• Bluesky CEO Jay Graber recently wore a T-shirt that appeared to take a dig at Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
• The company began selling the same shirt online on Thursday afternoon.
• A Bluesky spokesperson told BI that it sold out within 30 minutes.

Bluesky is taking another shot at the Mark Zuckerbergs of the tech world.

During the week of SXSW in Austin, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber donned a black T-shirt imprinted with a Latin phrase: "Mundus sine caesaribus" or "A world without Ceasars."

The shirt appeared to reference the Meta CEO, who wore a similar boxy, black T-shirt with a Latin phrase likening himself to Roman general Julius Caesar: "Aut Zuck aut nihil" or "Either Zuck or nothing."

On Thursday afternoon, Bluesky started slinging the same shirt Graber wore at the Austin conference. The shirt sold out within 30 minutes, according to Bluesky spokesperson Emily Liu.

Liu told BI that the shirt signaled the ethos of the social media platform.

"Jay wore the shirt onstage at SXSW to emphasize Bluesky's democratic approach, where a single CEO or company doesn't control your experience online — and looks like people resonated with that vision," Liu said in an email.

Graber said in a Bluesky post that sales of the shirt launched while she was on a flight and sold out before she landed.

The company declined to share how many shirts it sold.

Since Twitter rebranded to X after Elon Musk's 2022 takeover, some users have decamped to alternative social media platforms like Bluesky. Meta, the parent company of social platforms Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, launched its X alternative, Threads, in 2023.

The migration continues a trend of online users seeking sites that conform closer to their political or cultural beliefs.

Bluesky, which was founded by Jack Dorsey in 2019, saw a surge in users after the election and registered 30 million users as of January, the company said.

• Starbucks cafés may soon have more power outlets.
• Brian Niccol, Starbucks' CEO, said the company was testing a store redesign with more seats and power outlets.
• This is the latest move in his "Back to Starbucks" plan to make the chain more warm and inviting.

You won't have to worry about your laptop running out of juice at Starbucks anymore if Brian Niccol, the company's CEO, has anything to say about it.

Niccol's latest move to get coffee drinkers to linger at the chain's cafes involves introducing more power outlets in stores.

The chain is testing a café redesign in the US, with the aim of making it a more comfortable and inviting place to hang out, the CEO said in a shareholder meeting on Wednesday.

"Imagine coffee houses that are comfortable and warm with expanded seating options, power outlets, and abundant food displays," Niccol told shareholders.

Niccol said the new design would also have clearly separated sections for those dining in-store and those picking up their to-go orders.

A Starbucks representative told BI earlier in March that it would add more seating to its cafés and start introducing shelves and risers to separate the café and mobile ordering sections.

This is the latest move in Niccol's "Back to Starbucks" plan, a game plan he developed when he joined Starbucks in September to turn the company around. Wednesday's shareholder meeting marked six months since he took the top job.

The executive has been working to solve challenges including long wait times, flaws in the customer experience, and issues with its mobile ordering system. Niccol said that mobile ordering "chipped away" at the brand's soul.

Starbucks' global comparable sales slid by 7% in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the same period a year before. Its performance improved in the first quarter of 2025, when global comparable sales decreased by 4% year-on-year.

A key pillar of Niccol's "Back to Starbucks" is rebranding the company as a cozy local coffeehouse where people can hang out.

His changes include introducing ceramic mugs for hot drinks in store, handwritten messages for customers, and self-serve condiment bars.

• Kelly Benthall saw work culture improve over her 30-year career, but the damage had already been done.
• Last year, she decided to retire early in order to improve her mental, physical, and emotional health.
• At her first post-retirement checkup, her doctor noted improvement.

My plan had always been to retire at 65 — grind it out, climb the ladder, and finally enjoy the freedom. But plans change, especially when your body starts flashing warnings you can't ignore.

Last year, at 53, I retired early with my husband — not because we had meticulously planned every detail, but because the cost of staying in the rat race — mentally, physically, and emotionally — had become too high. Work had always been a source of pride, but it was also a source of stress and, at times, serious health consequences.

For more than 30 years, I helped companies ranging from startups to giants such as Shell and Chevron navigate strategic change. I had spent those decades taking on more responsibility than was reasonable, absorbing the pressure, and expecting little in return. Over time, I internalized stress as a normal part of success — until my body forced me to stop.

