version of himself as one of David's friends. Though he didn't return as a series regular for the series' final season, season 12, he popped up in a cameo in an episode that aired on February 18.

Back in April, Lewis revealed via a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and would be retiring from stand-up comedy after undergoing four surgeries.

Lewis died on February 27 of a heart attack in his Los Angeles home.

Willie Mays, 93

Regarded as one of the greatest baseball players who ever lived, Willie Mays was astounding to watch.

He could hit and catch, had speed, and pulled off amazing feats that are still remarkable to this day.

One of his most memorable plays happened in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, which is simply known as "The Catch."

Mays' New York Giants were facing the Cleveland Indians at the Polo Grounds in New York. With the score tied 2-2 in the eighth inning and runners on base, Indians player Vic Wertz hit a towering 420-foot blast to dead center that in today's baseball would be deep in the seats for a homerun. But due to the Polo Grounds' massive outfield, it was in play, and Mays used practically all of it to track down the ball on the run with an incredible over-the-shoulder catch and then threw it into the infield quickly so no runner could score. The Giants went on to win the game in extra innings 5-2, and would go on to win the World Series. Many still regard Mays' catch as one of the greatest moments in baseball history.

Mays would go on to play 21 seasons with the Giants before being traded to the New York Mets for the 1972-73 season, which would be his last. He finished his career with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

Mays died on June 18, no cause was given.

Cindy Morgan, 69

A 1980s icon, Morgan found instant stardom in her film debut playing the stunning Lacey opposite Chevy Chase in the classic 1980 comedy "Caddyshack."

Two years later, she found herself in another iconic work, Disney's "Tron." As Dr. Lora Baines in the real world and Yori, who helps Jeff Bridges after he's sucked into the game world, Morgan once again showed she can shine opposite Hollywood's biggest leading men.

Though Morgan worked steadily the rest of her career, including a multi-episode run on the soap opera "Falcon Crest," she'll be forever known for her performances in two of the biggest movies of the '80s.

Morgan's death was first reported on January 6, though she died on December 30, 2023. No cause of death was given.

Martin Mull, 80

Mull could expertly play self-deprecating or the know-it-all jerk in everything from hit TV shows and movies to commercials. He was known for his roles in movies like "Clue" and "Mr. Mom," and in TV shows like "Rosanne," as boss Leon Carp, and "Arrested Development," as private detective Gene Parmesan. He was also the voice of Red Roof Inn commercials for many years.

Mull died on June 27. No cause was given.

Charles Osgood, 91

The face of "CBS Sunday Morning" for over two decades, Osgood became a fixture in Americans' homes at the end of every weekend thanks to his wit, calming demeanor, and that bow tie.

Osgood had been at CBS since the early 1970s, first as a reporter, then the anchor of the "CBS Sunday Night News" from 1981 to 1987. From 1987 to 1992, he was often on "CBS This Morning."

In 1994, he became the face of "Sunday Morning," replacing Charles Kuralt. He would go on to earn two Daytime Emmys and a Peabody for his work on the show. He ended his run 2016, passing the reins to Jane Pauley.

Osgood died on January 23 after suffering from dementia.

Chance Perdomo, 27

Perdomo was a rising star in Hollywood, having starred in Netflix's reboot "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and "The Boys" spinoff "Gen V."

The British-American actor died on March 30 as a result of a motorcycle accident, his publicist confirmed.

Tamayo Perry, 49

Perry, a professional surfer, appeared on screen in 2002's "Blue Crush" and 2011's "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

Perry died on June 23 after being attacked by a shark while surfing off the island of Oahu in Hawaii, according to the Associated Press. He was brought to shore by paramedics and pronounced dead at the scene.

Chita Rivera, 91

Rivera was a Broadway legend who originated some of the stage's most memorable characters, including Anita in "West Side Story," Velma Kelly in "Chicago," and Rose in "Bye Bye Birdie." She would go on to be nominated for 10 Tony Awards and win twice.

With Broadway credits spanning seven decades, Rivera's singing and dancing shaped generations of performers.

Rivera died on January 30 following a brief illness.

Marian Robinson, 86

Former First Lady Michelle Obama's mother, Marian Robinson, was often described as the matriarch of the White House during the Obama administration, but the Chicago-born daughter of seven never felt quite at home on Pennsylvania Avenue, according to her family.

"The trappings and glamour of the White House were never a great fit for Marian Robinson," a statement from former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and other family members said. "'Just show me how to work the washing machine and I'm good,' she'd say."

Robinson's death was announced on May 31.

A cause and place of death was not revealed.

Richard Simmons, 76

Richard Simmons would use his drive for weight loss to become one of the most recognizable fitness gurus in the world.

Overweight in his youth, Simmons began opening gyms around Los Angeles in the 1970s after losing 123 pounds. Simmons found fame in the 1980s for his energetic aerobic videos like "Sweatin' to the Oldies" and his Emmy-winning daytime show, "The Richard Simmons Show," which captured the nation's obsession with weight-loss programs.

