Tag: News

• Michael Rubin threw his annual "white party" for A-list celebrities and athletes on July 4. 
• Rubin is the billionaire CEO of sports merchandise company Fanatics. 
• He's also involved in charity, working with Meek Mill on the criminal justice REFORM Alliance. 

On July 4, Michael Rubin's Hamptons home was the place to be — or at least, it was for celebrities and athletes.

The billionaire — who has an $11.5 billion fortune, according to Forbes — hosted his annual "white party" for tons of A-list guests. This year, they included New England Patriots CEO Robert Kraft, Kim Kardashian, Drake,  and athletes like Tom Brady. Their all-white outfits have also been splashed across social media after the event.

Though Rubin's name may not be as well known to the average person as some of his guests', he's pretty noteworthy — both for his role in the sports industry as the CEO of sports merchandise company Fanatics and as a popular figure who has a vast and diverse social circle.

Rubin is the CEO of Fanatics, a sports merchandise retailer, and is reportedly worth billions.

According to a profile of Rubin by Business Insider's John Lynch, the entrepreneur got his start as a teenager running a ski equipment business in Philadelphia. In his 20s, he dropped out of school to launch Global Sports Incorporated, an apparel and logistics company. 

Rubin later sold that company, later known as GSI Commerce, to eBay in 2011 for $2.4 billion. As part of that deal, he kept Fanatics — the company's production section. 

According to the company's website, Fanatics provides officially licensed sports merchandise and other services, such as digital asset collection and betting.

Forbes estimates that as of July 2024, Rubin's net worth is about $11.5 billion. 

Rubin is also the co-chair of the REFORM Alliance.

The REFORM Alliance is a criminal justice reform organization that, according to its website, "aims to transform probation and parole by changing laws, systems, and culture to create real pathways to work and wellbeing."

BI previously reported that the organization was launched after rapper Meek Mill was released from prison in 2018 following a controversial two-to-four-year prison sentence for a probation violation.

Mill and Rubin are co-chairs of the organization, whose board of directors includes CEO Robert Rooks, founding partners Clara Wu Tsai, Laura Arnold, Michael Novogratz, Robert Kraft, Robert F. Smith, Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, and board member Priscilla Chan. 

In 2019, BI reported that Rubin, Mill, Kraft, and Tsai put together a trip for 50 children who had a parent who was in prison or who had been incarcerated or undergone a probation extension as a result of technical probation violations.

Rubin used to hold stake in both the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils.

According to People, Rubin purchased a minority share in the 76ers in 2011 and purchased a stake in the New Jersey Devils in 2013. 

However, in 2022, he sold his stake in the Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment company that owns both teams.

In a statement to ESPN, he said that he divested due to potential conflict-of-interest concerns given Fanatics' expansion into sports betting.

Rubin's social network includes a number of high-profile celebrities and athletes.

As BI previously reported, Rubin has a reputation for hosting "star-studded" parties, as Migos rapper Quavo put it. 

His 2020 Super Bowl party included guests like Jay-Z, Alex Rodriguez, Emily Ratajkowski, Post Malone, and Shaquille O'Neal. 

"I do like bringing people together," Rubin told The New York Times in 2021. "I have such a diverse set of friends, and I like to see them learn and grow from each other."

Rubin told BI that year that he's "like a sponge" and learns from his friends, saying his social circle was one of his greatest assets. 

"I think if you have a diverse group of friends, you can constantly learn from each other," Rubin told BI. "Robert Kraft and I learn from each other. Meek and I learn from each other. Quavo and I learn from each other. Gary Vee and I learn from each other. One of my best skill sets is the diversity of friends that I have."

His "white party" in 2023 brought together numerous A-list celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, and Tom Brady.

The "white party" took place in the Hamptons, and its dress code — as suggested by the name — was all-white. 

Per The New York Times, the first "white party" occurred in 2021 after Rubin purchased his $50 million Bridgehampton home in 2020. The celebration that year served as a housewarming event.

A source close to Rubin told Business Insider that celebrities in attendance at the 2023 party included Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian, Emily Ratajkowski, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Kendall Jenner, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lori Harvey, Travis Scott, and Justin and Hailey Bieber. Rubin also uploaded numerous photos from the event to his personal Instagram account. 

Rubin's daughter, Kylie Rubin, also posted photos of the event to her personal Instagram account. In the caption, she wrote that she would be "taking over the party list starting July 2027," tagging her father, and writing, "bye-bye."

"May cut u off the list next year for sport!!" Michael wrote in the comments. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kylie Rubin (@kylierubin)

//www.instagram.com/embed.js

 

This year, Rubin hosted another successful "white party" on July 4, 2024

This year's guest list included athletes like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, musicians such as Drake, Megan Thee Stallion, Glo Rilla, and Quavo, and celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Emily Ratajkowski, and Megan Fox.

Of course, attendees donned all-white as seen in photos Rubin posted on Instagram, and the party was hosted at his Hamptons home.

In addition to his daughter Kylie, Rubin has two young daughters with Camille Fishel.

People reported that Rubin and his ex-wife, Meegan Rubin, split in 2011 but co-parent their daughter Kylie. 