The corporate fast lane and its toll

The workplace has changed a lot since the '90s and early 2000s, particularly in male-dominated industries like oil and gas. Back then, I was a minority as a woman, and those who made it to the top endured relentless pressure. Some became champions for equality. Others expected fellow women to tough it out, believing suffering was a rite of passage.

Some female leaders respected my work, but others saw it as a threat.

During an orientation at one of my first jobs, I mentioned my experience in speechwriting to a CEO. He asked me to write his sales conference talks, but my female boss told him I wasn't interested and offered to do it herself. I later reached back out to the CEO to clarify, and we ended up partnering for years.

And then there were #MeToo moments I can't believe I tolerated. One boss thought it was appropriate to share his appreciation for Playboy centerfolds during meetings.

The culture shifted over time as companies implemented stronger policies and accountability measures. By the time I reached my final years in corporate life, the culture had improved. But the damage had already been done.

Years of working in high-alert mode left me conditioned to expect the worst, even in safer environments.

The moment my body fought back

Despite disappointments, I kept my foot on the gas. I worked harder than ever, sometimes logging 90-hour weeks, believing that if I just worked smart enough and fast enough, I could outpace the stress.

I was wrong.

One day, I collapsed at work. My blood pressure spiked to 220/180, and I ended up in an ambulance. The EMTs gave me nitroglycerin, but nothing happened. I heard one of them say, "Uh-oh," before telling the driver to move faster.

That should have been my wake-up call. Instead, I doubled down — cycling through medications in a desperate attempt to keep going.

It wasn't sustainable.

A change coach who couldn't change

I had spent my career coaching others to accept change.

The advice I'd given countless others seemed easy when it was someone else's problem. "Do as I say, not as I do," I thought. Yet, as I struggled with burnout and my health deteriorated, I realized I wasn't taking my own lessons to heart. I had built a career around helping people, but I had been afraid to make the same leap myself.

It wasn't until I spoke with a coach — a free consultation, something I almost canceled because I "didn't have time" — that I saw my life from a different perspective.

She asked me one simple question: "When was the last time you did something that scared you?"

The question caught me off guard. I had spent so many years operating in a world of controlled risks, where I calculated every move and mitigated every possible failure. But fear? The kind that comes from stepping into the unknown, from daring to disrupt the status quo? It had been a long time since I'd felt that.

That moment unlocked something in me. I remembered who I was — someone who took chances. I had once thrived on new challenges, stepping into high-stakes projects where failure wasn't an option and leading teams through uncertainty. Yet, I had spent years trapped in a cycle of stress and obligation, mistaking endurance for achievement.

"Sometimes you have to break down to break through," the voice in my head whispered. That was the moment I decided to retire.

Retirement cured me

When I finally stepped away from my career, I didn't fully grasp the toll it had taken on my body. But retirement didn't just heal me — it gave me a new way of living. My husband and I embraced slow travel, trading deadlines and commutes for long walks in new cities, quiet mornings with coffee, and the freedom to explore at our own pace.

It wasn't until my first post-retirement checkup that I saw the difference. My blood pressure had dropped, and my stress markers were lower.

My doctor looked at my stats, then back at me, and said: "Your job was trying to kill you."

Escaping the hustle trap

Retirement didn't just save my health. It felt like finally pulling off the highway, realizing I'd been speeding toward a crash. It rewired my brain. What I had once called "drive" was really just a never-ending sprint toward exhaustion.

While work environments have improved in some ways, the effects of years spent enduring stress don't just disappear overnight. People like me, who became accustomed to overwork and constant pressure, struggle to recognize what a healthy pace actually looks like.

If you feel trapped in a high-stress career, ask yourself: When was the last time you did something that scared you? What are you really working for? At what point will you have enough? How long can your body sustain this stress? And most importantly, what's stopping you from making a change?

I wish I had asked myself these questions sooner. But the good news is that not everyone has to wait until their body forces them to stop.

Do you have a story to share about retirement? Contact the editor at [email protected].

• American Airlines Flight 1006 was seen engulfed in smoke at Denver International Airport.
• The FAA said the plane's engine caught fire after landing and while taxiing to the gate.
• All 172 customers and six crew members were evacuated, the airline said.