For the rest of his life, Simmons' celebrity would only grow thanks to his flamboyant personality, which made him a fixture on game shows and late-night talk shows.

Simmons died on July 13. No cause was given.

O.J. Simpson, 76

O.J. Simpson had a life of high highs and low lows.

Finding fame initially on the football field, he became one of the greatest running backs ever to play in the NFL in the 1970s. He had an MVP season in 1973 when he set a single-season rushing record and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1985 after his retirement.

He was set to live out his days as a hero and grow even more famous thanks to endorsements, movie roles, and broadcasting.

But all of that changed in June of 1994 after his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death outside her condo. Days later, Simpson, who was a person of interest in the murders, led Los Angeles police on a slow-speed chase in his Ford Bronco, finally giving up when he got back to his home.

Simpson's televised trial for the deaths of Nicole and Goldman a year later became one of the biggest spectacles in modern-day American history.

Simpson was acquitted of the murders, was found guilty in civil court in 1997.

The story of Simpson's incredible rise and fall still fascinates people to this day. The 2016 ESPN docuseries "O.J.: Made in America" won an Oscar and Emmy, and Ryan Murphy's 2016 scripted series "The People vs. O.J.: American Crime Story" won eight Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes.

Simpson died on April 10. He had been diagnosed with cancer, his family said.

David Soul, 80

Soul found instant fame in the mid-1970s playing Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson, one half of the hip crime solvers in "Starsky & Hutch."

Before hitting it big on the show, Soul was a folk singer through the 1960s, opening for the likes of Frank Zappa and The Byrds. At one time he even sang while his face was covered with a mask, calling himself "The Covered Man."

After "Starsky & Hutch," Soul went back to music and scored the No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Don't Give Up on Us."

Soul also made appearances on shows like "Star Trek," "Gunsmoke," the Clint Eastwood movie "Magnum Force," and a miniseries adaptation of the Stephen King novel, "Salem's Lot."

Soul died on January 4. No cause of death was given.

Morgan Spurlock, 53

In 2004, an unknown documentary filmmaker arrived in Park City, Utah, for the Sundance Film Festival. Overnight, his life was changed — because he made a movie about eating McDonald's.

If there's one thing Morgan Spurlock knew how to do, it was get people's attention. With a big personality and an unusual idea, Spurlock changed the way we look at fast food when he made "Super Size Me," a documentary in which he ate nothing but McDonald's for a full month, to stomach-churning effect.

The documentary earned an Oscar nomination and became a box-office sensation. Weeks after its release in theaters, McDonald's discontinued its supersize portions.

Spurlock used that success to become one of the stars in the documentary medium, which was growing in popularity in the early 2000s. He would go on to direct and produce dozens of documentaries for the big screen and TV, focused on everything from Osama bin Laden to One Direction.

His legacy would be tarnished in late 2017, at the height of the #MeToo movement, when Spurlock confessed to multiple acts of sexual misconduct in his past.

Spurlock died on May 23 due to complications related to cancer.

Donald Sutherland, 88

Donald Sutherland had the incredible talent to be the life of the party in one performance or a wallflower in the next. Need a dark and disturbing presence for a role? He's your guy. Or he could do a wise-cracking know-it-all character.

What we're trying to say is whatever the role, Sutherland could pull it off. And he did it so well that he delivered some of the most memorable roles ever put on screen over the last six decades.

Playing a Nazi-killing grunt in "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), creating one of the greatest screen duos ever opposite Elliott Gould in "M*A*S*H" (1970), acting as a laid-back professor in "Animal House" (1978), delivering one of the best surprise endings ever in a remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978) — he could do it all. He was both the man who knew the truth behind the Kennedy assassination in "JFK" (1991) and the villain in the "Hunger Games" franchise (2013-2015).

He was a fixture in our lives over generations.

Sutherland died on June 20 in Miami following a "long illness."

Robert Towne, 89

Towne is regarded as one of the greatest screenwriters who ever lived thanks to his contributions during the New Hollywood era of the 1970s.

Known best for penning the acclaimed script for Roman Polanski's 1974 classic noir "Chinatown," which earned Towne his only Oscar win, he was also Oscar-nominated for "The Last Detail" (1973), "Shampoo" (1975), and "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes" (1984). For the latter, Towne famously removed his name from the credits and replaced it with the nom de plume P.H. Vazak, which was later revealed to be the name of his sheepdog.

Towne's other credits include Tom Cruise movies like "Days of Thunder" (1990), "The Firm" (1993), and the first two "Mission: Impossible" movies from 1996 and 2000.

He also was a prolific script doctor, an uncredited but paid position in which the screenwriter helps punch up a movie. Classics like "Bonnie and Clyde," "The Godfather," and "Marathon Man" all received tweaks from Towne.

Towne died on July 1. No cause of death was given.

