Game Developers Choice Awards 2025 Names ‘Balatro' Game Of The Year — Complete Winners List
LocalThunk's Balatro, developed by Playstack, was deemed a royal flush as it was crowned Game of the Year at the 25th Game Developers Choice Awards. Handed out on Wednesday at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, Balatro also snagged wins for Best Design, Best Debut and the Innovation Award.
Other winners included Astro Bot, which won Best Audio and Best Technology. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth garnered a win for the Audience Award while the Best Narrative went to Metaphor: ReFantazio. Black Myth: Wukong and Astro Bot came into the ceremony with a leading seven nominations apiece. Baldur's Gate 3 dominated last year's GDC Awards, taking three awards, including Game of the Year.
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This year's Game Developers Choice Awards honored indie developer Lucas Pope known for cult hit puzzle games Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, with the Pioneer Award.
Another honoree also included Remedy Entertainment's creative director Sam Lake, fresh off of numerous industry wins for the critically praised Alan Wake II, with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Reflecting on his three decades in the industry, he offered advice to his fellow gaming peers and developers in training.
'It's important to find your team, your unique voice to stand out and go where your passion takes you. Trust your vision. Be patient with this, but stay true to it and keep pushing forward, but also always be a team player. Always listen to the good ideas from the talented people around you and find ways to incorporate those ideas in a way that compliments your ideas. Hide in as much art as you can get away with. This is your vital secret mission,' the Finnish director continued. 'Art is what makes you excited, what gives you joy and what makes you proud. Roll with the punches when you face an obstacle and you have to change your ideas, take it to mean you've been now given an opportunity to come up with something even cooler and better. I feel that we are easily laced with our initial ideas. Obstacles force us to be creative and something creative can come out of that and often does.'
Here are the winners of the 2025 GDC Awards:
Best Audio
Astro Bot (Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Honorable Mentions: Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack), Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo / Annapurna Interactive), Metaphor: ReFantazio (ATLUS / SEGA / Studio Zero), Neva (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital), Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Teams SA / KONAMI)
Best Debut
Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)
Honorable Mentions: Manor Lords (Slavic Magic / Hooded Horse), Mullet Madjack (HAMMER95 / Epopeia Games), The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures / Devolver Digital), Tiny Glade (Pounce Light)
Best Design
Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)
Honorable Mentions: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix), Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC), Satisfactory (Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing), The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Grezzo, Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development / Nintendo), UFO 50 (Mossmouth)
Innovation Award
Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)
Honorable Mentions: Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC), Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo / Annapurna Interactive), Thank Goodness You're Here! (Coal Supper /Panic), The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures / Devolver Digital), Tiny Glade (Pounce Light)
Best Narrative
Metaphor: ReFantazio (ATLUS / SEGA / Studio Zero)
Honorable Mentions: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix), Frostpunk 2 (11 bit studios), Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine Games / Square Enix), Neva (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital), Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory / Xbox Game Studios)
Best Technology
Astro Bot (Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Honorable Mentions: Animal Well (Billy Basso/ Bigmode), Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Threyarch, Raven Software, Beenox, High Moon Studios, Activision Shanghai, Sledgehammer Games, Infinity Ward, Demonware /Activision), Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare / Electronic Arts), Satisfactory (Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing), Tekken 8 (Bandai Namco Studios Inc / Bandai Namco Entertainment)
Best Visual Art
Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)
Honorable Mentions: Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack), Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware Inc. / Bandai Namco Entertainment), Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory / Xbox Game Studios), Tiny Glade (Pounce Light), Ultros (Hadoque / Kepler Interactive)
Social Impact
Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine Games / Square Enix)
Honorable Mentions: Closer the Distance (Osmotic Studios / Skybound Games), Distant Bloom (Ember Trail / Kina Brave), Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare / Electronic Arts), Tales of Kenzera: Zau (Surgent Studios / Electronic Arts)
Game of the Year
Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)
Honorable Mentions: Animal Well (Billy Basso / Bigmode), Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC), Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio / SEGA), Satisfactory (Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing), UFO 50 (Mossmouth)
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Politico
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- Politico
A big, beautiful week
Presented by With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine and Ali Bianco On the Playbook Podcast this morning, Jack and Dasha discuss the political fallout from the 'big, beautiful bill,' the latest legal dispute over Trump's immigration crackdown … and why it's surprisingly easy to get drunk up a mountain. Tune in. Good Monday morning from Colorado, where Playbook has been camped out at the Aspen Ideas Festival all weekend long. (It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.) This is Jack Blanchard. ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: This newsletter comes to you from an elevation of 8,000 feet, where your intrepid author — along with ace Playbook correspondent Dasha Burns and POLITICO legend Jonathan Martin — have been chairing discussion panels, political interviews and beer-soaked bar room chats at the beautiful Aspen Meadows resort. Dasha's jaw-dropping debate on the future of warfare — featuring retired Gen. David Petraeus, among others — is very much worth your time if you fancy a glimpse of the dystopian future ahead. Video here TikTok you don't stop: Your author's discussion on political TikTok was another eye-opener — at least for pre-Gen Z politicos (like myself) who haven't yet fully immersed themselves in this brave new world. 'Woke teen' sensation Dean Withers — he's actually now 20 — discussed the viral appeal of his political debate videos, which rack up tens of millions of views online; Gen Z podcaster extraordinaire Brad Polumbo picked through the pros and cons of TikTok as information source; Conservateur founder Jayme Franklin put up a strident defense of Gen Z's ability to separate fact from fiction. The whole event is genuinely enlightening if you feel you're less plugged in to next-gen politics than you should be ... Watch back here SPOTTED milling with the crowds at Aspen this week: Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) … Maryland Gov. Wes Moore … John Dickerson … Australian Ambassador Kevin Rudd … Kathleen Sebelius … Sophie Grégoire Trudeau … Ehud Olmert … Charlie Dent … Julie Pace … Gillian Tett … Sylvia Burwell … NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya … Jake Sullivan … Zanny Minton Beddoes … plus a marmet, coyote, some friendly deer, and even — a little further up the mountain — a couple of bears. In today's Playbook … — Vote-a-rama in the Senate as the 'big, beautiful bill' enters its final week. Probably. — CACO? Canada backs down over Trump trade ultimatum. — Another big day in court as Trump's deportation plan hits the Fifth Circuit. DRIVING THE DAY 'RAMA DRAMA: Donald Trump's flagship legislation is — surely? — entering its final, chaotic home stretch this morning as the Senate begins the vote-a-rama process. Democrats will begin laying down amendments at 9 a.m. at the start of another long day on the Senate floor, with proceedings expected to stretch into the evening and perhaps beyond. But the White House remains confident the 'big, beautiful bill' is very much on track and will be back before House Republicans by Wednesday for further votes. Trump wants it on his desk and ready to sign before the July Fourth fireworks on Friday night. Daddy's happy: 'ONE GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL is moving along nicely!' Trump wrote on Truth Social early this morning. Thom's bomb: It follows a dramatic weekend of pleas, threats and late-night deals — all in Washington's finest traditions, of course — which saw Trump take a huge step toward passage of his bill, and which culminated in yesterday's stunning announcement from rebel Republican Sen. Thom Tillis that he will not be seeking reelection in North Carolina. That came after a barrage of anger and abuse was directed his way by Trump and the MAGA faithful over his decision to vote against the bill on Saturday night. Tillis unleashed: Tillis' looming departure has instantly injected some fresh buzz into the political conversation in D.C; not least because we now have a second GOP senator (alongside Mitch McConnell) who clearly now gives — to be crude — no shits at all what Trump thinks. Witness Tillis' performance on the Senate floor last night, shredding Trump's flagship legislation before the eyes of the world and even suggesting the president has been duped. The next 18 months in Tillis world may be