An American Airlines plane caught fire at Denver International Airport on Thursday.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement on Thursday night that American Airlines Flight 1006 landed safely in Denver after the crew "reported engine vibrations."

"After landing and while taxiing to the gate an engine caught fire and passengers evacuated the aircraft using the slides," the FAA statement read.

The Boeing 737-800 plane was en route from Colorado Springs Airport to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

The airline said in a statement to Fox affiliate KDVR that Flight 1006 "experienced an engine-related issue" after landing and taxiing to the gate.

"The 172 customers and six crew members deplaned and are being relocated to the terminal," the statement said.

A representative for Denver International Airport told KDVR that Flight 1006 was emitting "visible smoke."

No injuries were reported, the airport told KDVR.

American Airlines, Denver International Airport, and the Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

• The Trump administration says imposing tariffs on trade partners is a way to shrink the US trade deficit.
• Tesla's CEO Elon Musk has been a key Trump backer, but a trade war would raise costs for its cars.
• In a letter, the company urged the US government to ensure the trade war doesn't "inadvertently harm US companies."

Tesla has warned the Trump administration that it could bear the cost of the president's attempts to impose so-called retaliatory tariffs on US trade partners.

In an unsigned letter uploaded to a regulatory docket on March 11, the automaker said a trade war could increase costs to manufacture its vehicles and lead other countries to slap tariffs on Tesla vehicles made in Austin or electronic equipment it makes in states such as California and Nevada.

"Past US special tariff actions have thus increased costs to Tesla for vehicles manufactured in the United States, and increased costs for those same vehicles when exported from the United States, resulting in less competitive international marketplace for US manufacturers," the company wrote.

Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, has been named a "special government employee" who has been closely associated with Donald Trump's drive to shrink and automate the federal government. The letter underscores how his political interests and his business interests could diverge.

Tesla's share price has fallen by nearly half since its December peak. Musk said earlier in the week he was having a tough time running his businesses due to his involvement with the White House DOGE office.

"Tesla supports a robust and thorough process to gather information to ensure appropriate actions are taken to address unfair trade practices and which, in the process, do not inadvertently harm US companies," said the letter, which was previously reported by the Financial Times.

The fact that the letter wasn't signed may be unusual, but isn't unprecedented for Tesla, which has previously submitted comments to the IRS without a signature at the bottom. Letters it has submitted to other agencies have included signatures.

Tesla, Musk, and the White House did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

The letter was uploaded to a public comment portal for the US Trade Representative on March 11 by an in-house lawyer at Tesla. It is embedded below.

The letter was sent on the same day Trump invited Musk and a lineup of Teslas to the south lawn of the White House for a publicity event. Trump said he'd be buying a Tesla to show his support for Musk and his company after acts of dealership vandalism.

The on-and-off threats of tariffs on Canada and Mexico could deal huge blows to America's largest automakers.

Barclays analysts wrote in a March 5 note that a 25% levy on goods from Canada and Mexico could wipe out profits for Ford, GM, and Stellantis, assuming no price increase or adjustment in production plans.

"If you look at the tariffs, let's be real honest, long term, a 25% tariff across the Mexico and Canadian border would blow a hole in the US industry that we have never seen," Ford CEO Jim Farley said in February.

Tesla also would feel the effects, considering 20-25% of the components for its 2025 model-year vehicles come from Mexico, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing.

"There's a lot of uncertainty around tariffs," Tesla's Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja said in an earnings call on January 29. "Over the years, we've tried to localize our supply chain in every market, but we are still reliant on parts from across the world for all our businesses. Therefore, the imposition of tariffs, which is very likely, and any will have an impact on our business and profitability."

• "Snow White" is the latest classic animated Disney film getting the live-action remake treatment.
• However, it's been mired in controversies since production began.
• Rachel Zegler's casting caused backlash, as have changes to the characters of the seven dwarfs.

After the success of a slew of live-action remakes, a musical retelling of 1937's "Snow White" may have seemed like slam dunk for Disney.

Instead, the $300 million reboot starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot has been mired in controversies before even hitting theaters.

Like the original animated classic, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," the upcoming film is loosely based on the 19th-century German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.

But to update the story for more audiences, a number of key changes have been made, including casting a mixed-ethnicity actor in the lead role, and adjusting the characters of the seven dwarfs.

Channeling her character's grace and kindness, Zegler said in a recent interview that the backlash to the film comes down to the "passion" people hold for the original film.

