The Navigator, Saturday, April 12, 2025
Going it alone, getting miffed about thrift and tariff tumult, iPhone rush; Trump v. the Supreme Court; attention theft, the Real ID deadline, inspiration on ice—and more
James McNeill Whistler’s The Gentle Art of Making Enemies was a masterclass in confrontation. The 19th-century artist famously used wit and legal warfare to battle his critics, especially John Ruskin. Whistler didn’t shy from conflict—he relished it. But while his verbal sparring made for great copy, it also isolated him from peers and patrons alike. His story serves as a reminder that defending your vision is one thing; turning it into a blood sport can be self-defeating.
Fast-forward to today, and you’ll find Donald Trump playing a similar hand. His recent “Liberation Day” speech doubled down on tariffs, trade wars, and personal vendettas, casting opponents (and some historic allies) as enemies, and himself and the U.S. as victims.
Like Whistler, Trump’s grievances draw headlines, but they also come with fallout—market instability, global uncertainty, and fractured alliances. There’s a lesson here: the art of making enemies might sell in the short term, but it rarely builds anything lasting—and Trump is just getting started. Again.
As always, thank you for making us part of your week. Let us know your thoughts on this week’s events and your input on the new rules emerging for tomorrow.
When Does a Market Dive Hit the Rest of the Economy? (The Wall Street Journal)
Families might rein in spending; companies can have a hard time getting funding.
Going It Alone (Newsweek)
Birth rates are falling across the globe as more people choose to be single.
Americans Want to Be Rich (The Atlantic)
That simple aspiration propelled Trump into office, but it is now threatened by his tariffs.
The Confrontation Between Trump and the Supreme Court Has Arrived (The Atlantic)
The justices ordered the government to seek the return of a man whom it had wrongfully deported. Will it happen? If not, what then?
Why China thinks it might win a trade war with Trump (The Economist)
The trade war with China is escalating—fast. China vows to “fight to the end.”
Michelle Obama breaks her silence but raises doubts (Vanity Fair)
In a podcast interview with Sophia Bush, the former first lady fights back against divorce rumors and tells why she skipped Jimmy Carter’s funeral and Trump’s inauguration.
“People Would Die”: As summer approaches, Trump is jeopardizing funding for AC (Grist.org)
Some $380 million is now in limbo after Trump laid off staff that run a program helping low-income people pay their energy bills.
What you need to know before May 7th to get through airport security (NPR)
The federal government says it will finally begin enforcing the national Real ID law starting on May 7th—for real this time, after nearly two decades of delays.
Opinion: You Should Think About Replacing Your iPhone — Now (The New York Times)
Will your next iPhone cost $2,000? More? The answer to that question — and the future of America’s wealthiest company and our imperiled financial markets — rests on one man with a very tricky task.
AI advances mean we need to double down on this one skill (FastCompany)
No matter how much technological progress we make, jobs of the future will require this very human skill.
Alysa Liu brings the house down in Boston in a rare win-against-the-odds world championship (The Guardian)
Liu becomes the first U.S. woman to win a figure skating world championship in 19 years, a feat she described as “picking up the pieces” of her otherwise fading career to accomplish a new level of excellence—just for fun, win or lose. It worked. Love won.