Johnny Wactor, 37

Wactor was best known for his role as Brando Corbin on the soap "General Hospital." He appeared in more than 160 episodes during his two seasons on the series before leaving in 2022.

His résumé included guest roles on "Westworld," "The OA," "Station 19," "Siberia," "Agent X," "Vantastic," "Animal Kingdom," "Hollywood Girl," "Training Day," "Criminal Minds," "Struggling Servers," "Age Appropriate," "NCIS," "The Passenger" and "Barbee Rehab."

He also starred in the 2016 Mario Van Peebles-directed movie "USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage" alongside Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, and Thomas Jane.

His family confirmed that Wactor was shot and killed on May 25 in Los Angeles during a robbery.

M. Emmet Walsh, 88

You may not know the name, but you definitely know this face.

Character actor M. Emmet Walsh showed up in more than 150 movies over his career, many of which have gone on to become classics: "Blade Runner," "Blood Simple," "Slap Shot," "Fletch," "The Jerk," "Back to School," "My Best Friend's Wedding," and "Knives Out."

He also has appeared in many popular TV shows over the decades, including "Home Improvement," "The X-Files," and "Frasier."

Walsh died on March 19. No cause was given.

Carl Weathers, 76

Thanks to his bravado and astounding physique, Weathers found fame when he was cast as heavyweight champion Apollo Creed in 1976's "Rocky."

The following years and decades brought more memorable roles, whether he was sizing up biceps with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987's "Predator," or trying to teach Adam Sandler how to play golf in 1996's "Happy Gilmore."

Most recently, he played Greef Karga in the "Star Wars" series "The Mandalorian." Along with appearing in front of the camera, he also showcased his talents behind it, directing multiple episodes.

Jerry West, 86

You can give several examples to show just how great a basketball player Jerry West was. He won an NBA title, an Olympic gold medal, and is the only player on the losing team of an NBA Finals to be named MVP.

But there's one that overshadows all of these accomplishments: he was the logo.

That's right. The actual NBA logo is a silhouette of Jerry West dribbling a basketball.

Known for his tenacious play and ability to score in the clutch, West was one of the stars in the NBA before its enormous popularity in the 1970s, when players like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and later, Michael Jordan, became household names.

After his retirement, West became an executive of the Los Angeles Lakers and was instrumental in the "Showtime" Lakers' championship dynasty through the 1980s. He made the key signings to get Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant to the Lakers, creating another dynasty in the early 2000s.

West died on June 12. No cause was given.

• Biden has long sought to paint Trump as a figure who would threaten democracy and the rule of law.
• After Saturday's shooting in Pennsylvania, the democracy issue is coming further into focus.
• The incident could lead to the Biden campaign leaning into the issue or tweaking its message.

After former President Donald Trump was wounded during an assassination attempt at his Pennsylvania rally on Saturday, the 2024 campaign took a backseat as President Joe Biden sought to reassure Americans of their shared values.

The Biden campaign quickly paused "outbound communications" and took down television advertisements in the wake of the shooting.

Biden during his Oval Office address on Sunday repeatedly stressed the virtues of the US as he sought to guide Americans from a place of fear and anxiety to a unifying message.

"I believe politics ought to be an arena for peaceful debate, to pursue justice, to make decisions guided by the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution," the president said. "We stand for an America not of extremism and fury but of decency and grace."

As Americans remain stunned by the assassination attempt on one of the country's major-party presidential candidates, the Biden campaign now faces a more uncertain political landscape than the one they faced after the June debate.

Here's a look at where things stand regarding the Biden campaign's most daunting challenges in the coming days and weeks:

Calls for Biden to step aside are on ice

After Biden's poor debate performance, there was a growing divide among Democrats between members who thought the president should remain the party's standard-bearer and those who felt he needed to step aside to facilitate the selection of a new nominee.

Biden insists he's staying in the race. And last week, the president sought to highlight his mettle as he hosted NATO leaders in Washington, met with a range of Democrats in making a continued case for his campaign, and stumped in must-win Michigan.

Still, more Democratic lawmakers called on Biden to exit the race.

But Saturday's shooting has upended the political landscape in ways that will have important reverberations — with the incident so far grinding to a halt the movement to replace Biden.

As Biden aims to console the nation, Democratic leaders have also condemned political violence, and many in Washington are surely eyeing how Biden's leadership on the issue might define the remainder of his campaign — should he continue in the race.

Will 'defense of democracy' remain a core campaign issue?

One of the core tenets of Biden's reelection campaign has been the defense of democracy, as he has long argued that a second Trump term would threaten longstanding American institutions.

It's an issue that Democrats ran on with a considerable amount of success in 2022, as they held the Senate, lost fewer seats than expected in the House, and won key governorships in the Midwest and Southwest.

But after the Butler shooting, many are wondering how Biden will campaign on the issue moving forward.

Several Republicans — including shooting survivor and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana — accused Biden and Democrats of hyping up the threat to democracy message in a way that has created a volatile political environmental.

However, it remains unclear what emboldened the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, to target Trump.

