Daily Skimm

Quote of the Day

"We don’t regard what we write as trivial"

–– A Jeopardy! exec revealed the one word that could cost aspiring clue writers the job. We'll take "career-ending nouns" for $400.

Pete Hegseth announces plans to test military testosterone levels.

Testing, testing...

Mission: Testosterone

What’s going on: As the US military conflict in Iran enters its fifth month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has laid out his strategy… for hormone testing. Hegseth announced Wednesday that he will mandate service members ages 30 and older — women included — to have their testosterone levels checked. Anyone who is deficient will be offered voluntary hormone treatment. It’s a head-scratching initiative to focus on while troops are at war, but it’s also completely on brand for Hegseth, who has pushed to create a more manly military. See also: Renaming the Defense Department the "Department of War" and challenging Fox News hosts to push-up contests. Hegseth said "our most decisive tactical advantage will always be the individual warfighter" and that he aims to give his troops the "biological foundation required to sustain the fight."

Getting testy: Hegseth has already blocked promotions for military women, removed high-ranking female officers, and said women shouldn’t be in combat roles, so points for consistency? There’s much to this mandate that is still unknown — like how much it will cost taxpayers and what counts as “low” testosterone. Testosterone naturally declines with age (and has been linked to loss of muscle mass and fatigue), but medical organizations don’t agree on a single threshold for deficiency. Potentially more confusing is how this will affect female troops. Men produce testosterone at levels 10 to 20 times as high and there isn’t an FDA approved testosterone replacement therapy for women. Medical experts also note that it’s not a “more is better” hormone, and a wide range of testosterone levels are considered “normal.” As one professor of medicine told The Washington Post, “This is non-evidence-based and could cause harm.”

Related: President Trump Wants To Sell His Truth Social Posts to Who? (NBC News)

The News in 5

🗞️ A year after devastating floods killed 25 girls, two teen counselors, and the director of Camp Mystic, Texas Hill Country has been hit by catastrophic floodwaters again.

🗞️ Wildfire smoke from Canada is spreading throughout large parts of the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic US. Here’s when experts say it will end in each region.

🗞️ New audio from the day 18-year-old Nolan Wells went missing in Mississippi includes his friends calling a towing company for help with a boat malfunction.

🗞️ This seems to be the hardest question for cabinet nominees to answer, and Democrats can’t stop asking it.

🗞️ President Donald Trump will build a very 5-year-old-boy-coded add-on at the White House... without approval. What’s next, a trampoline park?

✴︎

In Our Rotation

Today’s budgeting hack? This impressive credit card offer. It includes a long no-interest period on purchases and balance transfers, 5% cash-back rewards, no annual fee, and a $200 bonus.*

This digital calendar color-codes each family member's schedule, so you'll never miss that recital, practice, or doctor's appointment. Use code SKIMM30 for $30 off.

Keep scrolling...more recs below

Finances

The Stay-At-Home Prenup

What's going on: Everyone is talking about Strangers this summer, and we’ve all heard horror stories of stay-at-home moms who got divorced... but didn't have Belle Burden's millions to cushion the financial blow. According to The Wall Street Journal, divorce attorneys are seeing a rise in the “leaving the workforce” trigger: prenup protections that kick in if one spouse (and, let’s be real, if it’s a hetero couple, it’s still almost always the mom) steps back from their career to take care of the kids. In fact, family lawyers told The Independent that around one in four prenups now includes such a clause. There’s no default standard just yet: Some take the SAHP’s salary prior to leaving the workforce and then add cost-of-living raises to calculate the hypothetical payout, while others have the working spouse deposit a percentage of their salary into a kind of “In Case of Divorce” investment account. Whatever the specifics, the goal is the same: solving for the motherhood penalty.

Sign here: American women now make at least as much as their partners in nearly half of marriages, but their income declines at almost twice the rate as men’s after a divorce — in part because women are much more likely to become stay-at-home parents, which kneecaps their earning potential after a breakup. Even if you get a 50/50 split of existing assets in a divorce, that doesn't account for the earning power a SAHP sacrificed to do the unpaid labor of caring for the kids and supporting their partner's career. For many, that means it’s only smart to protect yourself — and that's leading to a wider de-stigmatization of the prenup. One survey found that more than 40% of millennials and Gen Zers who'd ever been engaged or married said they’d signed a prenup, which is more than twice the national average. And if you don't believe us, pull up TikTok, search “prenup,” and tell them we sent you.

Related: Meet the Fairy Godmother of Divorce Registries (Oprah Daily)

World Cup

One More for the (Country) Roads

Say it ain’t so: After 48 teams, 104 matches, and one extremely online summer, the FIFA World Cup somehow ends with the matchup the internet has treated as destiny ever since this now-iconic photo resurfaced. In it, a 20-year-old Lionel Messi is giving a baby a bath for a UNICEF charity calendar. Nearly two decades later, Argentina’s veteran superstar will face that baby, now Spain’s 19-year-old phenom Lamine Yamal, in the finals on Sunday. This time, no bubbles. But the stakes match the lore. Argentina is chasing a second straight title, something no men’s team has done since Brazil in 1962. Spain could win its first since 2010 and finish the tournament unbeaten. It’s one generation against the next, with a very literal passing of the torch potentially waiting at the finish line. Whatever happens, someone better recreate that photo.

