WASHINGTON — As all eyes are on Seattle, Belgian fans will gather not far from the source of the day’s real intrigue — the White House — for tonight’s match.
Staffers from the Belgian Embassy will be at Wunder Garten, a trendy outdoor beer garden in the city’s NoMa neighborhood, ringing in the game with drink specials and prize giveaways. They’ll take in a game dripping in controversy — after FIFA’s decision Sunday to revoke American striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension from the match.
Critics charge that the decision was steered by the White House. POLITICO will be on
For the third year in a row, I packed a bag and headed to New Orleans for the ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Going solo has become my tradition, and this year gave me every reason to keep it.
I walked into the Convention Center on Friday and felt it right away. Longer lines. More people. A charge in the air. The vibes were there. You feel excited, ready to celebrate, and eager to get into the magic of the moment. I got in later than planned, the way I always seem to, but I still made my rounds. The crowd was thriving, and I was so happy to be back, a delight I feel every time the festival starts.
Friday belonged to the ladies.
I came early Friday night for one thing: the conversation between Michelle Obama and Keke Palmer. We all love our forever First Lady, and both women are Chicago natives. So, as a Black woman from the South Side of Chicago, sitting in that seat to witness them talk about style, self-image, and her book The Look meant something I did not expect to feel. As a BeautyCon VIP, I even walked away with a copy of the book. Some moments you plan for. But the giddiness I felt during this experience still caught me by surprise.
Then the women took the stage. I had upgraded to VIP suite seats this year, with complimentary drinks, dinner, and comfortable club seating. Latto, Kehlani, and Cardi B all took over the stage and brought the party. That lineup pulled out a specific kind of crowd, and it was fun, loud, and exactly what it needed to be to kickoff the concert series experiences.
Saturday mornings are for BeautyCon.
I always save my visit to BeautyCon for Saturday morning. It is my favorite part of the daytime floor, and as a girl who loves all things beauty, I could spend a whole day there. This year, I bought a BeautyCon VIP ticket for the Luxe Lounge and to get ahead of the lines. The goodie bag we were given did not disappoint.
Canvas Beauty was one of my favorite activations. I learned the story behind its founder, Stormi Steele, and the people working the booth were as warm as the brand itself. Her Fantasy Box is another I look forward to experiencing in person every year. I made my rounds to SheaMoisture for the Sheaversity photo moment, and to Bask & Lather, Black Girl Vitamins, Camille Rose, and Mielle Organics.
At the Always booth in Unbothered and Well, I got my picture taken and fell into a full conversation with the photographer, who turned out to be from Chicago, like me. That is the thing about this festival. You can talk to anyone and make a new friend. I also stood in the long Disney line for my Mickey Mouse ears, and the big kid in me loved every second of the experience.
The floor is not just booths and swag, though. I caught the main stage conversations too, including chief curator Teyana Taylor with Daniel Kaluuya and Coco Gilbert, and a lively session with Loren Lorosa, DJ Envy, and others.
Courtesy of Kachelle Pratcher
Saturday night, the whole Dome was singing.
I splurged on seats up close so I could see Brandy and Monica in person. But the moment I keep coming back to is the one that happened right next to me, not on stage. To my left was a woman from California, older than me, whom I talked to all night, and she adopted me as her daughter for the evening. When Babyface came on, she took her shoes off and handed me her bag to hold so she could really get into it. She sang and partied her heart out. To my right was a woman who told me about her whole history with Brandy, how long she had been a fan, and how much those songs meant to her.
That is what ESSENCE Fest does. So many generations, all in one room, all there for their own reasons, all having a good time. Women of every age letting go at once.
The concerts ran a little late on Saturday, ending around 2 a.m., so by Sunday, I was too worn out to do much. But that is the beauty of going solo. You pick what you want to do and when you want to do it, and I was not leaving before Brandy and Monica finished.
Going solo does not mean going without.
Let me say this plainly for any woman weighing the idea of doing this event, or any big festival or conference, alone. Going solo does not mean scary. It does not mean intimidating. It does not mean you miss out.
ESSENCE Festival has always been a community, a space where Black women show up and instantly feel connected. You feel the love. You feel like you belong, no matter who you walk in with. The woman on my left, who called me her daughter. The woman on my right, who loves Brandy. The photographer from home. Everyone here is that welcoming, and the city is easier to navigate alone than you would think. Someone will always help you find your way.
So I keep showing up. If my friends can’t make it, that’s okay. I’ll make friends there, as the atmosphere, energy, and joy always invite it. Any woman thinking about doing this on her own: you can. ESSENCE Festival is the perfect place to start.