"What an honor to be a part of something that people feel so passionately about. We're not always going to agree with everyone who surrounds us, and all we can do is our best," she said in an interview in the March issue of Vogue Mexico via Variety.

Ahead of Disney's scaled-back premiere for the contentious new release, here's a breakdown of all the controversies surrounding Disney's "Snow White" live-action remake.

Critics of the new 'Snow White' movie say the live-action remake is too far of a departure from the original

Disney's upcoming live-action remake of "Snow White" attracted controversy as soon as details about the production emerged.

First, some people were left incensed by photos obtained by the Daily Mail that suggested Disney had "gone woke" and replaced the original fairytale's seven dwarfs with a diverse group of people of different genders, ethnicities, and heights.

For what it's worth, the trailer for the film shows that the seven dwarf characters remain true to the original story, and are being played by actors with the help of CGI.

Others questioned Zegler's casting.

Peter Dinklage said Disney should cut the Seven Dwarfs from the new movie

In 2022, "Game of Thrones" actor Peter Dinklage criticized Disney for what he perceived as blatant hypocrisy in its attempts to update the problematic children's fairytale for modern audiences.

Referencing the casting of Zegler in the lead role, Dinklage said on the comedian Marc Maron's "WTF" podcast: "It makes no sense to me, because you're progressive in one way and then you're still making that fucking backward story of seven dwarfs living in a cave."

Following Dinklage's comments, a Disney spokesperson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter that the studio was consulting "with members of the dwarfism community" during the pre-production process for the movie.

The statement added that it was "taking a different approach" to the characters of the seven dwarfs as a means to "avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film."

Rachel Zegler's casting caused controversy

After it was announced that Zegler would be taking on the lead role in the film, some pushed back against her casting, upset that an actor of mixed ethnicity would be stepping into the role of the character who is famously described as having skin "as white as snow."

Appearing on Variety's Actors on Actors series with Andrew Garfield in January 2022, Zegler, who is of Colombian and Polish descent, spoke about the reaction to her casting, and how she hoped to change perceptions of who can or can't play certain roles.

"Never in a million years did I imagine that this would be a possibility for me. You don't normally see Snow Whites that are of Latin descent. Even though Snow White is really a big deal in Spanish-speaking countries," she said. "At the end of the day, I have a job to do that I'm really excited to do. I get to be a Latina princess."

Rachel Zegler caused further controversy with her comments on the original 'Snow White'

Since her casting was announced in June 2021, Zegler has repeatedly stated that she's not a fan of the original 1937 film.

In a late 2022 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the 23-year-old actor said she'd seen the original animated film only once before and didn't enjoy it.

"I was scared of the original version. I think I watched it once and never picked it up again. I'm being so serious," Zegler said.

In a separate red carpet conversation with Variety, Ziegler was asked what she meant when she said she was bringing a modern edge to the character.

"I just mean that it's no longer 1937," Zegler said, adding: "She's not going to be saved by the prince, and she's not going to be dreaming about true love — she's dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave, and true."

Elsewhere, Zegler described the prince in the original film as a stalker and emphasized that a love story wasn't central to the new film.

"There's a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her," Zegler told Extra TV. "Weird! Weird! So we didn't do that this time."

"We have a different approach to what I'm sure a lot of people will assume is a love story just because we cast a guy in the movie," she added, before joking that Andrew Burnap, who plays the prince, might be cut from the film altogether.

Stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot have differing views on Israel and Palestine

Global politics also has had a part to play in the film's controversy, with the two lead actors expressing conflicting views over the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Israel.

Zegler has been vocal about her support of a free Palestine on social media. Meanwhile, Gadot, who is Israeli and who spent two years serving in the Israel Defense Forces, has been outspoken about her support for the country since the October 7 Hamas attack.

Gadot skipped the European premiere of "Snow White" on March 12 in Spain, which Zegler attended.

Although representatives for Zegler and Gadot did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, both stars are expected to walk the red carpet at the US premiere on March 15.

• From American whiskey to French Champagne, alcohol has become a factor in Trump's trade war.
• Both beverages could see tariffs in the coming weeks unless the US reaches a deal with the EU.
• Businesses, from wine shops to restaurants, are already reacting to the potential tariffs.