He's since been linked to model Camille Fishel since 2016, per the magazine. The pair share two children: Romi, who was born in 2020, and Gema, who was born in 2022.

• The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is on its way to the Middle East after exercises in Asia.
• Its departure will leave the US Navy without a carrier in the Western Pacific region unless another can be tasked to the area.
• If not, soon the only carriers operating in the area may be China's.

Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East are drawing the US military's focus and risk leaving the US Navy without any aircraft carriers operating in the Western Pacific, which is home to a major US rival and longtime foes.

The only US carrier in the area is on its way to the Middle East following a series of military drills in the Pacific. Meanwhile, China continues to demonstrate its ambitions with a growing fleet of carriers while American adversaries stir unease.

Late last month, the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group arrived in South Korea for a joint exercise with its host nation and Japan. While the exercise was pre-planned, it came at a tense time in the region, just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a historic defense pact that has had far-reaching geopolitical reverberations.

When the Roosevelt and the other elements of the strike group arrived, the South Korean navy said that the presence of the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered carrier and the other US warships "demonstrates the strong combined defense posture of the South Korea-US alliance and their firm resolve to respond to the escalating threats from North Korea."

After the exercise wrapped up, the Roosevelt strike group set sail for Middle Eastern waters, where it will take over the defense of commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. After USS Gerald R. Ford and the Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Roosevelt is the third aircraft carrier that has been sent to respond to the fighting in the Middle East ignited by the Israel-Hamas war.

The steady movement of the Roosevelt out of the Western Pacific and the departure of USS Ronald Reagan before that risks leaving an aircraft carrier-shaped hole in the US Navy's presence in the region at a time when Russia and North Korea are creating new headaches for US ally South Korea and China is increasingly conducting its own carrier operations and flexing its muscles against another US ally, the Philippines.

Business Insider was unable to reach the Pentagon for comment on carrier movements or US force posture in the Western Pacific.

The USNI News fleet tracker indicated on July 1 that USS Carl Vinson was in the Eastern Pacific around Hawaii for the big Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercise while the Roosevelt appeared to be working its way toward the South China Sea. USS Carl Vinson is available for necessary tasking, but it lacks the presence provided by a forward-deployed carrier.

On July 2, the Roosevelt strike group was in the Philippine Sea, according to imagery and information from what is known as DVIDS, or the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

As the Roosevelt travels to keep up the seeminglty endless fight against the Houthis, China's navy has been active. The aircraft carrier Shandong and a Chinese amphibious assault ship conducted an exercise in the South China Sea earlier this week.

The Shandong is one of two Chinese Soviet-style carriers. The warship features a ski-jump-style ramp like its predecessor, Liaoning. China's newest carrier, Fujian, has a catapult launch system similar to the one on the US Navy's new Ford-class carriers.

China's carriers — the speed at which they're building and fielding them, as well as how and where they're operating them — demonstrate a focus in Beijing on building a carrier fleet capable of projecting military power in the region and potentially globally.

Lately, China has also ramped up altercations with the Philippines in contested waters in the South China Sea. Just late last month, Chinese personnel armed with machetes and spears attacked Filipino navy personnel in disputed waters. The Coast Guard, however, has taken charge in this spat, as opposed to the navy.

• A NATO ally captured images of a Russian submarine in the Baltic Sea last week.
• The submarine was spotted by a Portuguese P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft.
• Russia conducted sub drills, including a torpedo duel, in the Baltic Sea recently.

A NATO ally's anti-submarine warfare aircraft captured photos of a Russian sub navigating the Baltic Sea last week, highlighting the alliance's continuous efforts to keep track of Russian activity in the undersea domain.

The surveillance photographs, which show the surfaced submarine, were taken around the same time the Russian military conducted submarine exercises in the Baltic Sea, which involved a pair of subs engaging in a torpedo duel.

NATO Maritime Command shared the photos on X and other social media platforms on Wednesday, noting that the Russian sub was photographed by a Portuguese P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, an ASW platform made by Lockheed Martin.

The P-3 Orion anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft was used by the US Navy for decades until it was succeeded by the sophisticated P-8A Poseidon, an advanced aircraft introduced in 2013 and highly regarded as one of the best maritime patrol aircraft in service. Other nations continue to use the P-3s, though.

A P-8 Poseidon recently operated over the Norwegian Sea late last month, joined by a US Navy nuclear ballistic missile submarine and other vessels and aircraft, including an E6-B Mercury "Doomsday" plane, in what appeared to be an unusual flex amid persistent tensions with Russia.

While it's unclear what Russian sub was documented in these photos, Russia recently conducted a submarine exercise in the Baltic Sea. Two Russian Kilo-class, diesel-electric subs — the Novorossiysk and Dmitrov — held a training duel involving torpedo fire last week, around the same time the NATO photos were taken.

After wrapping up the duel, the Russian submarines — capable undersea assets known for being relatively quiet, especially the more advanced Novorossiysk — went on to conduct other combat exercises in the Baltic Sea, Russian state media said.

The Baltic Sea, where the drills took place, has seen a major geopolitical shift in recent years with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Finland and Sweden both joining NATO. Sweden became the newest member in March 2024.

