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Jun 15, 2026

Jun 15, 2026

The United States is preparing to mark 250 years since its founding, a milestone often framed as a celebration of democracy, freedom and national promise. But Eddie Glaude Jr. argues that America’s anniversaries have always been shadowed by a deeper contradiction. Geoff Bennett sat down with Glaude to discuss his new book, "America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation's Anniversaries."....

Geoff Bennett:

On that point, one of the central arguments of this book is that the country suffers from a double consciousness. How does this formulation differ from Du Bois' original form of that idea?

Eddie Glaude Jr.:

Yes. So, that's a great question. So Du Bois in 1903 wrote "The Souls of Black Folk."

And he says that Black folks see themselves through the eyes of those who despise them. We are American and we're African, right? And this -- that doubleness has this impact on how we live our lives. Well, I think double consciousness is -- that Du Bois describes to us is actually a consequence of the double consciousness of the nation.

America imagines itself as a beacon of freedom and as a white republic. And you can't hold those two commitments together at once without contradiction, without depositing a kind of madness at the heart of the country. And that's been present from the founding.

And it's this madness that leads to the cycle that returns over and over again that we have to navigate....

Eddie Glaude Jr.:

In the book, I resist this question in a way, because it's the typical American question. You describe the problem. We talk about the way in which race works and sentimentality kicks in. We cry our crocodile tears, white rage kicks in, and then we give the policy blueprint, this is what we need to do in order to move forward.

And it's a ritual to make us think we're trying to be better.

Geoff Bennett:

Well, we saw that after the police killing of George Floyd.

Eddie Glaude Jr.:

And then, in a blink of an eye, here we are.

Geoff Bennett:

Was it because the solutions were so symbolic and performative?

Eddie Glaude Jr.:

On one level. That's what sentimentality is. Sentimentality proceeds from the assumption that freedom is my possession, is your possession, white folks' possession, more specifically, to give and to take away.

So it's sentimentality that drives it. What can I do for you, not with you, not a fundamental change. And when those folks who are the object of charity continue to push back, wanting justice, then rage kicks in. You get the question, what more do you want? You get the claim, this is overreach.

Jun 15, 2026

For the first time in more than 25 years, the FDA has approved a new active ingredient for over-the-counter sunscreens. It clears the way for manufacturers to begin using bemotrizinol, or BEMT, an ingredient that's been used in Europe and Asia since the 1990s. Amna Nawaz discussed why this change took so long and what people should know about it with dermatologist Dr. Rachel Nazarian....

Amna Nawaz:

So why did it take that long to get to the U.S. market? If it's something that's being used in other countries for so long, why did that take so long to get here in the States?

Dr. Rachel Nazarian:

It's a really good question and it's one that we were asking ourselves at the American Academy of Dermatology. And I have to tell you, in some ways, it's good, right? Because in this country, we want to make sure something is really safe before we offer it to the American consumer.

But some of what they were requiring for the legislation here in the U.S. to approve it was a little bit tedious. We didn't have to reinvent the wheel if this is something that was being used internationally and known to be safe.

Jun 15, 2026

In our news wrap Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom says the Trump administration is using the Justice Department to investigate him and his wife, the U.S. military says a B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed shortly after takeoff in California's Mojave Desert and the British government announced a sweeping social media ban today for teenagers under 16.

William Brangham:

In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says at least 11 people were killed and more than 50 others injured by Russian attacks overnight. In Kyiv, explosions could be heard as strikes hit a number of apartment buildings. A cathedral in one of the city's most revered religious sites was also set ablaze.

It's part of an 11th century monastery complex, which is one of the most sacred landmarks in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The head of the complex called for those responsible to be -- quote -- "condemned forever."

Maksym Ostapenko, Director General, Kyiv Pechersk-Lavra Complex (through translator):

This is one of the most renowned examples of Ukraine's cultural and historical heritage that Russia is targeting precisely to destroy it. In doing so, it is not only destroying Ukrainian heritage, but also world heritage, posing a challenge to the entire world....

William Brangham:

And Abdullah Ibrahim, the world-renowned South African jazz pianist, has died. His song "Mannenberg" is considered an unofficial anthem of his country's fight against apartheid. Ibrahim famously played at the 1994 inauguration of Nelson Mandela, who called him -- quote -- "our Mozart."

Known as Dollar Brand before converting to Islam in the 1960s, Ibrahim's career spanned eight decades. He recorded more than 70 albums and worked with legends like Duke Ellington. In 2019, he was named a jazz master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Jun 15, 2026

Where does the Iran deal leave U.S.- Israeli relations and the relationship between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu? William Brangham discussed that with Aaron David Miller. He’s served in both Democratic and Republican administrations and is now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace....

Aaron David Miller:

It's not just from an Israeli point of view. This was a war of choice. And I worked and voted for Republicans and Democrats. This is a war of choice in which the administration overestimated its own capacity and underestimated the capacity of its adversary.

And as a consequence, this war of choice is leading to what I would describe to you as a flawed -- I won't just -- I will say "peace" in quotes -- a flawed peace of necessity. Iran is not going to sever its relations with its proxies. There aren't going to be any restrictions on ballistic missiles.

Jun 15, 2026

President Trump says the U.S. and Iran have reached an initial agreement to end the war, the first steps in a deal with the regime. That agreement appears to include a ceasefire in Israeli strikes. But that country’s defense minister says forces will not withdraw from Lebanon. As Stephanie Sy reports, Israelis say they’re caught in the middle of a bad deal and constant fighting....

AVIV TATARSKY, Jerusalem Resident:

Jun 15, 2026

The United States and Iran appear closer to extending their shaky ceasefire after both sides electronically signed a memorandum that aims to end the war. But key questions remain ahead of its official signing later this week. The deal was center stage in France on Monday, where President Trump joined other world leaders for the G7 summit. Liz Landers reports....

Liz Landers:

Still, news of the deal brought hope to more than the one million people in Southern Lebanon, whose lives have been uprooted by the fighting.

Today, for the first time in months, some families returned to where their homes once stood, devastated, but at the same time anxious to rebuild.

Ali Haydar, Nabatiyeh, Lebanon, Resident (through interpreter):

This used to be our home, our childhood home, where we grew up, and now it's gone. At the end of the day, this is our country, and we must return, even if it's destroyed. We will return to rubble and sand. It's better than being displaced....

Liz Landers:

One of the fighters though, sort of drummed up controversy with some inappropriate and offensive comments about the former first lady Michelle Obama, saying that -- quote -- "She was a man."

He presented President Trump with a chain -- this was Josh Hokit -- and then said these comments shortly after. Dana White, the head of UFC, was asked about this by "TIME" magazine.

And he said in a text message: "I understand that the Obamas are public figures, but I'm completely against saying nasty and false things about people's families. Everyone knows my position on free speech, but I hate that kind of nonsense."