Is Trump Taking a Tougher Tack With Putin?

What's Happening

International

Is Trump Taking a Tougher Tack With Putin?

What's going on: President Donald Trump’s patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin may have finally snapped. Russia launched its biggest drone-and-missile assault on Ukraine Sunday night into Monday morning. The attack came hours after Trump denounced earlier strikes that killed 12 people. That blitz followed a broader offensive that killed at least 30 civilians in the past week, according to Kyiv. Trump condemned the violence, saying Putin has “gone absolutely CRAZY” and is “needlessly killing a lot of people.” The Kremlin brushed off Trump’s comments, saying the US president’s reaction was the result of “emotional overload.”

What it means: Experts say Trump’s harsh words don’t match his administration’s actions. His team recently blocked renewed aid to Ukraine and suggested that it’s backing away from brokering a ceasefire. Some analysts argue that the lack of US consequences has emboldened Russia to continue its strikes. But that could be changing. Congress is now weighing a sanctions bill that would slap a 500% tariff on Russian exports if Moscow refuses to negotiate an end to the war. Meanwhile, analysts fear that Ukraine may have a dangerous summer ahead if the US continues to pull back.

Related: Almost 50 Injured After a Driver Drove Into a Soccer Victory Parade (The Guardian)

Health

People Are Spending Thousands to Treat Alzheimer's — It Might Be a Waste

What's going on: Alzheimer’s is an elusive disease. Researchers are still struggling to understand it, let alone treat it. Despite no known cure, neurologist Dale Bredesen sells the idea that some lifestyle changes can slow the disease’s progression or even reverse it — making millions in the process. His personalized treatment plans require radical diet overhauls, a slew of supplements, hormone treatments, and even home mold remediation. While some patients report their symptoms become more manageable, most health experts say it’s unlikely that lifestyle changes alone can help cure Alzheimer’s.

What it means: Critics worry that Bredesen is giving false hope to vulnerable people — all while draining their bank accounts. One couple told The New York Times they spent $25,000 in just eight months on his program. The Alzheimer’s Association, which once backed some of Bredesen’s Alzheimer’s studies, now says his work “fall(s) short of what the research community” would accept. Some at the White House, however, believe Bredesen’s work aligns with the Make America Healthy Again movement, which embraces “natural medicine.” Meanwhile, Alzheimer’s patients and their families are caught in the middle, searching for ways to navigate the disease.

Related: There Could Be a New Drug To Treat Alzheimer's (The Guardian)

Retail

Small Businesses Walk the Tariff Tightrope

What's going on: Some small business owners are refusing to raise prices, even as tariffs climb. For some, it’s loyalty. For others, it’s survival or a kind of symbolic last stand. Retail giants like Home Depot have the flexibility to hold prices steady. Nike and Walmart? Bracing for selective increases. Target called raising prices a “very last resort,” which given their economic mess, sounds more like a whispered prayer to their quarterly report. Others are just hiking prices. A Louisiana toy maker has already swapped suppliers and slashed his catalog, insisting he won’t raise prices “unless it’s a matter of me having to shut the business down totally.” The message: We’re trying. Really hard.

What it means: Main Street is doing its best to stay in the game. Some local shops are running “anti-tariff” sales or cutting product options just to hang on. But even the scrappiest operators say this isn’t sustainable. The real problem? Whiplash. Tariffs have swung from 10% to 140% and back again, leaving smaller owners with less room to plan ahead. One advocacy group called it “impossible.” In a recent survey, more than 80% of small-business owners said they’ll have to raise prices to stay afloat. Nearly a third expect to lay off workers. For one business owner, it’s about not passing the burden onto those who helped them thrive: “I cannot do that to my community."

Related: The Price Isn’t Right: Consumer Reports Says a Popular Supermarket Chain Is Overcharging (CBS)

Your Political Briefing

The week in political chaos.

Stars, stripes, and self-promo: President Trump opened with a tribute to fallen soldiers — and then pivoted right into politics.

Degrees of shade: Fed chair Jerome Powell dotted his speech to college grads with some high-interest words about democracy.

Farewell to a trailblazer: Former Rep. Charlie Rangel, the longtime congressman from Harlem who was both a decorated war veteran and prominent civil rights figure, has died at 94.

Settle This

Critics argue the "Song of the Summer" is dead. Which was the first ever bop to top that Billboard chart?

Extra Credit

Eat

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Game Time

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