With eight of the nine countries bordering the Baltic Sea now being NATO members — the only remaining one Russia — the body of water is sometimes called a "NATO lake," although this term has been criticized for glossing over how strategically important the region is for both NATO allies and Russia alike.

Russian submarines are active far beyond the Baltic Sea and remain an important element of the Russian navy. For instance, the submarine Kazan was spotted in Cuba recently during a Russian navy flotilla visit and prior to exercises in the Caribbean. The Kazan is one of a class of Russian submarines that have concerned NATO allies for years.

• Sen. Mark Warner is reportedly trying to organize his colleagues to push for Biden to drop out.
• Biden has continued to face questions about his political viability in the wake of his bad debate.
• One senator said there's a "sense among many that the current path may not be sustainable."

As President Joe Biden continues to face questions about his political viability in the wake of his poor debate performance last week, one Democratic senator is reportedly nearing a tipping point.

According to the Washington Post, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia is trying to gather a group of his Democratic colleague to ask Biden to withdraw from the race.

"Like many other people in Washington and across the country, Senator Warner believes these are critical days for the president's campaign, and he has made that clear to the White House," Warner's spokesperson, Rachel Cohen, told the Post.

Another Democratic senator told the outlet that "there is a sense among many that the current path may not be sustainable for him" and that Biden "obviously has to show strength right now."

As of Friday, no Democratic senator has called for Biden to step aside, though many have remained silent or dodged questions about whether they have confidence in him going forward.

Two House Democrats — Reps. Lloyd Doggett of Texas and Raúl Grijalva of Arizona —have publicly called for Biden to drop out, while two others have declared that former President Donald Trump will win the election.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

• Scientists got an unprecedented look into house cats' daily lives by studying over 1,200 cats.
• They discovered that cats tend to scratch more often and more intensely when they're stressed.
• Particularly, children in the home seem to cause high levels of stress that lead to scratching.

Scratching holes and snags in your furniture is a natural behavior for cats. Dr. Andrea Sanchez, a veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital, previously told Business Insider that cats scratch to communicate, stretch and condition their claws, and claim possessions.

But if you really want your cat to stop scratching up your couch and chairs, it's worth knowing the exact reason they're doing it in the first place. Now, a new study offers more clues into cats' destructive habits and how to curb them.

Scientists interviewed cat owners in France who all reported unwanted scratching behavior. In total, the study included 1,211 cats. The scientists emailed the owners asking about cats' daily routines, sociability, temperaments, behaviors, and the types of environments they lived in.

The research team discovered that naturally aggressive and disruptive cats were more likely to scratch, as well as cats who tended to play a lot and spent more time awake at night. But the research also showed there was more to the story than just kitty personality.

The cats' environments played a key role as well. "One noteworthy finding is the influence of the presence of a child at home on the high level of scratching behavior," the researchers reported in their paper, published on July 2 in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

Turns out, cats don't seem to enjoy sharing a home with children all that much — at least the ones in this study. Children can stress cats out, which then leads the animals to scratch more often and more intensely, the researchers found.

It's not the first time researchers have found evidence to suggest that children play a role in destructive cat behavior. But questions remain. For example, it's unclear if age is a factor — if younger children heighten a feline's stress more than older kids. Another question the researchers say needs exploring is if it matters who lived in the home first.

How to stop cats from scratching up your furniture

If your cat won't stop scratching up your furniture, there are things you can do to curb the behavior, the researchers found.

Making sure that your cat is getting enough mental and physical exercise is important. Promoting regular, brief play sessions and providing stimulating toys can reduce stress and undesirable scratching behavior in your cat, the researchers reported.

Some examples may include interactive toys like rollerballs, scratchers, and play tunnels, which offer long-lasting mental and physical stimulation for cats.

The researchers also found that scratching posts can reduce scratching on household items, but where they're placed throughout the home matters. For the best results, put scratching posts in areas frequented by your cat, like near their bed or litter box.

Additionally, taking some time to observe your cat's scratching behavior can help you choose the right post for them, Danie "DQ" Quagliozzi, cat behavior consultant and owner of Go Cat Go! previously told Business Insider.

For example, if your cat is scratching vertically on the side of your couch, they may prefer a vertical scratching post, Quagliozzi said. But if they scratch carpets or rugs, a horizontal scratch pad is more likely to satisfy them, he added.

Most importantly, remember that every cat is different. This study highlights the importance of understanding the role that your cat's unique personality and environment, play in shaping their behavior, the researchers reported.

• Mark Zuckerberg has been shifting from a tech bro image to a seemingly more playful persona.
• Most recently, Zuck's funny 4th of July post got significant public attention.
• The Meta CEO's recent rebranding efforts include stylish attire and engaging memes.

The memeification of Mark Zuckerberg continues — but lately, the Meta CEO seems to be just as in on the jokes.

Most recently, Zuck wished America a happy birthday with a 4th of July Instagram post featuring him on a surfboard, holding an American flag, drinking what looks like a can of beer, and, of course, wearing a tux and sunglasses.

As one person wrote on X: "Damn it, Zuck did something cool again."

This is just the latest move in Zuck's seemingly new, more playful era. The Facebook founder had built a reputation as the quintessential tech bro, from his awkward robotic mannerisms to his classic gray t-shirt uniform.