quite a lot of fun. Equally: His decision to not even try and take on the might of MAGA in a 2026 primary is yet another illustration of the incredible power Trump holds over his party — and serves as a useful warning to any wavering GOP holdouts about what's headed their way if they don't fall into line. Meanwhile in North Carolina … An almighty midterm struggle now awaits. An open seat in a purple state suddenly looks like one of the most interesting Senate races of 2026, especially if each side can nail down one of the high-profile candidates being touted around. For the GOP, none would carry more notoriety than Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, whom Dasha reports is 'taking a serious look' at the seat. There are loads more interesting names in the mix too, the most eye-catching being NRCC Chair Richard Hudson — a guy who's really meant to be focused on getting Republican House members reelected right now. Yikes. And in the blue corner … Dems are still praying that Roy Cooper agrees to enter the fray, believing the former governor's powerful name recognition and local popularity could flip North Carolina blue for the first time in more than a decade. Regardless of candidates, the Cook Report has already flipped its analysis of the seat to 'toss-up' in the wake of Tillis' departure. The Dems, of course, need to flip several tough-looking Republican seats to stand any chance of winning back the Senate. Full story on the race for North Carolina here via POLITICO's Lisa Kashinsky and colleagues. Back to the bill: The bitter internal rows over policy that have beset this legislation from the outset are still rumbling on, even as it reaches its climax — POLITICO's Inside Congress newsletter has a useful rundown of the latest sticking points. Today's big battles include a last-minute push for extra Medicaid cuts led by Sen Rick Scott (R-Fla.) — essentially repealing Barack Obama's expansion of Medicaid for new entrants from 2031 — which has the crucial backing of Senate Majority Leader John Thune. We'll also see a bid to double bailout funds for rural hospitals led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). As ever, a tweak in either direction risks upsetting either GOP moderates or fiscal hawks — particularly within the House GOP conference, which is readying itself for another tough round of voting from 9 a.m. Wednesday. The House Freedom Caucus on one side, and a bunch of Medicaid moderates on the other, are already making grumpy noises about the changes the Senate has made … Expect plenty more infighting in the days ahead. But let's face it … As far as this meekest of all Congresses is concerned, what Donald Trump wants, Donald Trump ultimately gets. It's hard to see any other outcome than the passage of this bill in the coming days. Looking further ahead … There's a dawning realization on the Hill that the procedural tricks being deployed by GOP leaders to get this thing done may someday come back to bite them. The Republicans' use of the so-called current policy baseline — an accounting trick by which temporary tax cuts are made permanent without any apparent cost in the budget — could in theory be used in equally imaginative ways by a future Dem trifecta to enact high-cost policies like Medicare For All via reconciliation, as NBC's Sahil Kapur notes here. Big question: Could that specter be enough to trigger GOP fiscal hawks to actually block the ruse today? Either way, it plays into a bigger picture of a massive expansion of ruling-party powers under Trump 2.0 that may one day benefit the Dems. The Supreme Court judgment on Friday that federal courts cannot so easily block executive actions looks like another prime example … You can almost hear Future President AOC (or whomever) bowing down in gratitude for that one. TRUMP VS. THE WORLD ELBOWS DOWN: Trump is certainly on a bit of a roll at the moment — as his press secretary Karoline Leavitt will no doubt be keen to tell us in her 1 p.m. press briefing — and last night he notched up another significant win when Canada backed down in the latest trade dispute. ICYMI on Friday, Trump said he was abandoning ongoing talks with Canada over PM Mark Carney's refusal to nix a Digital Services Tax that was poised to clobber big U.S. tech firms like Amazon, Apple and Meta. CACO CARNEY? But at the eleventh hour last night — shortly before the tax was due to come into effect — Carney said he was dropping the whole thing in order to resume trade talks with the U.S. It follows a phone call between Trump and Carney yesterday afternoon in which they agreed to resume working towards a deal by July 21, AP reports. Talking trade: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be on Bloomberg TV and Radio at 9:30 a.m., and we'll likely hear from the president himself either on Truth Social or at an executive order signing session at 2.30 p.m. Away from Canada, other countries are still plodding toward Trump's July 9 deadline — and one reason talks with India and other countries have dragged out is that the U.S. is driving too hard a bargain, POLITICO's Daniel Desrochers and Megan Messerly report. The 'all-sticks-and-no-carrot