Evening Review - The cost of an all-American iPhone

Statistic of the day

90%: The percentage of migrants deported to El Salvador last month who had no criminal record. Of 238 migrants, only five had been charged or convicted of felony assault or firearms violations, three were charged with misdemeanors including theft, and two were charged with human smuggling, said Bloomberg. The rest had no information showing they had committed a crime.

TALKING POINTS

Why the GOP is nervous about Ken Paxton's Senate run

Sen. John Cornyn has long been a reliable conservative in Congress. But that may not be enough to get the Texas Republican reelected. He now faces a primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a battle between the old-guard GOP establishment and the party's ascendant MAGA wing.

The Cornyn-Paxton primary fight is a "proxy war" in the GOP, said Axios. "Top MAGA luminaries" are skeptical of Cornyn because of his pro-Ukraine stance and work on a bipartisan gun bill. Paxton, meanwhile, carries a reputation as a "pro-Donald Trump knife fighter." His candidacy is a "warning shot," said MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk on his eponymous radio show.

This makes Trump's approval critical in the race, said The Hill. The president said he will make an endorsement "at the right time." Cornyn has already been endorsed by Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.D.) and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott (S.C.).

'Can't control' Trump
Paxton's new campaign is "becoming a major headache for Republicans," said Politico. They are worried that Trump "could elevate more MAGA-aligned challengers" to sitting GOP senators, "forcing a round of bitterly contested primaries." Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana are seen as vulnerable to challenge from the right. That could "complicate" the Republican Party's efforts to retain control of the Senate in 2026, even though the map is "heavily tilted" in their favor. GOP leaders "need Trump but also know they can't control him."

Another "overriding fear" is that a bitter Texas primary will be expensive, said CNN. The campaign could cost the party more than $100 million, "siphoning money from other critical battlegrounds."

Fight over 'who's closer to Trump'
The race could "come down to Trump loyalty," Ryan J. Rusak said at The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Paxton is a "great survivor" in state politics, emerging unscathed from corruption accusations and a failed impeachment attempt. And Cornyn's problem "seems to be that he's not angry enough all the time." The race will not be about who can be the best senator for Texas. Instead, prepare for a year of "arguing over who's closer to Trump."

QUOTE OF THE DAY

'The bell on a tiger's neck can only be untied by the person who tied it.'

China's Ministry of Commerce responding to news that the U.S. granted exclusions from steep tariffs on tech imported largely from China, calling the move a "small step by U.S. to correct its wrong practice of unilateral 'reciprocal tariffs'"

the explainer

Trump's second-term national security controversies

President Donald Trump's second administration has not been lacking in scandal. Several of the largest incidents involve issues of national security, particularly an event involving high-ranking administration officials dubbed "Signalgate." But this is not the White House's only controversy related to national security.

Signalgate
On March 24, Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed that he had been added to a group chat in the messaging app Signal about an upcoming U.S. strike in Yemen. Members of the chat included Vice President J.D. Vance, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and others.

It is "not uncommon for national security officials to communicate on Signal," said Goldberg. But the app is "used primarily for meeting planning and other logistical matters — not for detailed and highly confidential discussions of a pending military action."

The White House defended the use of Signal for these classified conversations. But the event represented "what national security experts say is one of the most serious White House national security breaches in years, if not decades," said USA Today.

Use of Gmail
Waltz found himself in more hot water after a report in The Washington Post alleged that he used Gmail to conduct government business. Most damningly, a "senior Waltz aide used the commercial email service for highly technical conversations with colleagues at other government agencies." This included emails concerning "sensitive military positions and powerful weapons systems relating to an ongoing conflict." The aide reportedly used their personal Gmail account, while other agency colleagues used their government Gmail accounts.

NSA firings
Trump has taken drastic steps to reduce the size of the federal government, and some of these moves have generated national security concerns — most notably, a series of firings at the National Security Agency (NSA). The most significant axings were of U.S. Cyber Command head and NSA Director Gen. Timothy Haugh and NSA Deputy Director Wendy Noble. Haugh was "ousted because Laura Loomer, a far-right wing conspiracy theorist and Trump adviser, had accused him and his deputy of disloyalty," said The New York Times.