But while the memes may not have stopped, Zuckerberg has started to play into the banter.

The subtle shift seemed to start back in 2023, when Tesla CEO Elon Musk challenged the fellow tech giant to a "cage match." Zuckerberg surprisingly responded via Instagram Story with just the words: "Send Me Location," spurring incredulity among many.

But he wasn't kidding. A few weeks later, Zuck, a jiu-jitsu blue belt, showed off a video of him training with MMA fighters Israel Adesanva and Alexander Volkanovski on a speed boat. The clip also played the"Mission Impossible" soundtrack as a cheeky cherry on top.

Zuckerberg has also been upping his style game, straying from his signature gray tees and sweatshirts to more fashionable jackets and designer shirts.

Probably the most viral addition to his closet, though, has been his new chain necklace. In a video announcing his company's latest AI features, Zuckerberg debuted his chain, which instantly caused a stir on social media.

People were instantly hyped about the CEO's new "mob chic" look. An edited image of him with a beard added also made its rounds across the internet.

The more casual posts are "a pivot where he is really trying to show in another way that he is a man of the people in a sense," image consultant Joseph Rosenfeld told Business Insider.

And Zuck has stuck with the jewelry — his birthday outfit included a gold chain (as did his July 4th video).

One person pointed out on X that Zuckerberg sticking to his new chain look seemed to lean into his memeification:

Still, Zuckerberg's style shift has weightier significance.

Rosenfeld said that because "people are scrutinizing his every move," especially after recently being in hot water with Congress over his platforms' lack of child-safety policies, Zuckerberg is "democratizing his look" to be more approachable.

"He wants to convey, 'hey, I really do understand you, I am one of you, I am not a king,'" Rosenfeld said.

And the rebrand seems to be working, for now.

His recent 4th of July post has received the public's thumbs up of approval. As another person tweeted, "Zuck definitely knows how to create a meme."

• Chase Bank's boss warned that new federal fee caps could make everyday banking more expensive.
• Marianne Lake said the bank is planning to pass the pain of their lost profits on to customers.
• Some new costs may be placed on now-free services like checking accounts and financial tools.

Everyday banking might be about to get more expensive for consumers.

Marianne Lake, the CEO of consumer and community banking at Chase Bank, said federal regulations to cap overdraft and late fees would take a bite out of the company's bottom line.

And she warned that making up that loss would be passed on to consumers, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

Lake said the changes would be "broad, sweeping, and significant," the report said.

Some of those costs would be tacked onto services that have been free so far, like checking accounts and financial planning tools, the report said.

Business Insider reviewed a Chase presentation that covered the expected impact of proposed regulations. The presentation estimated that two out of three consumers would have to pay a fee for checking accounts if the cap went through.

Lake also said those impacted will be the ones "who can least afford to be" and credit access will also be more challenging.

Some of the regulations include a proposed $8 cap on late credit card payment fees and a $3 cap for overdrafting bank accounts. The limit is part of President Joe Biden's crackdown on hidden fees.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimated that about 45 million people are charged credit card late fees annually, and the change could save those people up to $220 a year.

Other changes include limiting debit-card fees and how much banks can charge apps like Venmo and CashApp for accessing customer data, the report said.

New regulations would also make it more difficult for banks to lend money by requiring banks to set aside more money as reserves. That could make it more complicated for borrowers to qualify for loans in the future.

Chase is the biggest bank in the US and it's also one of the largest issuers of credit cards in the country. But other banks are expected to follow the same path — and several have already issues warnings.

According to the Merchants Payments Coalition, Mastercard announced in April it was planning to increase certain credit-card fees.

Citi's chief financial officer, Mark Mason, said in a January earnings call that the bank planned to make up lost revenue with "offsets and mitigants" that he didn't specify.

Capital One CEO Rich Fairbank also said in January that the new regulation would impact its profits and it would implement "mitigating actions" to counteract it.

Analysts at Union Bank of Switzerland wrote in a note to investors in April that capping credit-card late fees and swipe fees in addition to lowering debit-card swipe fees, would push companies like JPMorgan Chase and American Express looking to make up the revenue elsewhere.

It's not the first time banks have threatened to take out the cost of new regulations on consumers.

After the financial crisis in 2008, banks threatened to put caps on card charges if Congress approved rules limiting swipe fees. However, the threats were a bluff; few institutions followed through after customers themselves said they'd just switch banks.

But now, with Biden's crackdown on credit card companies, banks may keep to their word — especially if the banks all decide to add new costs for consumers, giving them no place to turn.

• As rumors swirl about who could replace Biden, some have mentioned Michelle Obama.
• The former FLOTUS outperformed other Democrats in a recent poll, but has long said she won't run.
• Here's a list of her comments on (not) seeking office, dating back to 2012.

With Joe Biden's re-election campaign in shambles, Democrats are turning yet again to a woman they've long wanted to nominate: Michelle Obama. But the former First Lady has been telling them no for more than a decade and doesn't seem likely to change her mind any time soon.