President Donald Trump might not drink, but his trade war is shaking and stirring up the market for some of the most popular boozy beverages globally.

On Wednesday, the European Union responded to US tariffs on aluminum and steel by imposing a 50% duty on various products starting on April 1, including one of the US's most well-known drinks: whiskey.

Just a day later, Trump threatened a 200% tariff on wine and alcohol from EU countries, including iconic French Champagne. It's unclear when or if that levy will take effect, but it's already prompting reactions in the US.

Some wine shops, for instance, are promoting specials for customers who want to stock up on European wine, with one in New York City sending out emails to regular customers offering "tariff buster" deals.

Alexandra Ivanac and her husband Stephen Varela, who run the Italian-Croatian restaurant Villa Berulia in Manhattan, said Trump's threats are "alarming." The restaurant carries about 75 European wines and upcharges alcohol 2.5 to 3 times, higher than many dishes.

"How does an Italian restaurant pivot away from European wine?" Varela said.

It's making them question whether to absorb the costs or pass them on to customers. Ivanac said they may instead look to South America, South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand for wines if the tariffs go into effect, as well as some California wines. Varela also said they may order twice as much wine as normal and stockpile it in their basement.

"Some of these wines are going for, on the higher end, $200 to $300, so how much could we really increase prices?" Varela said, adding some customers are more cautious about spending given economic concerns.

The US accounts for about 31% of EU wine and spirit exports, according to Eurostat, the EU statistics office. The EU, meanwhile, made up about 40% of the export market for US spirits in 2023, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

For US winemakers, the latest tariff threat could be an opportunity.

Zach Pelka, cofounder and COO at New York-based Une Femme Wines, said his company developed a supply chain that sits almost entirely within the US after COVID made sourcing abroad more complicated and expensive.

Pelka said he expects more US-based alcohol brands to focus domestically if Trump's 200% tariff takes effect.

If the US's threats come true, Pelka expects that Une Femme will become a more attractive option for restaurants, retailers, hotels, and other customers who want a steady source of wine in the US.

"As of today, I think it becomes the focal point of the pitch" to buyers, he said of the potential tariff.

Tariff talk has already caused consumers in other countries to buy from local suppliers instead of importing from the US. Many Canadians are looking for "Made in Canada" alternatives in light of the levies that the Trump administration has threatened and enacted on that country's goods.

Whether any or all of the taxes materialize remains to be seen. Last week, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico — only to suspend it shortly afterward for most items until April 2.

Even if the tariffs take effect, drinkers might not see higher prices right away.

Blake Leonard, president of wine at Stew Leonard's Wine & Spirits, which operates several shops in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, told BI that some of her suppliers brought months' worth of European wine and even tequila from Mexico into the US to get ahead of potential tariffs.

That early action will help Stew Leonard's keep prices for many beverages stable, at least temporarily. "The last thing we want to do as a family business is raise prices for our customers," Leonard said. About half of all wine that the chain sells comes from European nations — primarily France and Italy, she said.

To say the situation is fluid "would be a massive understatement," said Lawson Whiting, the CEO of Brown-Forman, which makes Jack Daniel's whiskey and counts Europe as a major export market. "It seems like things are changing very, very quickly."

The April 1 effective date for the EU's tariffs on US whiskey leaves time for the US and the EU to resolve their differences, Whiting said at an industry conference on Wednesday, the day the EU announced its latest tariffs.

"That does give me some optimism that both the administration and the other counterparties over the last few weeks have been trying to resolve things," Whiting said.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at [email protected]

• US special operations forces want new drones for cave and tunnel operations.
• Drones could offer communication and situational awareness benefits over military working dogs.
• US special operators are often at the forefront of working with industry on new technologies.

Fighting inside caves and tunnels is a tough and dangerous mission, even for elite special operations forces.

Drones could help solve key problems operators face, such as communication and threat detection issues, while reducing the risk to human warfighters and military working dogs.

SOCOM, on behalf of SOCCENT, which oversees US special operations forces in the Middle East, said in a recent procurement notice first reported by The War Zone that caves present severe logistical problems for operators. The battlespaces are confined spaces characterized by unpredictable terrain and limited visibility. A narrow passageway can instantly become a kill box.

In the Middle East, both state and non-state actors have used networks of caves and tunnels, complicating military operations against them.