As the fallout from the shooting endures, Biden is set to resume his campaign after a high-touted Monday interview with NBC's Lester Holt.

In a statement, a Biden campaign official said that after the interview, "the DNC and the campaign will continue drawing the contrast between our positive vision for the future and Trump and Republicans' backwards-looking agenda over the course of the week."

Democrats aren't going to easily give up their depiction of Trump as a threat to democracy. But at least for the next few days — with the Republican National Convention taking center stage in Milwaukee — the party faces a tough balancing act as they weigh their unity message with the need to change the dynamics of a race that remains close.

Business Insider reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.

• Jamie Dimon wrote a memo to JPMorgan staff condemning the assassination attempt on Trump.
• The CEO said people should unite against violence and engage in constructive dialogue.
• Dimon joins other big names on Wall Street and the business world in calling for unity after the shooting.

The attempted assassination of former President Trump drew quick responses from lawmakers and business leaders, including JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon.

Dimon joined the list of CEOs who spoke out against the shooting with a companywide email to employees sent Sunday, which BI confirmed.

Dimon wrote his message on behalf of the "entire leadership team" at the company and said his thoughts were with former President Trump and his family, along with the families of the victims of the attack.

He also took a moment to send a message about unity and taking a strong stance "against any acts of hate, intimidation or violence" that undermine democracy or cause harm to others.

"It is only through constructive dialogue that we can tackle our nation's toughest challenges," Dimon wrote in the memo.

Dimon, who has donated to Democratic candidates in the past, praised Trump's policy record earlier this year in an interview. He credited the former president for growing the economy and being "kind of right about NATO, kind of right on immigration" as well as China. He also said that he wishes "the Democrats would think a little more carefully when they talk about MAGA."

Dimon's Sunday message about constructive dialogue and unity against political violence was echoed by several other business and tech leaders, as well as big names on Wall Street.

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said in an earnings call Monday that "we cannot afford division and distrust to get the better of us." Sundar Pichai wrote on X that political violence is "intolerable" and everyone should come together against it. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said Monday on CNBC that the shooting was a tragedy and Americans need to discuss divisions and bring "our community together."

Citibank CEO Jane Fraser also sent a letter to employees Monday saying she hoped the events would cause everyone to rethink their words and "tone down the rhetoric so we can have a more civil discourse," according to a Yahoo Finance report.

Read Dimon's full memo sent to employees below:

We are deeply saddened by the political violence and the assassination attempt on former President Trump last evening. On behalf of our entire leadership team, our thoughts today are with the former President, his family and the families of those who were tragically injured and killed.

We must all stand firmly together against any acts of hate, intimidation or violence that seek to undermine our democracy or inflict harm. It is only through constructive dialogue that we can tackle our nation's toughest challenges.

• Jasmine Roth is the host of HGTV's "HELP! I Wrecked My House."
• She's pregnant with her second baby, who is due just after Roth turns 40.
• She was with her husband 15 years before having kids.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jasmine Roth. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm pregnant with my second child, who is due in October, just after my 40th birthday. I'll be the same age when my baby arrives as my grandmother was when I was born. I could be a grandmother now if I stuck to my family's schedule. Breaking that cycle was a very intentional choice.

Growing up, the generations in my family were about 20 years apart. Everyone was young parents, and we were able to do lots of fun activities. But there were also challenges: financial worries and emotional immaturity.

I met my husband when we were 20. We moved in together as college roommates and never moved out. When I looked at his family, which had larger generational gaps, I saw what I wanted: greater financial security and very intentional choices about parenthood. That's what I was looking for.

I thought I was ready for a baby, but then I traveled for three years

My husband and I both studied entrepreneurship at college, and we focused on building our separate companies after graduation. We had very optimistic goals. Children, for us, fit in later in life.

Our first daughter was born when my husband and I were 36. About three years before that we hit a point where we were happy with our careers. We owned a home and had a level of career and financial success we were comfortable with.

But instead of having a baby then, we decided to travel. We went all-in, taking our vacation time and then some. We snowboarded on four continents that year. It was so much fun that we did it again the next year, and then the next. After that, my biological clock was really ticking. It wasn't the perfect time, but I knew it was the right time.

Having a baby during COVID lockdown was traumatic

I was very confident in our decision to delay having a baby. You can't be together with someone for 15 years and not have a child without a lot of intentionality. Despite that, there were some times when I questioned waiting. Still, I had the confidence to know it was the right choice for us.

After all that waiting, I thought we were prepared for parenthood. We had been through so much together, but nothing could have prepared us for having a baby.

The month before my daughter Hazel was born, COVID lockdown started. When I was in labor we packed a cooler of food, because we knew if my husband left the hospital he might not be able to get back in. Afterward, we drove by my mother's house and showed her new grandchild through the car window.

No one knew about the impact of COVID on pregnant people or infants. Even getting to the pediatrician was difficult. It was truly traumatic.