Some pollsters have thrown Obama's name around during the frantic Democratic attempt to find someone to run in Biden's stead should he drop out of the race. A post-debate Reuters poll found that Obama is the only potential Democratic candidate with a noticeable lead over Trump, at 50% compared to his 39%.

Obama, however, deliberately situates herself outside of partisan politics, focusing instead on service. She has remained relatively quiet during the 2024 election cycle for that reason, though some speculate her disengagement is also related to familial gripes with the Bidens.

When asked about the persistent rumors about her candidacy, Crystal Carson, Obama's communications director, reiterated to Business Insider what she said in March of this year: "As former First Lady Michelle Obama has expressed several times over the years, she will not be running for president. Mrs. Obama supports President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' re-election campaign."

Here's a running list of Obama's statements on her desire to run — or, rather, not run — for elected office.

April 26, 2012

At a White House event, Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day, a child asked Obama whether she ever plans to run for office.

"Absolutely not," the then-First Lady responded. "I think that once his terms are over, we'll go on to do other important things, because there are so many ways you can help this country and the world, even if you're not president of the United States."

As you ages, she told the child, you learns your interests.

"And for me, it's other stuff that is not being the president." Obama was sure to add, though, that it was a great question — or at least it was at the time.

May 29, 2012

When the hosts of The View asked Obama about rumors that she'll run for office, she said, "Those are other people's rumors."

"I am not interested in politics," she continued. "Never have been."

September 25, 2012

Later in 2012, Obama appeared on The View again, this time with President Barack Obama. When he joked that Michelle Obama might not have the temperament to be president, she jumped on the opportunity to agree.

"It takes a lot of patience to be president of the United States. I'm not that patient."

May 30, 2014

Sitting for an interview, President Barack Obama restated what he said on The View: "One thing I can promise you: Michelle will not run for office.

June 23, 2014

When talking to ABC News, Michelle Obama again shut down the possibility of her run, saying that she is "definitely not" seeking higher office and instead plans to focus on service.

June 29, 2014

NBC News asked a senior White House advisor, Valerie Jarrett, whether there was any chance of another Obama candidacy.

"No," Jarrett said flatly. "I'm absolutely, 100% positive that will never happen."

January 14, 2016

During his first visit to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, someone asked President Obama not about his policy platform, but about his wife's desire to run.

"Let em tell you, there are three things that are certain in life: death, taxes, and Michelle is not running for president," he said.

March 16, 2016

Michelle Obama spoke at a South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, and again clarified her stance: "I will not run for president. No, nope, not going to do it."

"There is so much that I can do outside of the White House," she continued. "And sometimes there's much more that you can do outside of the White House, without the constraints and the lights and the cameras and the partisanship."

December 19, 2016

Oprah asked Michelle Obama if she ever plans to seek office, but received largely the same answer as everyone else. Obama also said that she would not subject her children to another grueling political campaign.

"I'm not coy," she said. "I've proven that. I'm pretty direct. If I were interested in it, I would say it. I don't believe in playing games."

April 27, 2017

A Q&A in Orlando, Florida, turned to the question of a possible Obama run, and again the former FLOTUS brought the answer back to her family.

"I wouldn't ask my children to do this again because when you run for higher office, it's not just you. It's your whole family," she said.

April 5, 2018

At a forum in Boston, Massachusetts, Obama said that Americans cannot turn to any woman and demand she run simply for the sake of making history.

"There are millions of women out here who are inclined, who do have the passion for politics," she said. "I have never had the passion for politics. I just happen to be married to somebody who has the passion for politics, and he dragged me kicking and screaming into this arena."

October 11, 2018

Obama went on The Today Show to announce a new program, though again ended up answering the question about a potential political bid.

"I have never wanted to be a politician," she said. "It's one of those things that nothing has changed in me to make me want to run for elected office."

November 13, 2018

In her memoir, Becoming, Obama immortalized her disinterest in running for office in ink: "I'll say it here directly: I have no intention of running for office, ever."

March 18, 2019

On an episode of Conan O'Brien's podcast, Obama said that eight years in the White House was more than enough. When O'Brien asked if she'd throw her name into the mix in 2020, she answered with a resolute no. Instead, she redirected the conversation toward the importance of voting.

"Sadly in our country when you put an R or a D on you, immediately alienate most of the country with whatever choice you make."

November 14, 2022

Obama told the BBC that the question of whether she'll run for office is the one she hates being asked most. Still, she clarified her position: "No. I'm not going to run."

April 24, 2023

In a more recent interview, Oprah repeated her question, this time asking about 2024, not 2020. Again, Obama said that she has "never expressed any interest in politics. Ever."

"I'm just wondering: Does what I want have anything to do with anything?" Obama asked. "Does who I choose to be have anything to do with it?"

March 5, 2024

Carson, Obama's communications director, told NBC that Obama supports Biden's bid for reelection and has no plans to run. She gave the same statement to Business Insider on July 5.

• I tried 22 different flavors of Crumbl cookies and ranked them from worst to best.
• I didn't love the wedding-cake cookie, and found it to be too sweet.
• My favorite cookies were the mallow-sandwich and pink-velvet flavors.

It seems as though every few years, Americans embrace a new dessert trend. Like the frozen yogurt craze of the 2010s, cookie chains have been taking the US by storm in recent years.