approach' has made it too hard for foreign governments to swallow deals they can't sell to their electorates, they reckon. SPEAKING OF STICKS AND CARROTS: Trump's promise of talks with Iran this week appears to be dead. Trump posted on social media this morning — in a message randomly aimed at Democratic Sen. Chris Coons — that he is 'not offering Iran ANYTHING … nor am I even talking to them since we totally OBLITERATED their Nuclear Facilities.' So that's that. Lordy, there are tapes: But the debate about the extent of the success of the U.S. air strikes is set to continue, despite the White House's aggressive pushback. WaPo's John Hudson and Warren Strobel scooped yesterday that preliminary U.S. intelligence captured Iranian officials saying the damage wasn't as bad as they'd feared. Leavitt said the Post was 'shameful' for reporting on the intercepted communications. The forgotten conflicts: The Israel-Iran war has distracted from the fact that devastating conflicts are still raging in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan (which has perhaps the highest death toll by some estimates, but has gotten scant attention in D.C.). Ukraine said it suffered the biggest air attack by Russia this weekend since Moscow invaded three years ago — just the latest sign President Vladimir Putin has zero interest in making peace. In the Middle East: Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer will be in D.C. today to meet with U.S. officials as the administration ramps up pressure on Israel to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that the attacks on Iran had opened up more space to rescue hostages held by Hamas — 'a potentially significant change' in his rhetoric, CNN's Oren Liebermann and Tamar Michaelis report. Palestinian officials said Israel had killed scores more people over the weekend. JUDICIARY SQUARE SCOTUS WATCH: More announcements are expected from the Supreme Court at 9:30 a.m., as the justices tee up more cases for the fall. (See the list of cases already lined up for the post-summer period here). And though the court has wrapped up its traditional-docket decisions for the term, observers — including thousands of federal employees — are still waiting on some high-profile emergency appeals. They include whether the Trump administration can proceed with more sweeping layoffs across the government, and further clarification on a previous SCOTUS ruling about deporting immigrants to third-party countries. Today's big hearing: Then at 3 p.m. ET, attention will shift to New Orleans for a crucial appellate court hearing on Trump's use of the 18th century Alien Enemies Act to disappear Venezuelans into a Salvadoran megaprison without due process. After months of back and forth in the courts on the matter, this 'is likely to be the decisive legal battle,' NYT's Alan Feuer previews. That's because the case is probably headed for the Supreme Court to consider the substance of the issue in full for the first time. Today's appeals panel is made up of judges picked by Trump, Joe Biden and George W. Bush. Speaking of immigration: It looks like Trump may head to Florida tomorrow for the opening of a new migrant detention center dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' The Palm Beach Post's Antonio Fins reports. The controversial Everglades facility is already the subject of environmental lawsuits, and opponents have warned that its conditions will be inhumane and unaccountable. It's part of the administration's effort to turbocharge mass deportations — and Florida's eagerness to help. Related read: 'Kristi Noem Secretly Took a Cut of Political Donations,' by ProPublica's Justin Elliott and colleagues: 'In 2023, while Kristi Noem was governor of South Dakota, she supplemented her income by secretly accepting a cut of the money she raised for a nonprofit that promotes her political career, tax records show … She did not include the income from the dark money group on her disclosure form [to be DHS secretary], which experts called a likely violation of federal ethics requirements.' Noem's lawyer claimed that she 'fully complied with the letter and the spirit of the law' but didn't answer specifics about the $80,000 payment. BEST OF THE REST FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Purple seat summer: The DNC is partnering with the DCCC and ASDC for a summer organizing campaign across 35 battleground districts, trying to resuscitate the party's brand and build volunteer momentum, per POLITICO's Shia Kapos. Notably, the DNC will hold its own voter registration drives rather than farm them out to other groups. And the Dems are focusing on making inroads in hyper-local, nonpolitical spaces like concerts, book clubs, sports arenas — and on social media. More from the wilderness: Ranked-choice results released tomorrow could make official Zohran Mamdani's victory in the NYC Democratic mayoral primary — despite House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' refusal to endorse him yet. But Dems are already poring over the numbers. NYT's Emma Fitzsimmons and colleagues dig into Mamdani's most shocking achievement: actually turning out new and younger voters. (Check out their chart that shows 18- to 34-year-olds outpacing every other age group in the election, in a sea change from the 2021 primary.) What not to do: In New Jersey, Sean Spiller's use of $40 million in teachers union money to earn just fifth place in the Democratic gubernatorial primary has the union's influence now coming under question in Trenton, POLITICO's Daniel Han and Madison Fernandez report. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The resistance: Though Trump has succeeded in firing many Democratic officials at independent federal agencies, some are still hanging on in spite of his efforts, POLITICO's Hassan Ali Kanu reports. They're the exceptions, not the rule — and Trump will likely win in the end — but their refusal to obey 'could end up shaping how courts view crucial, pending questions about the hiring-and-firing powers of the presidency.' PRIMARY COLORS: The White House is eyeing Kentucky state Sen. Aaron Reed as a potential primary challenger to Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), POLITICO's Lisa Kashinsky and colleagues report. … A new poll by co/efficient finds Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) way out ahead of Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), 64 percent to 8 percent, in an Empire State GOP gubernatorial primary, the NY Post's Carl Campanile scooped. BLEEDING CUTS: ''When is cancer political?' Medical researchers, patients decry Trump admin's layoffs, budget cuts,' by CBS' Ted Koppel TALK OF THE TOWN OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at the annual Future Summit, which brought together Gen Z and millennial state legislators of both parties from Wednesday to yesterday in D.C.: Carly Fiorina, Judy Woodruff, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Derek Kilmer, Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, Layla Zaidane, Reed Howard, Steven Olikara, Aaron Parnas, Kenny Malone, Simon Greer and Rachel Janfaza. THE BRITISH ARE COMING: Upstart alt-right British TV channel GB News is opening a Washington bureau and offering its services free-to-air in the U.S. for the first time. The MAGA-friendly channel has shaken up Britain's round-the-clock news scene over recent years, offering a stridently conservative take on current affairs … while frequently stretching the boundaries of what's permitted under strict U.K. impartiality laws. TRANSITIONS — Pam Jenkins is now CEO of Shatterproof, a nonprofit focused on the addiction crisis. She previously was chief public health officer and chief public affairs officer at Weber Shandwick. … Shin Inouye is joining Democracy Forward as comms director. He previously was deputy assistant secretary in the office of communications and outreach at the Education Department. … JLK Political Strategies has added Shawn Kakwani as digital media manager, Jacklyn Washington as director of media services and Aubrey Cardona as director of operations. WEDDING — Christine Chun, deputy weekend editor on the national desk at the NYT, and Philip Rosenstein, senior content strategist at Gauntlet, got married May 31 at the New York Botanical Garden. They met working at Law360. Pic by Cly by Chung BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Nick Gulino HAPPY BIRTHDAY: The Atlantic's David Frum … Ken Callahan … Blake Nanney of the American Cleaning Institute … Robyn Shapiro … Kyle Plotkin … former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) … Dan Leistikow … Dan Judy of North Star Opinion Research … Paul Cheung … Advoc8's John Legittino … Kara Adame … former IRS Commissioner John Koskinen … Zack Christenson … Eve Sparks of Rep. Jeff Crank's (R-Colo.) office … Robert Mohn … Adam Kennedy … Ward Carroll … Alexandra Acker-Lyons … Norm Sterzenbach … Rachel Gorlin … Verdis' Mills Forni … Stephanie Miliano of Pursuit Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@ or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Zack Stanton, deputy editor Garrett Ross and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
GB News announces US expansion with nightly show focused on American politics
GB News is set to expand its reach across the Atlantic, launching a new live nightly show from Washington D.C. hosted by Bev Turner. The channel, which began broadcasting in 2021, will establish a new bureau in the US capital as part of its transatlantic expansion. The two-hour programme is slated to commence in September, broadcasting from a studio described as "close to the White House." GB News states the show aims to "bring British audiences closer than ever to the political news which unfolds each day in America." According to the channel, the programme will feature "headline-making exclusives, thought-provoking interviews with major figures, and in-depth analysis of the Trump presidency as well as stories from across the US." The move includes an extension of GB News' distribution across the US, with content to be made available free to American audiences. Turner said: 'With the gutsiest guests and the most iconic backdrops, I intend to keep viewers up late. Fronting the next stage of GB News's evolution is both a huge honour and an immense responsibility, and I cannot wait to represent the people's channel on a global stage. 