I'm building my own happiness

After that, it took us years to feel ready for another baby. Then, we spent another year trying to get pregnant. I had to address health issues I didn't know I had, like high cholesterol. We conceived after intrauterine insemination (IUI).

This pregnancy has its own challenges. During the first trimester I had a lot of restrictions. Amid that, we decided to relocate from Huntington Beach, California to Park City, Utah, where a lot of my business is based. Our house is being built and we plan to move by the end of July.

Getting the new house ready is difficult, because you're designing for something you haven't experienced. As soon as we bought the house while it was under construction I had them add another room so the kids didn't have to share. I've never been a mom of two but even I knew that didn't seem like a good idea.

This time, I'm really excited to be able to have our village — our friends and family — around to help. I'm all about building your own happiness. That doesn't mean you have it all figured out or do everything right. Instead it's about celebrating whatever phase or season of life you're in, and leaning into that.

• Many Gen Z Americans are prioritizing financial savviness, aiming for early retirement.
• Young Americans invest more than previous generations; two-thirds save for retirement early.
• Four Gen Zers said they're embracing FIRE principles like cutting spending and diversifying income.

Gen Z is becoming more financially savvy — and many are doing whatever they can to retire early.

Many more young Americans are investing compared to their parents in their early- and mid-20s, and two-thirds of Gen Z has already started saving for retirement, according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.

Four Gen Z Americans told Business Insider they've followed the principles of the FIRE — financial independence, retire early — movement to achieve a high net worth before their 30th birthdays. These include cutting back on spending, investing in index funds and real estate, having passive income from side hustles, and maxing out retirement accounts early.

Some said they don't intend on following the "retire early" part of the acronym and instead want to pursue their passions while making money doing so.

Their stories vary widely, from a serial entrepreneur, to a Boeing engineer, to an enlisted sailor in the Navy. But all four emphasized that their sacrifices and risks earlier in life may be the key to their financial stability down the road.

Cody Berman, entrepreneur and "passive income expert"

Cody Berman, 28, hit financial freedom at 25 but has no plans to retire early. He started a handful of businesses in college, some of which failed. He achieved success with his disc golf manufacturing company.

"I had always thought of 'rich' people being people who made a really high dollars per hour — doctors, lawyers who make $200, $300 an hour," Berman said. "Then I realized that you didn't actually have to trade your time for money on a linear basis. You could trade your time, your energy, your money, for things were going to pay you perpetually, whether or not you're working on them."

He got a corporate job as a commercial real estate lender but worked on side hustles each morning and night, sometimes working 15-hour days. He left his job after seven months and went all in on freelancing, digital products, blogging, and podcasting.

At 25, he made about $400,000 in a year from side hustles, which is when he considered himself financially independent. He saved about 90% of his income, investing most of his money into index funds and his portfolio of 11 rental properties.

"I'm not in the FIRE movement for the RE part," Berman said. "I love building businesses."

His net worth is about $2.8 million, but he drives a 2015 Nissan truck approaching 100,000 miles. He and his wife live in a one-bedroom property and rent out a four-bedroom property next door. Cutting back on housing costs allowed him to spend almost $10,000 a month in travel, dining, and concerts.

Berman co-founded Gold City Ventures, which helps others launch Etsy businesses selling printables through workshops and courses. Berman said they've seen people quit their corporate jobs and make much more through online selling.

Jubilee Bosch, engineer taking a sabbatical

Jubilee Bosch, 26, has worked as an engineer in St. Louis since graduating from college, though with over $190,000 in net worth, she's taking a sabbatical.

Bosch was raised in a lower-middle-class family in California by a stay-at-home mom and military father who worked three jobs until starting a house-cleaning business. Though raised to be frugal, she never learned how to invest.

After attending community college and a four-year college, she got a mechanical engineering degree and graduated debt-free due to merit scholarships, college jobs, and some assistance from her parents.

After an internship, she was hired full-time by Boeing, making $64,000. She struggled to transition to the corporate world and burned out quickly, but she kept rising up the ranks, negotiating a promotion and a salary increase to $95,000 a year. Around this time, she read about strategies for reaching financial independence, and increased her investments while helping her friends open Roth IRAs.

She kept expenses to about $22,000 a year and put most of her savings into the market. She moved into a smaller space with her partner, strategically meal-prepped, and got travel credit cards to lower out-of-pocket flight expenses.

"I was starting to realize I probably didn't want a traditional career, and I'm sure I'll probably have gaps in my life where I don't have a regular job, so I can roll those over and be tax efficient," Bosch said.

She had enough investments and savings to take a year off from work, so she eased up on investing to build a cash cushion. She realized she didn't need to be "hyper-frugal" anymore and could spend on things that mattered to her. She now anticipates retiring between 45 and 55, as she wants to try different career paths.

"I started to spend more in areas that brought me a lot of joy and realized that some lifestyle creep is worth it and changes the bottom line very little," Bosch said.