However, one chain stands out as the country's fastest-growing cookie company: Crumbl.

Since its first location opened in Utah in 2017, the dessert chain has expanded to over 1,000 locations in all 50 US states, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

Though the first store only sold milk-chocolate-chip cookies, Crumbl now offers a rotating weekly selection of six desserts at a time and has featured over 200 varieties on its menu.

Trying to pick which weekly option to choose can feel like a lot of pressure. To help sort out which types of Crumbl cookies are the best, I sampled 22 desserts over multiple visits and ranked them from worst to best.

Here's what I thought of the flavors I tried.

Crumbl's wedding-cake cookie was even too sweet for my 3-year-old.

It wasn't easy to choose a last-place cookie — they're all cookies, after all. However, the wedding-cake flavor was my least favorite. I loved the little white-chocolate baubles that decorated the cookie, which made for crunchy little explosions of texture and flavor.

But the raspberry flavor in the frosting was so assertive that even my 3-year-old — who loves almost all sweet, sparkly, pink, frosted things — took half a bite and turned the cookie away.

My 6-year-old, however, had no such issues, declaring, "Nothing's too sweet for me."

The frosting on the pistachio-gelato cookie had a pudding-like texture.

The pistachio-gelato cookie looked adorable in the store display, decorated with a miniature cone made out of a Muddy Bites snack.

The gelato-inspired frosting had a pudding-like texture and was extremely sweet with a strong pistachio flavor. In my opinion, it tasted like a concentrated form of pistachio ice cream. I also found the underlying cookie to be dense and bland.

Crumbl's toffee cake tasted like something I'd find at the supermarket.

Crumbl's toffee cake sounded like something I'd like: chocolate cake with caramel sauce, whipped cream, and a crumbled chocolate-toffee bar on top.

I liked the incorporation of the whipped cream, which helped keep the cake moist without being as densely sweet as most of Crumbl's other frostings.

But the caramel sauce between the cake and whipped cream made it a soggy mess, and it tasted more like something I'd find at the supermarket than a freshly made cake or cookie at this price point.

The lemon-poppy cookie was divisive in my household.

The lemon-poppy flavor proved divisive in my household. My wife, who loves lemony desserts, ranked this cookie among her favorites.

For me, however, the glaze made it a touch too sweet, and the lemon flavor, while strong, wasn't quite as tart or as bright as I would've liked.

I did appreciate the noticeable poppy flavor, as poppy seeds usually seem like an afterthought in many muffins.

My 3-year-old loved the cake-batter blondie.

I feel a little bad ranking the cake-batter blondie this low because my 3-year-old loved it so much. But she's 3 — rainbow sprinkles are her favorite food.

To be fair, the cookie tasted exactly as I expected it would — extremely sweet and uncomplicated, perfect for the 3-year-old palate. However, it was a bit one-note, even for my 6-year-old.

The strawberry-crumb-cake cookie was unexpectedly bland.

I had high hopes for the strawberry-crumb-cake cookie. Although I love strawberries, I can't remember ever eating a cookie with strawberries inside or on top.

However, even with white-chocolate chips and a strawberry-streusel topping, I found this cookie unexpectedly bland. The strawberry flavor was definitely real, which I appreciated, but there wasn't very much of it.

The streusel also seemed like an afterthought and didn't add much texture to the cookie. Overall, it was fine but a little disappointing.

The semi-sweet-chocolate-chunk cookie is a chocolate lover's dream.

Unsurprisingly, chocolate-chip cookies are one of Crumbl's calling cards, and the menu alternates weekly between the milk-chocolate-chip version and the semi-sweet chocolate chunk.

The semi-sweet variety uses lots of bulky chocolate chunks, making it a chocolate lover's dream. I found it met my expectations for a chocolate-chip cookie without exceeding them.

A few bites of the crunchier outer portion of the cookie had a little chalkiness to the texture, but not nearly enough to make it unpleasant.

I was disappointed that Crumbl's kitchen-sink cookie didn't have many pretzels or potato chips.

Crumbl's kitchen-sink cookie is a semi-sweet-chocolate-chip cookie rolled in pretzels and potato chips. I love cookies that incorporate pretzels, but in my opinion, the execution of this flavor was lacking.

The one I got didn't have many pretzels or potato chips, and the potato chips did little to impact the flavor or texture of the cookie.

The pretzels added a nice crunch, and bites that included pretzel, chocolate, and cookie were excellent. However, these bites were few and far between.

I was surprised to find a dessert that wasn't a cookie.

During one of the two weeks I went to Crumbl, the company debuted its first cheesecake. It feels a little strange to rank it among cookies, as it was decidedly a cheesecake with a graham-cracker crust, raspberry spread, and whipped cream.

As far as cheesecakes go, it was good but unspectacular. The custard portion had a nice, smooth texture, and the raspberry topping was more tangy than sweet.

However, the graham-cracker crust didn't hold together at all and was fundamentally less portable than a cookie. However, it's a good option for when you need a break from eating too many cookies — which was applicable in my case.

Crumbl's sea-salt toffee was one of the plainest cookies I tried.