Ariana Grande’s ex-boyfriend is still very much in the picture … ’cause Ricky Alvarez joined her for a Fourth of July grocery run before the pair headed to her parents’ house for the holiday. Ariana and Ricky hit up Whole Foods in Florida…
This is the July 6, 2026, edition of “The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe” newsletter.Subscribe hereto get it delivered straight to your inbox every Monday through Friday.
ON THE GROUND IN TURKEY
Ines de La Cuetara is reporting live today from Ankara, where leaders from all 32 NATO nations are gathering for a high-stakes two-day summit. Here’s what she’s watching:
The 5% report card. It was a big win for Donald Trump last year when he got allies to commit to spending 5% of their GDP on defense. This year, you’re going to see allies trying to prove they’re doing just that.
It’s been a persistent point of frustration for the president. Just last week on Truth Social, he called it “ridiculous” for the U.S. to maintain its relationship with NATO, describing the alliance as one-sided because members didn’t show up for America in its war with Iran.
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker previewed the president’s message in a briefing with reporters: Trump is going to get allies on the road to 5% — and he’s going to do it with urgency.
Ukraine, front and center. Trump has said he wants to resolve the situation in Ukraine now that he feels he’s made progress on Iran. He spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the weekend — a conversation Zelenskyy called “very good” — and separately with Russia’s Vladimir Putin for roughly 90 minutes. Trump and Zelenskyy will meet face-to-face here on Wednesday.
Russia’s message, delivered in missiles. This diplomacy comes as Russia ramps up its air attacks on Ukraine. Overnight, 68 missiles and 350 drones were fired at the Kyiv region, killing at least 21 people and wounding more than 100.
That’s no coincidence. The same thing happened on the eve of the Group of Seven summit last month. Russia is clearly trying to send the message that it still has the upper hand — and to counter the narrative that it’s not doing so well on the battlefield.
The awkward handshake. Trump and Giorgia Meloni will meet in person for the first time since the American president claimed the Italian prime minister “begged” him for a photo at the G7 — a story Meloni says he fabricated. Over the weekend, the U.S. president goaded her again, posting a photo of Meloni gazing up at him with the caption: “RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED.”
Rome, for its part, is trying to stay above it — “people come and go,” Italy’s defense minister said Monday, “but relationships remain.”
Source: Gallup poll of 1,000 Ukrainians age 15 and above, conducted annually between 2014 and 2026. Margin of error: ±3.8 percentage points
ON THIS DATE
On July 6, 1957, Althea Gibson beat Darlene Hard 6-3, 6-2 to become the first African American to win Wimbledon — accepting the trophy from Queen Elizabeth II.
Express/Archive Photos/Getty Images
WHAT THEY SAID
David Rohde on the NATO summit
“Donald Trump is tough on Europe, easy on Putin. It’s a complete misreading of European domestic politics — to the point that it’s political suicide for European leaders like Giorgia Melonito cooperate in any way with Trump. He’s so incredibly unpopular in Europe right now.”
Elise Jordan on troops at the Lincoln Memorial
“Now the National Guard and federal law enforcement are monitoring who’s touching the reflecting pool — that’s the level we’re at for this national security state apparatus that Trump has built.”
David Ignatius on the Trump family’s finances
“Trump has been a magician in turning his life as a billionaire into his life as a populist speaking for the average guy. But I sense a growing anger that this is a corrupt, self-dealing administration that treats the public’s property as if it belongs to the president.”
Roger Bennett on Team USA at the World Cup
“Folarin Balogun shouldn’t have been sent off, but this is not how football works. He should have sat the ban. It’s the right outcome, but a completely wrong process. We didn’t need this — we’re a good football team, but for the rest of the tournament, there’s going to be an asterisk against every achievement.”
ONE LAST SHOT
Natalie Sanders/MS NOW; Julian Finney – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
England’s Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring the opening goal against Mexico in the World Cup round of 16 last night.
We’re begging Duffy for mercy … because she’s back and looking amazing after disappearing for over a decade. The Grammy winner hit the stage for the first time in 15 years on Sunday, performing an hour-long show at Hoxton Hall in east London.…
President Trump says he did not know what a red card in soccer meant before one was handed to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun last week before later being retracted in a highly controversial move that has brought worldwide scrutiny to the North American FIFA World Cup. “I asked for a review because I didn’t think…
Hamas on Monday announced the dissolution of the body that has governed the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades as the militant group prepares to hand over power to a technocratic committee backed by President Donald Trump.
President Trump said on Monday his call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino spurred the soccer organization’s review into U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red card, which led to the overturning of the decision. “When they take your best player, or just about, they have some great players, and they say you can’t play, that’s very unfair….
The Democratic Party needs to offer practical solutions to the problems facing the American people, and should distance itself from the idea of socialism and embrace a Nordic model of free markets and robust social programs.
