Good afternoon from Washington, where this week Charli xcx’s “Party 4 U” boomed out from the speakers at the Politico Security Summit, sponsored by Lockheed Martin.
First up, some exciting news: Vanity Fair’s inaugural global Sports Issue is here and boasts three covers: Carlos Alcaraz, Kylian Mbappé, and A’ja Wilson. It’s bursting with brilliant sports coverage and sizzling visuals, so make sure to pick up a physical copy when it lands in stores later this month.
I had the pleasure of profiling Mbappé, the star forward who is set to lead France into the World Cup as captain. We spoke this spring at a precarious time in his career: He’s considered by many to be the best footballer in the world, but he’s had two up-and-down seasons at Real Madrid and is facing the wrath of the club’s tempestuous fan base.
In person, he’s remarkably relaxed and thoughtful. Interviews with sports stars can be tedious: ask them a tricky question, and you’ll get a nonanswer that swiftly pivots to the next big match, which is what they are really focused on. But Mbappé responds to thorny propositions—about politics, race, and identity—head-on.
It helps to explain how he became, at such a young age, a leading voice for France on the world stage, and why the print edition of our story bears this headline: “The French Ambassador.”
But his comments on the political climate have nonetheless caused a major row in his home country. The leaders of the far right have attacked France’s captain this week while using the interview to elevate their party, the Rassemblement National.
All of it has sparked a furious debate, now playing out in France’s newspapers and on talk shows, about whether sports stars should speak out about politics. You can read Mbappé’s views on that here.
Back in Washington, as Donald Trump’s approval ratings continue to slouch toward the basement and his political operation panics over the midterm elections, folks are reckoning with the unthinkable: Trump is losing his grip on evangelicals. New polling on the group spells trouble for Trump, and his pastor backers find themselves defending a giant new golden statue of him, which they assured me is not a breach of the Second Commandment.
Plus: Kari Lake has finally gotten a new job, while Democrats are starting to panic about the California governor’s race.
Also mentioned in this issue: Xavier Becerra, Sean Duffy, Rachel Campos-Duffy, Mark Burns, Robert Jeffress, Donald Trump Jr., Mike Lawler, Sebastian Gorka, Ben Shapiro, Rand Paul, Eric Trump, Harry Enten, and more.
Got tips? Hit the Party Animals hotline: aidan_mclaughlin@condenast.com. Or text me—my personal number is 917-817-8266. Complaints will be relayed to athletes who shut up and dribble. Praise will be printed over a particularly sultry photo of Carlos Alcaraz.