'We will be disrupting the late-night TV space as the next day's papers land in the UK and America's prime-time analysis gears up. This affords us the chance to deliver a unique UK-USA hybrid of political, cultural and social issues from the start-line of global politics. 'We will fulfil the need for a British voice with an international perspective to help our viewers get a sense of who's really on their side. 'Tapping into Washington's heartbeat and delivering real-time perspective with editorial edge, the show will be alive, and a conversation that's punchy, intelligent and unmissable. What happens in DC reverberates in GB and we will capture every moment. 'Our highly engaged British audience understands how events in the US are directly impacting government policy and living standards here. 'We have a job to do: bridging the gap between British and American politics in the fearless style that typifies GB News. 'We will include the very best guests that Washington has to offer, alongside quintessentially British voices in an unparalleled assessment of events on both sides of the Atlantic. 'This isn't just a media experiment, this is a market intervention. And I look forward to leading it from the front.' Turner, 51, who began presenting her own show on GB News in 2022, previously hosted a talk show on LBC and has appeared on ITV's This Morning and Good Morning Britain. Michael Booker, GB News editorial director, said: 'This is a huge moment for GB News as we grow our presence and deliver more of the fearless journalism that defines us. 'The world's biggest political story is playing out in Washington, and its impact is being felt daily in towns and cities across Britain. 'More than ever before, what happens in the USA is having huge consequences, both socially and economically, for the people of Britain. 'We've seen time and again this year that a decision made on one day in Washington DC is felt the next day in Washington, Tyne and Wear. 'It's essential the people's channel is right there, reporting live, asking the tough questions, and telling it like it is. 'While others scale back on live free coverage, GB News is investing in our content. 'Our new Washington investment, our expanded programming and our brilliant on-the-ground team will ensure we're not just reporting on the story but that we're right at the heart of it.'
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
The (Gaudy) Tie That Binds Trump and Bezos
Who needs a press secretary or a briefing room when you have superlatives, the caps lock key and your own Truth Social account? That seemed to be President Trump's thinking last week as he took it upon himself to provide celebratory bulletins of dubious accuracy about his administration's military strikes against Iran. The damage, Trump announced, was 'monumental.' It achieved the 'Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities,' then a 'Complete and Total CEASEFIRE.' Political analysts marveled at the real-time rawness of his narration — no intermediaries, no filter. Just the American president talking directly to the American people. Or, rather, crowing. That's what struck me — not the novelty of the communications strategy but the nakedness of the bragging. Boast upon boast upon boast. War is a grave business; must it, like every aspect of Trump's presidency, be reduced to yet another stage for him to strut across? I suppose so, given the pathologies of the man. The crudeness of the times. And the stiffness of the competition: Another, richer exhibitionist was also inviting the world's gaze and also presenting himself as a paragon of potency, although he used tact-busting nuptials instead of bunker-busting bombs. Jeff Bezos was getting married to Lauren Sánchez, and the long prelude to and luxe festivities surrounding the event were less a paean to romance than a cartoon of extravagance. In photographs she oozed decadence. He dripped self-satisfaction. They seemed always to know — and always to glow — when cameras were upon them. And while there was some murmuring about their desire for privacy, it wasn't remotely convincing. You're not being demure when you've summoned a caravan of Kardashians to your bash. I'm confused. When someone is as insistent as Trump that everything has gone right, I suspect something has gone wrong. When someone projects virility, coolness and fabulousness as strenuously as Bezos does, I assume deep insecurity about those attributes and more. That's the self-defeating paradox of extreme bravado. It cops to the very reality it's trying to refute. Imagine if, instead of conveniently characterizing the attack on Iran as some once-in-a-generation masterstroke of peerless efficacy, Trump had said: 'I'm certain that we significantly slowed Iran's progress toward a nuclear weapon, and I'm as eager as everyone else to pinpoint how much. But whatever the case, we weakened a dangerous country and degraded an evil regime. All of us should be grateful for that.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