Amber Smith, tech worker-turned-online reseller and content creator

Amber Smith, 27, has a net worth of about $250,000 and quit her tech job earlier this year to pursue her side hustles full-time.

Smith, who lives in West Des Moines, said her parents sold things on eBay for extra money and stressed the importance of side hustles. She got a full scholarship at college and stumbled into a financial planning internship. She read finance blogs and received training from her manager on how to help others — and herself — best prepare for the future.

"Here I was in my first real office job, and I thought I could do this for another 40 years of my life, or I could save aggressively now and cut that timeline much shorter," Smith said.

After graduating, she did contract work with her local government and a bank. She landed at a startup making $78,000 two years out of college, then transitioned to a financial tech company making about $100,000. However, she was laid off from two jobs back to back, and when she landed in an insurance role, she felt stressed and directionless.

She quit her insurance job to grow her side hustles, as she had a large enough nest egg to avoid the office for a few years. She turned down recruiter interviews and focused on monetized content creation and reselling secondhand clothing.

She made $30,000 to $50,000 a year reselling part-time while at her previous companies. She brought in more from brand deals and influencing in the first five months of 2024 than in all of 2023. Content creation hasn't been as consistent, though she made $2,800 once for a brand deal and accepted others paying over $1,000.

Though her savings are down this year because of the drop in income after leaving her corporate job, she said she's been smart about her investments and isn't too worried since her net worth continues to grow.

"I want a way to pay my bills and afford my life, and I want to do that in a way where I'm not stressed out," Smith said. "The peace of it is such a big part, even if I am making less than I was in my insurance job."

Cory Sarkisian, enlisted sailor in the Navy pursuing a financial planning role

Cory Sarkisian, 27, has been an enlisted sailor in the Navy for eight years, saving and investing $375,000 in the process. He and his wife, who have two kids, have been a single-income household for the last six years, moving between San Diego, Hawaii, and Connecticut.

Sarkisian had $10,000 saved by the time he joined the Navy, and for his first three years, he didn't have to worry about food or housing, allowing him to save most of his earnings. In 2016, he bought a four-year-old Honda Civic in cash and still drives it.

In 2018, he moved out of government quarters and got married. He was given a housing stipend of $2,700 a month, the set amount for someone of his rank, and he and his wife found an apartment for $1,700 a month and kept the rest. He has also never had to pay for healthcare, which is free through the military.

In 2020, he began investing in index funds through his Roth IRA and Thrift Savings plan, and he and his wife put 10% down on a condo with a 15-year loan and 1.75% interest rate. He was forced to move to Connecticut two years later, though they sold the condo for $70,000 more than they paid, which they used to start funding their kids' 529 plans, purchase a used car, and put more into brokerage accounts.

They've put $180,000 into their Roth accounts, $125,000 in after-tax brokerage accounts, $45,000 in savings, and $21,000 in 529s. With their savings, they traveled to four Hawaiian islands and New Zealand. Sarkisian said he's looking to pursue financial planning after his time in the Navy.

"We don't feel like we are depriving ourselves," Sarkisian said. "Maybe early on, we endured some deprivation, but we think we have found a pretty good balance."

Are you part of the FIRE movement or living by some of its principles? Reach out to this reporter at nsheidlower@businessinsider.com.

• Apple hit a milestone in its Indian market.
• Sales in its latest fiscal year hit nearly $8 billion in the country, Bloomberg reported.
• Apple execs have made it a point to grow in Asian markets in the past year as rivals push forward.

Apple scored a win in its fight to gain a foothold in Asia.

Bloomberg reported Monday that the tech giant's sales in the year through March in India hit nearly $8 billion, setting a record. It's a 33% jump from the $6 billion a year prior.

CEO Tim Cook has led an effort to strengthen Apple's presence in Asian markets. In the fiscal second-quarter earnings call, Cook said he felt "very optimistic" about his visit to Shanghai in March.

But India is also a key part of Apple's plans in the region, helping it diversify. CFO Luca Maestri named it among the countries that could help Apple offset declines in the Chinese market thanks to government bans and competition from rivals.

Although India's revenue represents only about 2% of Apple's $383 billion annual sales, it does show that the company's bet on an expanding Indian middle class is paying off. According to Bloomberg, iPhones accounted for over half of sales in the country, even though the Indian smartphone market is still dominated by cheaper handsets.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• I tried grilled-cheese recipes from Roy Choi, Ree Drummond, and Ina Garten to try to find the best.
• Garten's sandwich melted beautifully, and the smoky bacon added a nice contrasting flavor. 
• Drummond's grilled cheese had pizzazz, but Choi's is the perfect basic recipe.

Grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It can be made with almost anything in your kitchen (vegetables, fruit, herbs) as long as cheese and bread are involved.

Plus, a well-made grilled cheese can keep a person on a budget fed like a king — which is great when most grocery prices are still so high.

On a mission to find the best grilled cheese out there, I tried recipes from celebrity chefs Roy Choi, Ree Drummond, and Ina Garten.

