The Week Evening Review
The constitutional crisis debate, living intelligence, and Trump's unfulfilled plans

 
TALKING POINTS

Are we now in a constitutional crisis? 

As President Donald Trump continues to sideline Congress and the courts in remaking American government, some believe we are in the midst of a constitutional crisis. One camp argues the moment of reckoning has already arrived. 

The constitutional crisis is "here," said Jonathan Chait at The Atlantic. Trump and Elon Musk's unprecedented actions have made the stakes of this moment "dramatically" clear. Another camp is hedging. America is on the "cusp" of a constitutional crisis, said Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) on "Meet the Press." There's "no universally accepted definition of a constitutional crisis," said The New York Times. But such a moment generally occurs as the "product of presidential defiance of laws and judicial rulings." 

'Three-alarm fire'
Trump is "trying to shove aside the other two branches of government," said The Washington Post. Presidents have made "sweeping changes to government and society" before, but they mostly colored inside the lines. 

Presidents "don't just dispense with Congress or ignore laws," said Georgia State University Law Professor Michael Anthony Kreis said to the Post. If the Trump administration decides to ignore court rulings blocking the president's orders, that amounts to a "three-alarm fire," said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School, to the outlet.

If there's a constitutional crisis, it's "being caused by these judges" blocking Trump's orders, Scott Jennings said on CNN. It isn't the job of the courts to "tell us how to spend the money. They are not here to set broad federal policy," he said. If Trump believes that the courts are usurping his presidential authority, he "should absolutely defy" their decisions.

Seeking 'legitimate executive power'
The Trump administration has set the stage for that kind of defiance. The courts "aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power," said Vice President J.D. Vance on social media. But federal judges have traditionally determined "what counts as the 'executive's legitimate power,'" said Andrew Prokop at Vox. If their rulings are disregarded by the White House, "we will be embroiled in a very serious constitutional crisis." 

That may be the point. Vance "wants a constitutional crisis," said Kim Wehle at The Bulwark. The courts are the "last bulwark against Trump's assaults on the rule of law and constitutional order." Defy their rulings, and Trump will have fallen short of his oath of office to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution."

 
 
QUOTE OF THE DAY

'Probably his whole life is from a position of insecurity. I feel for the guy. I don't think he's, like, a happy person.'

OpenAI chief Sam Altman clapping back at Elon Musk today after the Tesla owner, along with a consortium of investors, made an unsolicited bid of $97.4 billion to buy the nonprofit that controls the artificial intelligence company yesterday

 
 
THE EXPLAINER

What's living intelligence, the new frontier in AI?

Artificial intelligence has been at the center of the tech world, but it's not the only technology businesses need to prepare for. In the future, AI will combine with other advancing technologies to create a new wave of personalized AI capable of anticipating users' actions and evolving independently, said Amy Webb, a futurist and professor at the NYU Stern School of Business, at the Harvard Business Review. The phenomenon, called living intelligence, could be the next big thing.

How does it differ from artificial intelligence?
AI is "just one of three groundbreaking technologies shifting the business landscape," said Webb. The other two — advanced sensors and biotechnology — have also been "quietly advancing." In the future, the convergence of these three technologies will "underpin a new reality that will shape the future decisions of every leader across industries." This new living intelligence encompasses "systems that can sense, learn, adapt and evolve" that are made possible through the mix of all three technologies.

Living intelligence could "drive a supercycle of exponential growth and disruption across multiple industries," said Inc. The exponential costs of training large language models are driving the creation of smaller models that use less data. This data will lead to a Cambrian Explosion of advanced sensors. And personalized data from wearable sensors could lead to personalized AI that predicts actions rather than words.

Bioengineering, the third tech shaping the supercycle, has futuristic possible applications, including "computers made of organic tissue, such as brain cells," said Inc. This "organoid intelligence" might "sound like science fiction," but there are "already examples of AI revolutionizing various scientific fields."