"To mitigate these risks and enhance operational effectiveness, we propose the acquisition and deployment of a dedicated UAS solution," SOCOM said in the request, referring to uncrewed aerial system solutions.

Drones come in a range of sizes, from pocket-size Black Hornet drones to quadcopters and octocopters to large, sophisticated combat and reconnaissance drones like the Reaper. Small UAS solutions have proven tremendously valuable in Ukraine, where some have flown into the open hatches of tanks with precision.

SOCOM is seeking a compact first-person-view drone.

The fast, real-time intelligence provided by drones would not only reduce dangers to operators and dogs but also "significantly improve the safety and efficiency of cave clearing operations, ultimately contributing to mission success and force protection," SOCOM said.

Per the procurement notice, a specific but unnamed company has been identified as the only vendor that can provide the desired platform, training, and capabilities for this drone. SOCOM noted that the model has a compact body enabling it "to operate effectively in confined spaces."

Subterranean and underground operations are daunting. Tunnel warfare has been a key focus in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts, and training for fights in these brutal environments has increased in recent years.

While it's unclear which specific drone model Special Operations Command is hoping to acquire for its forces, the notice is indicative of a larger priority to introduce more drones into operations.

At a symposium last month, special operations leadership and defense industry officials spoke candidly about the need to buy and develop more drones and autonomous systems to help their operators address difficult threats.

When it comes to adapting new technology quickly, SOCOM benefits from a comparatively flexible acquisition process, as well as close relationships with industry partners able to help it rapidly iterate and improve new capabilities.

SOCOM needs cheap solutions for future problems, as well as the problems facing operators right now. There are cheap, commercially available systems that could be updated with new software and hardware components depending on threats, countermeasures, and the needs of the operator. There are also specialized solutions that agile outfits can field quickly.

Rising US defense technology company Anduril Industries, for instance, began its work with SOCOM attempting to solve immediate drone and counter-drone problems operators were facing, Anduril Chief Strategy Officer Chris Brose said at the recent symposium.

For its caves and tunnels problem, SOCOM is seeking an already available solution that could make these missions easier and safer by incorporating emerging technology.

• Gianni Versace was heralded as a genius for his eponymous Versace fashion house.
• His siblings, Donatella and Santo, and niece, Allegra, took over the brand after his murder in 1997.
• Donatella served as Versace's creative director for decades and announced she's stepping down.

The Versaces are one of the most iconic fashion families in history.

Created by Gianni Versace in 1978, the Versace brand saw a meteoric rise to fame under his leadership, blending the world of celebrity and fashion.

When he was murdered in 1997, Gianni's siblings, Donatella and Santo, and his niece, Allegra, shepherded the company into the future, leading it through ups and downs over the next thirty years, including an acquisition by Capri Holdings in 2018.

On Thursday, Donatella announced she is stepping down as creative director, passing the torch to designer Dario Vitale.

Here's what we know about the Versace family's journey through fame, tragedy, and resilience.

Gianni Versace was born in December 1946 in Calabria, Italy.

Gianni had three siblings: Donatella, Santo, and Fortunata. Fortunata died of tetanus when she was just 12, and Donatella was born three years after her elder sister died.

"Sudden death is frequent in my family," Donatella told The New Yorker.

Donatella also told the outlet that their mother, Francesca, was an entrepreneurial seamstress who used the little money she had to start an atelier in Calabria. Gianni grew up watching her work and designed his first dress at age 10, according to WWD.

In 1972, after he graduated from high school, Gianni moved to Milan to work under various designers, one of whom was Mario Valentino.

Today, Donatella is 69, and Santo is 80.

In 1978, Gianni started his own fashion company, Gianni Versace S.p.A.

Donatella moved to Milan to be with Gianni when he founded the company, learning from him and serving as his muse.

She also began helping with clothing design.

Gianni was known for blending the world of celebrity and fashion.

As Anna Wintour told GQ, the designer pioneered the concept of filling the front row with celebrities and industry "it" people at fashion shows. His famous friends, like Elton John and Madonna, always attended his shows.

He also paid top models such as Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, and Cindy Crawford so much that the word "supermodel" was invented just for them.

In 1994, Donatella became the head designer of Versace's Versus line.

Versus was designed to be an experimental line that challenged fashion norms at the time.

The line later saw collaborations from designers Christopher Kane and JW Anderson.