Here's how it went.

Choi's grilled cheese had the shortest ingredient list.

I've seen Choi's recipe circulate online in the past, so I was excited to try it. It was also the quickest and easiest of the three.

I procured a loaf of sourdough bread, unsalted butter, yellow cheddar, white cheddar, and Gruyère.

I'd also need a block of Parmesan and a cheese grater to finish things off.

Building the sandwich was simple.

I buttered one side of two pieces of sourdough bread and flipped them so the non-buttered side was facing up.

Then I added three slices of yellow cheddar, three slices of white cheddar, 1 ounce of grated Gruyère, and 1 ounce of grated Parmesan.

Once it was built, all I had to do was transfer the grilled cheese to my pan and wait for it to get toasty on both sides.

The finished sandwich was so cheesy and not at all stringy.

I could taste each layer of cheese in this sandwich, and they were all incredibly flavorful in their own right.

Whether due to the selection of cheeses or the lack of other ingredients, this sandwich was the least stringy of the three.

This definitely made it a little cleaner to eat, but I thought it lacked a little bit of the quintessential charm of a cheese pull.

Garten adds protein to her recipe.

Garten's ultimate grilled-cheese recipe called for thick-cut bacon, mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip), Dijon mustard, Parmesan, kosher salt, black pepper, Gruyére (or Comte), extra-sharp cheddar, and sourdough bread.

It also called for salted butter, but I substituted it with unsalted because that's what I keep in my house.

I started by whipping up a sauce to spread across the bread.

To make Garten's sauce, I mixed mustard, mayonnaise, Parmesan, pepper, and salt in a bowl. Then I took two pieces of sourdough and spread butter on one side and the sauce mixture on the other.

I placed the prepped bread sauce-side-up on my plate.

Before building the sandwich, I cooked the bacon according to the instructions on the package.

With my bread prepped and my bacon cooked, I got to building my sandwich.

I started by adding three slices of cooked bacon to the sauce side of one piece of bread. Then, I layered 1 ounce of extra-sharp cheddar and 1 ounce of Gruyère on the other slice.

The closed sandwich went into the pan to get toasty and melty.

Garten’s sandwich had stringy cheese and a smoky flavor.

Garten's grilled cheese was the stringiest of the three. The cheese oozed out of the sides, and the ingredients melded together perfectly.

There was a pleasing, savory, smoky kick from the bacon and the Gruyère, and every few bites, I got a kick of salt. I don't think I needed the salted butter at all.

Drummond’s grilled cheese called for extra produce.

Drummond's recipe is definitely cheese-heavy, but it's also colorful.

It called for poblano or Anaheim chiles, white vinegar, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, red onion, tomatoes, provolone, cheddar, and butter.

To make things easier for me, I decided to swap the red onion for a yellow one.

I usually prefer sourdough for grilled cheese, but Drummond's recipe called for softer rye.

Toasting the pepper gave it a great texture.

I popped one chile pepper into a pan on the stove and cooked it until the skin blackened.

The recipe recommended toasting the peppers over an open flame, but I have an electric stove, so the pan worked fine.

I soaked my sliced onions in some vinegar to mellow out the flavor.

To reduce any overbearing onion taste and bring out a little sweetness, I cut the onion into thin slices and submerged them in a small bowl of white vinegar.

Drummond's sauce was similar to Garten's.

Drummond's sauce was made with equal parts Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. I quickly blended it up in a bowl before prepping my bread.

There were more layers in this sandwich.

I slathered sauce across two pieces of rye bread and added butter to the other sides.

With the sauce side up, I added two slices of provolone, two thin slices of tomato, two slices of cheddar cheese, and the onions.

Before cutting up and adding the chiles, I removed the blackened skin and seeds.

Because the rye bread was softer than the sourdough, I cooked the sandwich over a lower heat. I wanted to sufficiently melt and bind the cheese without burning the bread.

The texture was the star of Drummond's sandwich.

The onions added a crisp snap, but thanks to the vinegar bath, they weren't overbearing. The standout flavor was actually the mustard in the sauce.

It's certainly a different take on grilled cheese, but I'm definitely going to keep this recipe around.

You can't go wrong with a basic recipe, and Choi nailed it.

All three of these recipes were so tasty. But I was most impressed by Choi's perfect blend of cheesy flavors. It's my new staple grilled-cheese recipe.

I'm still memorizing Drummond's recipe to impress my friends at a barbecue or cute night in. It's a sneaky way to eat more produce and was lighter overall.

The rye also surprised me and opened my mind to other bread possibilities.

Garten's recipe wasn't bad by any means — in fact, I think it had the best melt. But I don't think I'll reach for it that often when I want a grilled cheese.

Click to check out the other celebrity-chef recipes we've put head-to-head so far.

• Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed Trump's classified documents case Monday.
• She wrote the Special Counsel failed to brief her on other remedies beyond dismissal.
• "Startlingly, the Special Counsel submitted nothing" during a "lengthy hearing," Cannon wrote.