Why is it the next big thing?
For business owners, living intelligence "offers unprecedented opportunities," said futurist Mark van Rijmenam at The Digital Speaker. Retailers could use predictive AI to "forecast demand with remarkable accuracy using emotion recognition and real-time sentiment analysis." Health data from sensors could "revolutionize how companies tailor products and services, moving from reactive to proactive healthcare." 

Although living intelligence may seem futuristic, "forward-thinking CEOs and business leaders cannot afford to wait," said Webb. Early adoption is already visible in pharmaceutical and medical industries, as well as agriculture, "space, construction and engineering." Businesses must resist the urge to fixate on AI, take a more "holistic view of the change already underway" and "prepare your organization for the era of living intelligence."

 
 

Statistic of the day

126 million: The average number of people who watched Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, according to Fox's projections. This marks the second year in a row the game has reached a record audience. Last year's broadcast, on CBS, projected 123.7 million viewers.

 
 
IN THE SPOTLIGHT

In these early days of his second term in office, President Donald Trump continues to propose wild ideas. Because, at his core, he's a salesman — one whose primary offering is himself, whether in name, ideology or commercial opportunism. These are some of the most extreme ideas Trump has presented throughout his time in politics — all of which share just one element: Each of them never stood a chance of happening.

'Freedom Cities' with flying cars
Shortly after officially launching his third bid for the White House ahead of the 2024 election, Trump proposed creating a series of "freedom cities," as part of a "quantum leap in the American Standard of Living." Trump's futuristic Jetsons-esque vision continues his "long history of outlining audacious new initiatives that are heavy on imagery and light on details," said Politico. Moreover, cities do not "develop" simply by "waving a magic wand," said Forbes. Since resuming office in the last month, Trump has largely ignored his "freedom city" campaign promise.

Promising to 'end crime' and 'restore law and order'
Falsely accusing former President Joe Biden of having "defunded, defamed and dismantled police forces," candidate Trump in February 2023 unveiled a seven-part plan to transform "our once great cities" that are now "cesspools of bloodshed and crime." The proposal — which features a mix of conservative hobbyhorses such as increased police funding, easier access to concealed weapons, and the federalization of National Guard troops as domestic crime fighters — is billed on his website as a plan to "end crime" entirely. To date, crime in the U.S. remains unending and resilient.

Ending the Russia-Ukraine war in '24 hours'
Trump's alleged ties to Russia and interest in Ukraine were perhaps the two largest scandals of his first term in office, so it's fitting that one of his widest unrealized promises involves both countries, which have been at war with one another for years. "I will have that done — I will have that done in 24 hours," Trump said during a CNN Town Hall in May 2023. Trump later contradicted his claim, insisting a six-month timeline was "more realistic for ending the war," said The Kiyv Independent. 

 
 

Good day 🌊

… for deep-sea enthusiasts. Researchers have recorded the first-ever sighting of an adult Melanocetus johnsonii, known as a humpback anglerfish or black demon fish, in broad daylight. The nightmarish creature is typically found at depths between 670 and 6,560 feet but was found in shallow waters off the coast of Tenerife, the biggest of the Canary Islands.

 
 

Bad day 👎

… for Meta employees. Facebook's parent company started a round of "performance terminations" yesterday to cut around 5% of its staff, nearly 4,000 workers, and replace them with machine-learning engineers. Several employees said they received positive performance ratings in their midyear reviews and still had their jobs cut.

 
 
Picture of the day

Chilling out

A family explores the winter wonderland of Ice Castles in North Woodstock, New Hampshire. Visitors can marvel at icy waterfalls, slides, tunnels and caverns at five national locations that host the annual attraction, which began with founder Brent Christensen sculpting frozen caves for his children in their Utah garden more than a decade ago. 
Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty Images

 
 
Puzzles

Test your general knowledge with The Week's daily crossword, part of our puzzles section, which also includes sudoku and codewords

 
 
The Week recommends

From rugged mountains and powdery white beaches to roaring waterfalls, Croatia's landscape is incredibly diverse. Situated along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, the Balkan country is home to more than 1,000 islands and islets, of which just 47 are inhabited. A record 21.3 million tourists flocked to Croatia last year, with many heading straight for the bustling hubs of Dubrovnik or Split. But hop on a ferry, and you will find there's so much more to discover. 