Crumbl's sea-salt toffee is a variant of a chocolate-chip cookie with toffee and milk-chocolate chips. I enjoyed it, but it was one of the plainest cookies I tried.

I found the toffee flavor presented itself more as a warm, caramel-y aftertaste than a strong, sticky Heath Bar. The milk-chocolate chips were also sparse.

This cookie wasn't particularly memorable, but I'd still choose it over the overly sweet flavors.

Everyone in my family had a different opinion of the blueberry-pancake cookie.

The blueberry-pancake cookie, which was topped with a blueberry-buttermilk glaze, was another divisive flavor in my house.

The menu and photos I'd seen suggested it was supposed to have a dollop of buttercream frosting on top, but the one I brought home did not.

I loved the actual cookie, which had plenty of fruity blueberry flavor from the berries baked inside. But to me, the glaze was too sweet and was sugary enough for it to taste grainy.

My 3-year-old was appalled by the blueberries in the cookie, but my 6-year-old loved every bit of this one. My wife liked it more than I did, but agreed it was too sweet and would be better with no glaze or frosting.

The milk-chocolate-chip cookie had a nice touch of salt.

When having a chocolate-chip cookie, I usually prefer semi-sweet-chocolate chips over milk-chocolate chips.

However, since the milk-chocolate chip was Crumbl's first cookie, I knew I had to try it. It was a touch salty, with a soft, comforting texture. The cookie was so thick it was basically a blondie.

In my book, it beat out its semi-sweet chocolate chunk alternative, which I wouldn't have expected.

Both my kids loved the Nilla-bean-cupcake cookie.

Both my kids loved the Nilla-bean-cupcake cookie, which was not surprising at all — they love frosting, and there was a lot of it.

I expected this to be overwhelmingly sweet, but the cream-cheese frosting added a nice tangy component instead of one-note sweetness. The actual cookie was soft and cakey, with a warm vanilla flavor.

The chocolate-cake cookie tasted exactly like a slice of cake.

It's not just a clever name — this cookie tasted just like a slice of chocolate cake. In fact, I might have tried it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top if it weren't for the frosting.

The chocolate-cake cookie was extremely rich, with a strong cocoa flavor to both the cookie and the frosting. It's definitely best for people who can't get enough chocolate — like my 6-year-old, who gave this one two enthusiastic thumbs up.

The frosting was a bit softer and thinner than I expected, but the chocolate swirls added nice little bites of texture.

I thought the hazelnut-sea-salt cookie was the most grown-up-friendly of the bunch.

Crumbl's hazelnut-sea-salt cookie had a beguiling effect on my 6-year-old, who really loved it but couldn't quite put words to why (though he does love Nutella).

To me, it tasted like the most grown-up friendly cookie of the bunch — something my grandmother probably would've loved with her tea.

The sweet-and-salty brown-butter cookie tasted almost refined, and Crumbl took a light hand with the hazelnut spread and sea salt on top. My 6-year-old kept going back to it despite the more colorful, decorated cookies around it.

Crumbl's French-toast cookie grew on me.

Crumbl's French-toast cookie grew on me. At first, I found it frustrating that the frosting was concentrated in the cookie's center, presumably making it look like French toast with a big dollop of butter.

However, I realized it was the frosting that was throwing me off. I found it to be a little dry and super sweet with a maple flavor. In fact, it gave the cloying effect of maple candy.

The cake part of the cookie, meanwhile, was excellent. It had a spongy, doughnut-like consistency and a lighter maple flavor.

Mom's recipe combines the flavors of oatmeal, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and toffee.

Another variation on the traditional chocolate chip cookie, Mom's recipe is an oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookie with peanut-butter and toffee chips.

It sounds like it might have too much going on, but there weren't too many of any one chip. It combined a variety of sweet, salty, and comforting flavors without any one flavor overwhelming the others.

The nutty oatmeal texture, appropriately enough, made it feel like something I'd be very excited to buy at an elementary-school bake sale.

The mint-cookies-and-cream cookie tasted like its ice cream counterpart.

Although I don't typically like mint-cookies-and-cream ice cream, I really liked this cookie. My wife was a little turned off by the color of the mint frosting, as she thought it should be more green.

However, the cookie did a strangely good job simulating its ice-cream counterpoint. The creamy frosting, which had a pleasant cool-mint flavor complemented the crunch of the cookies-and-cream cookie.

My 3-year-old especially loved this one, declaring, "I love mint, I love frosting, and I love Oreos!"

The whole family loved Crumbl's ultimate peanut-butter cookie.

Crumbl's take on a peanut-butter cookie included a melted-peanut-butter drizzle and a peanut-butter core baked into the center.

I worried that the peanut-butter filling might be overwhelming, but I appreciated that this cookie was a bit less sweet than the others.

The filling also helped keep the whole cookie soft and moist. This was one of the few flavors that all four members of my household really loved.

The peanut-butter-cookies-and-cream flavor was a family favorite.

It's rare that all four members of my family agree on a food, but the peanut-butter-cookies-and-cream flavor was an all-around favorite in my household.

It wasn't as eye-catching as many of the other options, especially since the bits of chocolate-sandwich cookies got camouflaged against the chocolate base.