Judge Aileen Cannon didn't just throw out the criminal charges alleging Donald Trump mishandled classified documents — she also suggested Special Counsel Jack Smith didn't take her seriously enough.

In her shocking 93-page ruling on Monday, Cannon concluded the appointment of Smith as a special prosecutor in the case was unconstitutional.

The legality of special counsels has been debated for years, and Cannon wrote Monday that Congress needs to bestow such legal powers.

Cannon also wrote the Special Counsel had a "full and fair opportunity" to brief her on other remedies besides dismissing the case.

"Yet startlingly, the Special Counsel submitted nothing on the topic of the proper remedy for the Appointments Clause issue, despite challenging dismissal as a remedy," Cannon wrote.

Cannon said Smith's team instead asked for "some additional briefing" on the issue, but it was too late.

"This last-minute reference to conditional supplemental briefing … in no way signals a lack of a full and fair opportunity given to all parties to brief their positions," Cannon concluded.

Before issuing the decision, Cannon took the step of allowing amicus briefs — arguments from third parties unrelated to the case — over the legality of special counsels, something that's rarely done in criminal cases on a district court level. Several right-leaning groups, along with two former US Attorneys General who served in Republican presidential administrations — argued against the special counsel appointments.

Some legal groups and allies of Trump urged the Supreme Court to weigh in on the legality of special counsels when it heard arguments related to presidential immunity earlier this year. The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision granting presidents broad criminal immunity powers, ultimately didn't take it up. In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas said he believed most special counsels were unconstitutional, but none of the other eight justices joined his opinion.

The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

• Ukraine has made monumental efforts to scale-up its defense industry since Russia's invasion began.
• Kyiv barely made any weapons at the start, but now it's producing drones, artillery, and more.
• Despite the country's successes, a senior official said Ukraine still needs more energetics.

Ukraine is rapidly producing a variety of homemade weapons as its defense industry aims to meet the needs and demands of soldiers fighting on the front lines. But a senior official says Kyiv still needs more of a key ingredient to keep the arms flowing.

Before Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine was barely producing any weaponry for its armed forces and was relying heavily on pre-existing stocks of Soviet-era supplies and support from international partners. Now, the country is cranking out its own drones, artillery, missiles, and more at a breakneck pace to supplement this inventory.

"I don't focus much on thinking how we made it, but we made it," Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukraine's minister of strategic industries, told Business Insider last week on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington.

"We've got a few challenges, just a few. One is energetics — explosives and propellants — and probably that's it," Kmayshin explained, reflecting on Ukraine's efforts to boost its defense output. "No one is making enough," he said, and that is a global challenge. "So the more you get, the more ammunition you produce."

Ukraine has received tens of billions of dollars in security assistance from NATO since the onset of the war, including more than $53 billion from the US alone. But as the conflict has progressed, the local defense industry has steadily contributed more and more of its own military hardware to Kyiv's front-line forces.

These domestic efforts supplement the provision of foreign weapons. Kamyshin said Ukraine will always be reliant on Western support because there's no one country that can outproduce Russia right now.

Russia also has weapons flowing in from abroad — most publicly from North Korea and Iran. But Moscow has also invested a significant share of its GDP into military spending and placed the economy on what experts say is a Soviet-style war footing.

The rapid production of weapons inside Russia has triggered alarm bells among some NATO allies, and it has underscored the need for Ukraine to prioritize local manufacturing, which is helping to grow the domestic economy.\

From breadbasket to arsenal

"We are putting in the war everything we have," Kamyshin said, noting that most of the budget goes into the war. He said that Ukraine can't beat Russia when it comes to funding and manpower, so it is focused on quality over quantity.

"That's why we have to outperform in the quality of weapons, in the quality of people, and that's the only way we can withstand," he said.

One notable area of success in this war has been Ukraine's local drone development program. Kyiv has used long-range attack drones to target military and energy facilities deep inside Russian territory and has relied on naval drones packed with explosives to hammer Moscow's warships in the Black Sea.

Ukraine is also producing lots of first-person view (FPV) drones, which have been an ever-present force on the battlefield, functioning as a cheap way to deliver precision strikes on enemy armor and personnel.

And drones are not its only innovations. Ukraine also developed a homemade anti-ship missile, the Neptune missile, and used it to sink the Russian cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, early in the war. Kyiv later modified the missile for land attack.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is taking greater steps to further integrate its domestic defense industry with those of NATO and the European Union. Kyiv recently opened an office in Washington to achieve that goal and has encouraged deeper collaboration with Western arms manufacturers.

"They called us the 'breadbasket' of [the] Soviet Union. Then they called us the 'breadbasket' of Europe," Kamyshin said. "We've been always a good, a peaceful, nice agricultural country. I was farming myself."

"At some point, they came and started killing us. We had to learn how to fight" again, he said. "It was not our decision to switch from being a breadbasket to being the arsenal."