Gutting Hollywood, A “Green Fee,” & The Met Gala

May 6, 2025

Hello, readers – happy Tuesday! Today, we’ll be talking about the Middle East, Trump’s tariffs on Hollywood, Romania’s elections, a deal between the U.S. and Rwanda, Hawaii’s “green fee,” two lawsuits, and the Met Gala.

Here’s some good news: Per one of his final wishes, one of Pope Francis’s “popemobiles” is being transformed into a mobile healthcare unit for children and sent to the Gaza Strip. Also, a Kenyan clothing company is creating a fashion line that aims to address the needs of blind and visually impaired people.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Bibi’s Big Blueprint

Israel is going straight for the jugular. Yesterday, Israel’s Security Cabinet unanimously approved a plan for the IDF to establish control over the entirety of the Gaza Strip. The plan involves calling up tens of thousands of IDF reservists, using the military to sweep through and control the entire enclave, and relocating Gaza’s starving population to camps near the enclave’s southern border with Egypt. The Israelis hope that the IDF maintaining control over the entirety of Gaza will help the military eradicate Hamas – up until now, the IDF has only maintained control of roughly one third of the enclave. A growing portion of Israeli reservists have been refusing to participate in the military’s Gaza campaign, and one father of a hostage still being held by Hamas has called on soldiers “not to report for reserve duty for moral and ethical reasons.”

In Gaza right now, it’s been over 60 days since Israel established its full blockade of the enclave. According to the U.N., a majority of Gazans are facing “emergency” or “catastrophic” levels of food insecurity, and medical supplies are running dangerously low. Fuel is also running out, meaning desalination plants and ambulances are being forced out of operation. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 52,000 Gazans have been killed in the conflict and siege thus far.

Hollywood’s Bleeding, Trump Isn’t Helping

The riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma in the White House dropped another puzzler on Sunday when President Trump announced that he would impose 100% tariffs on “any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands,” claiming that “Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States.” Apparently, in his words, those incentives are “a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat.”

The vast majority of American movies are actually produced in the U.S., though they’re increasingly being filmed in other countries where getting cameras rolling is cheaper – this has put thousands of U.S. film workers out of a job over the past few years.

In response to the tariff announcement, U.S. entertainment stocks tumbled on Monday, with production companies like Lionsgate Studios and Netflix falling by -5.8% and -1.3%, respectively. A White House spokesperson attempted to walk back his boss’s talking point yesterday, declaring that “no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made.”

Romania’s Right Wing Rises

(Marcel Ciolacu by Daniel Mihailescu via Getty Images)

On Sunday, ultranationalist candidate George Simion won the first round of voting in Romania’s presidential election, prompting celebrations from right-wingers across Europe. Simion won 40.96% of the vote in the weekend’s election, more than doubling the ballots cast for centrist candidate Nicușor Dan. Simion and Dan are set to compete in a second round of voting on May 18. Simion’s success comes on the back of his MAGA-style socially conservative talking points. The candidate has proposed the “Melonisation” of Romania, referring to fellow far-right leader of Italy, Georgia Meloni.
Following Simion’s sweeping victory on Sunday, sitting Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu announced his resignation yesterday, saying that the current ruling pro-Western coalition “has no legitimacy.” The coalition is a big-tent movement that includes Ciocalu’s left-wing party, a center-right group, and various minority representation groups, which all banded together to support Crin Antonescu, a presidential candidate who came in third place on Sunday.

Visit Rwanda? Or Deport To Rwanda?

Apparently, the U.S.’s search for places to deport people to has gone worldwide. Over the weekend, Rwanda’s foreign affairs minister announced that his country was in “early stage” talks with the Trump White House about a program to send migrants deported from the U.S. to Rwanda. The talks have developed as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio broadcast that Washington was “actively searching” for places to send “some of the most despicable human beings” last month.
You might remember Rwanda’s participation in a similar deportation setup with the U.K. a few years ago – the country was planning to ship illegal immigrants or asylum seekers to Rwanda for holding and resettlement, and even those granted asylum would have to stay in the East African nation. When Kier Starmer’s Labour Party came to power last year, he cancelled the plan, though apparently Rwanda still wants to become a deportation destination. Most countries would prefer to be tourist destinations, but to each their own…

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Paying Up In Paradise

Hawaii lawmakers have passed a so-called “green fee,” a first-of-its-kind tax that adds a 0.75% levy to the state’s existing tax on hotel rooms, timeshares, vacation rentals, and other short-term accommodations and imposes an 11% tax on cruise ship bills. Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually.
The measure passed by wide margins, and officials say the money will be used for projects like replenishing sand on eroding Waikiki beaches, promoting the use of hurricane clips to secure roofs during powerful storms, and clearing flammable invasive grasses.

Getting The Wind Back In Their Sails

Speaking of green efforts, a group of 18 Democratic state attorneys general sued on Monday to block President Trump’s decision to suspend leasing and permitting of new wind projects. “This administration is devastating one of our nation’s fastest-growing sources of clean, reliable and affordable energy,” New York A.G. Letitia James said.
Also, attorneys general in 20 states are challenging cuts to Health and Human Services (HHS). The coalition says the Trump administration’s restructuring has destroyed life-saving programs and left states to pick up the financial pieces. RFK Jr. has cut more than 10,000 employees and collapsed 28 agencies into 15.

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The Met Gala Makes The Most

This year’s Met Gala took place last night, but the event was a runaway success before the stars even hit the red carpet. The gala raised a record amount of money – $31 million – in the lead-up to the event, which will help fund the Met’s Costume Institute until next year’s fundraiser.
Each year, the Met Gala has a theme. This year’s was “Tailored For You” in a nod to the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, itself titled “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” The exhibit explores Black fashion and Black dandyism, a fashion movement that’s centered around uniquely styled tailored suits.
On the red carpet, Zendaya stopped the show with an all-white suit; Teyana Taylor’s outfit was giving more pirate than zoot suit; Priyanka Chopra arrived in a massive brimmed hat; Bad Bunny sported a kiss curl and a massive Prada bag; and Diana Ross’ feathery hat and gown took an entire crew to help her maneuver into the venue (while still looking great).

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