Before we say goodbye: Sure, we'll miss the goals. But we'll really miss the group chat they created. Yamal's three-year-old brother, Keyne, stole hearts with his singing and blowing kisses. Or Erling Haaland's all-in American summer — cowboy hats, Shrek jokes, and enough viral content to keep our FYP filled. Who could forget Cape Verde (and their goalkeeper) becoming the internet's people's champion because, per girl math, they won the whole thing. Or Boston's love affair with Scotland's Tartan Army, supertourist Freddy and others embracing what makes us special — wild portions, Walmart, and Buc-ee's. And now we’ll never be taking this for granted again. Finally, while we're still not sure why it became the US men’s team anthem — after one last whistle, it’s time for the country roads to take us home. We'll be recharged and ready when the US women take the stage (and win) next summer.

Related: Erling Haaland Finally Got Back to Tom Holland About That DM (Bleacher Report)

PS: Need to sound off about your favorite athlete? Still don’t understand offsides? Call our Well Played podcast hotline with your thoughts, questions, and concerns at (828) 412-4825, and you might be featured in next week's episode.

Quick Hits

🧬 How much do you actually know about living longer? This quiz humbled us fast.

👶 Anne Hathaway was gifted a custom Odyssey baby outfit on the Today show. It's epic (and adorable).

🧼 Your favorite cleaning hack has a few sworn enemies it shouldn't touch. Your wood furniture is begging you not to use it.

🔴 Before you splurge on that viral red light mask, dermatologists say one detail can make or break your results.

🎵 Wait… this pop star also performed at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding? We’re immediately back in our burned CD era.

🎥 Robert Pattinson couldn't figure out what was happening next door in Matt Damon's trailer. His first guess was… not flattering.

🥤 Your iced coffee routine might be one trick away from tasting way more expensive.

Skimm This

And the winning skimm is…

“The Department of ‘Fine, We’ll Do It Ourselves’ has arrived.”

American Horror Story cast members in NYC

On Tuesday, we asked you to skimm this shot from the American Horror Story season 13 set. Hundreds of submissions came in. Three made the final cut. Now, we reveal the winner.

Congratulations to Emily P. from Los Angeles. You captured 44% of the vote, and this week’s Skimm This crown. Consider the department officially open.

We’ll be back on Tuesday with our next Skimm This. Stay tuned.

On Our Calendar

Friday, July 17

🍿 The Odyssey hits theaters

Director Christopher Nolan takes on the world’s oldest road trip. Zendaya plays a goddess. Matt Damon plays a king who can’t get home. See how it all unfolds.

📆 World Emoji Day

Meet 2026’s favorite newcomer.

Saturday, July 18

⚽ World Cup third-place game

The championship is off the table, but bronze — and millions in prize money — is still up for grabs. The match kicks off in Miami at 5 pm ET, live on FOX.

Sunday, July 19

⚽ World Cup Final

It all comes down to this. Spain and Argentina face off for the title at 3 pm ET live on FOX. Game on.

🎶 World Cup halftime show

Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber coheadline the set, with some reports saying it could run twice as long as it should. Can’t say we’d be disappointed.

🍦 National Ice Cream Day

Scoop up deals at spots like 16 Handles and Baskin-Robbins. Sprinkles optional.

Psst…this is just the preview: Subscribe to theSkimm app and never miss a moment.

✴︎

In Our Rotation

Turns out, you don't need to leave your house to connect with a registered dietitian that's covered by your insurance.

Liven up your desk situation with these adorable glass potted plants.

Psst…love our recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram for more products, gifts, and services that are actually worth the hype (and the price tag).

KNOW IT ALL

Buffalo Wild Wings is adding one very surprising ingredient to its ranch…

Buffalo Wild Wings food on a table in Arlington, VA

A. Pickle juice

B. Protein powder

C. Popping candy

Love solitaire? Then you'll be obsessed with Pile-Up Poker. Climb the leaderboard.

Spotlight on

🥳 Some Birthdays

Ellen Longman (IA), Brandi Colvin (Brazil), Gloria Miao (CA), Maudette Olukotun (GA), Ahmed Elayan (WA), Nilay Panchal (CA), Alysha Dowling (New Zealand), Lorraine Chon-Qui (FL), Christina Persad (Canada), Deb Tien Shahan (MO), Caitlyn Imura (CA), Andrea Le (TX), Amy Ash (AK), Janet Nordin (IA), and Ashley Brehmer (WI)

Can I make it any more obvious?