However, they were unmistakable once I bit into it, punctuating the soft texture of Crumbl's chocolate cookie with the crumbly, crunchy texture of an Oreo. The peanut-butter chips were mostly in the background, but they added a nice balance to the chocolate.

I always love a good cookie-flavored cookie.

The mallow-sandwich flavor was my favorite of the Oreo-inspired cookies.

I liked all of the Oreo-inspired Crumbl cookies I tried, but the mallow sandwich was my favorite. It featured two chocolate cookies with Oreo pieces, sandwiched around creamy frosting.

The combination of soft-chocolate cookies and marshmallow filling reminded me of a whoopie pie. The Oreo pieces that were baked into the cookie added a crunchy, crumbly texture.

Sadly, my kids didn't get a chance to sample this one because my wife and I ate the whole thing before they had a chance — it was one of her favorites, too.

Crumbl's pink-velvet cookie was my favorite.

Crumbl's pink-velvet cookie earned my top spot with a caveat: I never ate more than a small portion in one sitting. I suspect that eating as much as half of this cookie at once might leave me less enthusiastic about it.

However, I happen to love cream-cheese frosting, and this one has a nice, mild tartness to it that complements the sweet, soft cookie.

I tasted it before reading the flavor description, and the power of suggestion left me thinking it had a strawberry taste.

But eating more of the cookie revealed that the crunchy, sugary crumbles on top were extremely reminiscent of the outer coating of a classic strawberry-shortcake-ice-cream bar. I happen to love those, so this had a nostalgic appeal.

• US Navy fighter aircraft were recently spotted carrying an air-launched variant of the SM-6 missile.
• The ship-fired SM-6 only recently saw combat for the first time during the counter-Houthi conflict.
• In a new role, the missile could be a big deal for the US in a China fight.

US Navy fighter aircraft have been spotted in the Pacific carrying an air-launched version of a powerful ship-fired interceptor missile that only recently debuted in combat.

American warships fighting in the Middle East have fired the Standard Missile 6, or SM-6, to intercept munitions launched by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, using it in a surface-to-air role.

But it appears to be getting a new role as a long-range air-to-air missile, a potentially significant development that could fill a crucial capability gap if the US went to war with China. A US Navy spokesperson told Naval News that "the SM-6 Air Launched Configuration (ALC) was developed as part of the SM-6 family of missiles and is operationally deployed in the Navy today."

Multiple F/A-18E Super Hornets have been spotted in recent days carrying the SM-6 variant aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and on the tarmac at Hawaii's Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, which boasts the world's largest international maritime warfare drills.

The ship-launched SM-6, also known as the RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile and part of the Navy's advanced Aegis Combat system, is a three-in-one extended-range weapon capable of anti-air and anti-surface warfare and is able to engage ballistic missiles during the terminal phase of their flight.

"It uses a blast-fragmentation warhead to engage these threats in the endo-atmosphere," the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank's Missile Defense Project says of the missile. "The US Navy has also upgraded the SM-6 to perform strike missions."

CSIS also notes that "its tri-mission capability also presents opportunities for the Navy to arrange more efficient weapon loadouts onboard its guided missile ships."

The SM-6, which can strike targets as far as 230 miles away, had not seen confirmed combat until the Houthis began attacking commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden last fall. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro acknowledged in April that the sea service had used the SM-6 to engage enemy threats. He also confirmed the first use of the SM-3 in combat.

The missiles observed on Navy aircraft at RIMPAC can be seen sporting AIM-174B designations, indicating that they are an air-to-air variant. Observers have noted, though, that it has been modified for tests. This configuration has been spotted in previous years, although the Navy has yet to acknowledge the development.

Justin Bronk, an airpower and technology expert at the UK-based Royal United Services Institute think tank, said the recent public appearance of the SM-6 suggests the missile's development is nearing completion or has even reached initial operational capability.

It is "likely a deliberate signal of emerging capability to both allies and to Chinese military observers," he told Business Insider.

China has taken serious steps to upgrade and modernize its air force and navy, raising alarm bells on the other side of the Pacific as US military leaders and Biden administration officials observe Beijing's growing power with concern.

Extended air-to-air range missiles in a new role could help the Navy plug gaps in countering long-range missiles that China is fielding, especially should Washington and Beijing clash some day. A war between the two would primarily unfold across a maritime domain, where long-range strike and defensive capabilities would be crucial.

"The primary benefit offered by an air-launched SM-6 capability for Super Hornet is a dramatic increase in the range at which air targets can be engaged by the carrier air wing," Bronk said.

Such a capability would be particularly useful to the American Navy against China's "increasingly large and capable" air force and naval aviation elements, he said. China has invested in developing various long-range stand-off weapons for its aircraft.

The air-launched SM-6 capability could provide Navy carrier air wings with the ability to engage Chinese bombers and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance aircraft at significantly longer ranges than the standard AIM-120D air-to-air missile, Bronk said.

Not only could it compete in that space, but an air-launched SM-6 missile would also be a practical asset for the US to deal with Beijing's warships and militarized artificial islands, both of which can threaten US and allied aircraft with missiles.

This missile, in this new air-launched configuration, can "extend protective coverage further from the carrier group without having to venture into heavily contested airspace," Bronk said.