Hvar 
The sunniest island in Croatia is also the "trendiest," said Condé Nast Traveler. Hvar "sprawls around a sheltered harbor packed with yachts" and a "vast paved piazza" with a beautiful baroque cathedral. Days are easy to while away wandering along the "palm-lined seafront promenade and up to the hilltop castle." 

Pag 
Its stark, rocky landscape means "taking a trip to Pag is like taking a trip to the moon," said Travel and Leisure. Croatia's fifth-largest island is known for "raucous" summer parties that "take over the beaches of Zrće." But it's also home to one of the country's "loveliest family-run hotels," Boskinac, where you can enjoy Michelin-star meals on a terrace overlooking olive groves and vineyards.

Zlarin 
This tiny island (pictured above) is "3 square miles of laid-back loveliness," said The Times. You will need to take a 30-minute ferry from Sibenik to get there, as there are no cars allowed — "just two feet and two wheels." Fill your days with lazy walks through "olive groves, orchards of figs and almonds, and cypress-studded slopes," or hike to the island's highest point, Klepac.

 
 

Poll watch

Over half of Republicans (55%) say GOP congressional leaders don't have an obligation to support Trump when they disagree with him, according to a Pew Research Center survey. However, the poll of 5,086 adults also found that 67% of Republicans support "all or most" of Trump's plans. 

 
 
INSTANT OPINION

Today's best commentary

'School choice revs up again in the states'
The Wall Street Journal editorial board
School choice has been "on a roll in Republican-led states, and the momentum is continuing this year," says The Wall Street Journal editorial board. That's "all the more important after the demoralizing recent national test score results." School choice is "crucial to free parents and children from the monopoly control of unions that care first about dues-paying teachers." Republicans can also "use the recent national test results to press for more accountability on curriculum, attendance and graduation rates."

'Pope Francis is ready to take on MAGA'
Theo Zenou at Foreign Policy
Pope Francis "clearly doesn't think that Trump has been anointed by God and is more likely to be praying for his failure than his success," says Theo Zenou. The pope has a "history of opposing" the U.S. leader. Francis "might look like an easy target," but "unlike other heads of state, Trump can't browbeat him. The reason is simple: The president has no leverage on the pope." Trump "can't slap tariffs on Vatican City."

'Why voice notes are a small act of love'
Rainesford Stauffer at Time
Based on how many people "describe getting a voice note as a personal mini-podcast, getting to listen to each other is a meaningful way to stay in touch that liking an Instagram story just isn't," says Rainesford Stauffer. But voice notes "remain somewhat divisive." Though many apps have a transcription feature for them, "communicating this way isn't accessible to everyone." It's a "small act of love" to "want to talk to someone, however you choose to."

 
 
WORD OF THE DAY

adaptogen

An ingredient derived from a plant or mushroom that helps the body respond to stress. Adaptogenic drinks, such as mushroom-enhanced coffee, gained popularity in the U.S. wellness industry last year. Now, a growing number of wellness brands are creating products that combine adaptogens with CBD, promising enhanced stress relief. 

 
 

Evening Review was written and edited by Theara Coleman, Nadia Croes, Irenie Forshaw, Scott Hocker, Justin Klawans, Joel Mathis, Summer Meza, Rafi Schwartz and Anahi Valenzuela, with illustrations by Stephen Kelly and Julia Wytrazek.

Image credits, from top: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Shutterstock / Getty Images; Yuichiro Chino / Getty Images; Andrew Harnik / Getty Images; Dalibor Brlek / Alamy