Gen Z’s gender divide and Trump pads JD Vance’s political fund: Morning Rundown

Gender divides within adults ages 18 to 29 show up in questions ranging from how Americans feel about President Donald Trump to their views on what constitutes success. Young men and women also feel very different about mental health, cultural issues and questions about gender and the workplace. Here’s what we learned:

→ White House report card: Among Gen Z overall, 64% disapprove of Trump’s job performance versus 36% who approve. But young men are more evenly split (53% disapprove, 47% approve) than young women (74% disapprove, 26% approve).

→ Immigration: This is the biggest Gen Z gender split, where 45% of young men approve of the way Trump is handling deportation and immigration, compared to just 21% of young women.

→ The anxious generation: High level of anxiety about the future is largely driven by young women. One-third of young women said they feel anxious “almost all of the time.” In contrast, just under 2 in 10 Gen Z men reported the same.

→ When I grow up: Gen Z men and women both ranked the same three things as the most important to them in defining success: having a fulfilling job, having money to do the things they want to do and achieving financial independence. But Gen Z women ranked having emotional stability higher than their counterparts.

→ Having kids: Gen Z men who voted for Trump rate having children as the most important thing in their personal definition of success. Gen Z women who voted for Harris ranked it second to last.

Read the full story here.

More politics news:

• Poll: Trump’s job ratings stay negative while Americans express strong support for vaccines.

• Poll: National majorities of both Democrats and Republicans prefer nonpartisan commissions to run redistricting.

• Trump issued what he called his “last warning” to Hamas, urging it to accept a deal to release hostages from Gaza.

• A decadeslong peace vigil outside the White House was dismantled after an order related to the clearing of homeless encampments in D.C.

Trump hasn’t officially endorsed JD Vance for 2028, but he’s helping pad his political fund

As Trump continues to stockpile cash to exert his influence in next year’s midterm elections and beyond, he’s sharing a notable sum of money with Vice President JD Vance.

Many of Trump’s recent fundraising emails, as well as the donation button on his official website, direct contributors to make donations that send 5% of the total to Vance’s PAC, Working for Ohio. The setup netted the former Ohio senator’s committee $245,000 in May and June alone, according to a campaign finance disclosure.

Vance is widely seen as the front-runner in the fight for the Republican nomination in 2028, though the president has been careful not to endorse him. Still, the donation arrangement gives the vice president helpful insight for a future campaign, including valuable data about active Trump donors. Vance’s team can also use the funds to pay advisers, stage events that promote hi,m and cover other overhead costs, allowing him to focus efforts elsewhere.

Read more here.

The president wants to influence New York’s mayoral race. It’s not working.

Trump and his allies are eager to consolidate the mayoral field in New York from three candidates to a one-on-one fight against Zohran Mamdani. It’s the president’s latest attempt to influence the affairs of U.S. cities, this time with the goal of defeating who he considers to be a “communist.”

“I would like to see two people drop out and have it be one on one. I think that’s a race that could be won,” Trump said.

It’s reported that close presidential advisers have contemplated how to get both New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Republican Curtis Sliwa to abandon their bids, including by offering them jobs at the Trump administration. Complicating matters: Neither one is interested.

After reports about the plan, Sliwa said that he is “committed to carrying this fight through to Election Day.” His team then announced the opening of new campaign offices in Brooklyn. And last week, Adams indicated he was staying in the race in a blistering statement where he referred to his opponents as “spoiled brats.”

Read the full story here.

Missed NFL Sunday? Here’s what to know after Week 1.

The NFL is back, and week one was packed with blowout losses (Colts beat the Dolphins 33-8) and unexpected retirements (condolences to anyone who had Amari Cooper on their fantasy roster).

When it comes to epic showdowns, last night’s game between the Bills and Ravens could become one of the season’s best. In a stunning comeback, Buffalo overcame a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Baltimore 41-40.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, running back Derrick Henry and receiver Zay Flowers took turns dominating Buffalo’s defense for yards and points. They had a 40-25 lead at the end of the third quarter, prompting some Bills fans to even lead the stadium. But a late fumble by Henry gave Buffalo an opportunity that ultimately led to their narrow win.

An MVP and Super Bowl rivalry remains between Jackson and Josh Allen, who both seem to have eclipsed Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. In just this first week, Mahomes is already trailing both Allen and Jackson in touchdowns and passer rating. It could be the year the Bills or Ravens break through the AFC.

In case you missed it:

• Lamar Jackson shoved a Buffalo Bills fan in retaliation in the third quarter of Sunday night’s matchup between the two teams.

‘Mayhem’ and millennial nostalgia defined the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards

It was a star studded night in New York’s UBS Arena as LL Cool J hosted the 2025 VMAs. Music royalty sported feathers, sequins and lace outfits down the red carpet before Doja Cat and Kenny G opened the ceremony.

Lady Gaga, who won four awards, took home artist of the year before trekking to Madison Square Garden for her Mayhem Ball tour. The VMAs also featured a performance of the artist that was taped at MSG. Ariana Grande snagged three awards, including the coveted video of the year honor for“Brighter Days Ahead.”

Millennial nostalgia dominated this year’s show, with performances by Ricky Martin, Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey, who all also took home awards. And the evening closed with both a fiery and heartfelt tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, led by the late-singer’s family as well as members of Aerosmith, YUNGBLUD and Nuno Bettencourt.

Read the full recap here.

Read All About It

• Two gunmen opened fire at a Jerusalem bus stop, killing five people and critically injuring seven others, emergency services said.
• The South Korean government said it was helping its citizens return voluntarily from the United States after they were detained in an immigration raid on a Hyundai facility in Georgia.

• Pope Leo XIV declared the late teenager Carlo Acutis the first millennial saint at an open-air Mass attended by tens of thousands of people in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square.

• The fate of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia hangs in the balance of stalled ceasefire talks.

• Carlos Alcaraz, beat Jannik Sinner for his second U.S. Open trophy after the game was delayed by Trump’s attendance — prompting boos from the audience.

Staff Pick: Cleansed, toned taxed: How the end of a tariff exemption is impacting Korean beauty

What’s a girl gotta do to get her SPF? Skin care junkies are seeing orders of beloved Korean cleansing oils, snail mucin and sunscreens famously more protective than what are available in the U.S. jump in price when they try to check out their carts.

It’s because the Trump administration recently closed the de minimis exemption, a tariff-free loophole on lower-priced packages. Now these items are being slapped with their country’s assigned tariffs — 15% for Korea, for example.

Just ask Mackenzie Knight, 35, from San Jose. She bought $100 worth of Beauty of Joseon products last month. Five days later, she received a $20 tariff bill. She had five days to pay up, the notice said, or her order would be returned.

Congress had planned to remove the tariff exemption for all countries in July 2027, but Trump signed an executive order expediting the end date to Aug. 29. Japanese beauty fan Santiago Vance said it feels like another way “normal people” can’t catch a break.

— Jessica Prois, Editorial Director, NBC Asian America

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Quick word of advice: If you see one rodent, chances are there are many more. The NBC Select team found the best mouse traps to help catch any critters. Plus, an NBC Select staff writer tested the Ultrahuman ring for months to see how it compares to the Oura ring.

Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.

Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Kayla Hayempour. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here.