The firings "severely compromise our ability to keep Americans safe," Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said in a statement. Russia and China are "laughing at us because we just fired the absolute best leaders," said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) to CBS News.

Good day ⛳

… for wearing green. Pro golfer Rory McIlroy won the Masters at Augusta National in Georgia yesterday, getting to don the tournament's coveted green jacket. The Northern Irishman became the sixth man and first European to clinch the sport's Grand Slam, having previously conquered the Open Championship, US Open and PGA Championship.

Bad day 📽️

… for Chinese film buffs. China will reduce the number of American movies it imports and instead procure films from other countries. The U.S. government's "abuse" tariffs on China will "inevitably further reduce the domestic audience’s favorability" toward American films, said the China Film Administration.

Puzzles

Daily crossword

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

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The Week recommends

Prep the perfect picnic with these essential portables

You made a stacked sandwich, picked out the ripest berries for a fruit bowl and whipped up a big batch of lemonade. Now, the last step to ready your picnic is packing everything. These products ensure you have all that's required to enjoy your spread.

Rurality wicker picnic basket with lid and handle
A traditional wicker basket gives off a "vintage old-school picnic vibe," and this charming version comes with a classic red and white gingham liner, said Travel and Leisure. It's "sturdy" and roomy enough for all your essentials, plus the top of the basket is a "great table-like surface" when you are ready to dig in. ($36, Amazon)

Scuddles extra-large picnic blanket
There's room for everyone on this "substantial and durable" layered blanket, said The Strategist. Its wipeable waterproof plastic bottom and soft acrylic top work for "both grass and sand," and the "unusually sturdy" handle makes it easy to carry the blanket along with your other picnic accoutrements. ($28, Amazon)

Vitever salad dressing to-go containers
Bulky condiment bottles are heavy and can spill in the basket, ruining a picnic before it begins. Instead, put dressings, dips and jams in these 1.6-ounce stainless steel cups for a "mess-free" experience, said Food & Wine. There are six in a set, each with a different colored "tight-fitting" lid to prevent "leaking in transit." ($8, Amazon)

Poll watch

Over four in 10 Americans (44%) are unwilling to date someone with opposing views on transgender rights, according to a YouGov survey. The poll of 1,109 adults found this is the topic about which most people are unwilling to date someone with conflicting views, though 17% say they are somewhat willing to vote for someone with opposing views on transgender rights.

INSTANT OPINION

Today's best commentary

'Stock ownership is what really divides Americans'
Matthew Walther at The New York Times
The "greatest division in American life" is "between those who own stock and those who do not," says Matthew Walther. For "those who do, economic security can be measured in portfolio statements; the rest, roughly 40% of Americans, must make do with such antiquated metrics as the cost of housing or even the price of eggs." The result is a "kind of ideological capture in which any policy that does not serve the immediate interests of shareholders is dismissed."

'Why not attend your own funeral?'
Daniel Pink at The Washington Post
The "dramatic possibilities of attending your own funeral have made it a staple of storytelling," says Daniel Pink. No, "life (and death) is imitating art." Much as they have done for "weddings, divorces and cohabitation, baby boomers are seeking to do death their way." Living celebrations "afford the dying person a rare measure of control over their final days, a chance to find clarity and peace amid uncertainty," and can be "less burdensome, logistically and emotionally, for families."

'How the euro can replace the dollar'
Ryan Cooper at The American Prospect
Something "odd is happening amid the great market instability touched off by Trump's lunatic tariff announcements," says Ryan Cooper. The dollar is "falling against other currencies, and interest rates on American debt are increasing." The EU "just might have a once-in-a-century opportunity to provide that stability and security to governments and investors and swipe some or all of the dollar's status." But this will "require permanently ditching the traditional European allergy to debt and printing money."

WORD OF THE DAY

fachaleco

A Spanish compound word of "facha" ("fascist") and "chaleco" ("vest") describing the vest typically worn by a man in finance who "quite certainly loathes the socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, likes laissez-faire economics, dislikes illegal immigration and strongly disapproves of Catalan separatism," said the Financial Times — picture the American "finance bro" Patagonia vest.

Why won't Apple make iPhones in the US?