The Versace brand became synonymous with tasteful, sexy luxury wear, reaching its peak in the 1990s.

For instance, the gown Gianni designed for Elizabeth Hurley in the 1990s made her the topic of conversation, helping her acting career take off, as WWD reported.

Versace also became a lifestyle brand as it grew, selling everything from bedsheets to tableware.

Then, on July 15, 1997, Gianni was killed outside his home in Miami during the height of his success.

Gianni was 50 years old when the serial killer Andrew Cunanan shot him at his home. He left behind a massive legacy in the fashion world.

Donatella told Michael Ebert and Sven Michaelsen of Ssense that when she first heard the news that her brother had died, "the world stood still."

Although his murder was a shock, Gianni had a will prepared because he had previously been treated for a rare inner-ear cancer, according to The New Yorker.

The will left Donatella a 20% stake in the fashion company, and she became creative director of Versace.

Santo was president of the company at the time of Gianni's death and later became chairman. He received a 30% stake in the company.

Gianni left the majority of the company to Donatella's then 11-year-old daughter, Allegra Versace Beck.

Donatella told Ssense that Gianni "idolized" her daughter and called her "my little princess."

Because Allegra was so young when she inherited half the company, Donatella was in charge of her shares until she turned 18.

Gianni left Donatella's son, Daniel Beck, his art collection, which included two pieces by Picasso, according to The New Yorker.

Allegra was deeply affected by her uncle's murder.

The New York Post reported that Donatella tried to help Allegra cope with the murder by organizing counseling sessions, but Milan "fashion insiders" told the newspaper that the young girl was "never the same."

The outlet also reported that Allegra felt guilty after Gianni died, telling her mother she should have been by her uncle's side.

In 2007, while Allegra was studying at Brown University, Donatella and Paul Beck — Allegra's father — released a statement addressing their daughter's mental health. They said she had been receiving the best medical care possible for anorexia and was "responding well."

Donatella also struggled after Gianni's death.

During her early years at Versace, critics, including The New Yorker, called Donatella a mere "muse, mascot, and de-facto first lady" to Gianni while he was still alive and running the company.

Donatella said the years after Gianni's death were difficult for her, as she was constantly worried about disappointing Gianni and Versace customers.

She told Ssense that she thought she couldn't handle the pressure and turned to drugs shortly after Gianni's death, developing a cocaine addiction. She said she was in and out of a daze for the following 18 years, which made her even more self-conscious.

To protect herself, Donatella said she created an alter ego. She told Ssense that she created a version of herself that was "cold and aloof, aggressive and scary."

Donatella went to rehab for her addiction in 2004.

She told The New Yorker her children, Allegra and Daniel, along with several other close friends, including Elton John, were the reason she decided to go to rehab in 2004.

Part of Donatella's post-treatment recovery from cocaine addiction was daily morning workouts, according to the outlet.

In 2011, at 24 years old, Allegra accepted her uncle's inheritance and took her seat on Versace's board.

Before she accepted her shares, Allegra told LaRepublica in 2011 that she preferred anonymity and enjoyed living in the US, working for other designers, and attending college.

In her 2018 interview with Ssense, Donatella said her daughter was "highly intelligent and a very keen observer."

"Everyone pays rapt attention whenever she takes the floor at a board meeting — not because she owns half of the company, but because she asks the right questions," Donatella said.

Santo didn't have a passion for fashion like his siblings.

Although Santo serves as the president and co-CEO of Gianni Versace S.p.A., he told The New Yorker in 2007, "I work in fashion because Gianni was a talent."

Otherwise, he said his real passion lies in charity. He said he constantly thinks of the people who are "suffering" and in poverty.

Santo has also been an elected member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic in Calabria since 2008.

Throughout the years, people have tried to document the life of the Versace family in books and television series, but nothing succeeded until the 2018 FX series "American Crime Story."

Ryan Murphy focused on Gianni's killer in season two of his acclaimed "American Crime Story" series.

Although Donatella gave the actor Penelope Cruz her blessing to portray her, she and her whole family did not approve of the season, E! News reported.

Cruz told the outlet that she accepted the role after getting Donatella's blessing in a phone call. She revealed that Donatella said she had nothing to do with the show but that if someone was going to play her, she was glad it was Cruz.

The family stands by its denunciation of the show, saying it's an inaccurate portrayal of their brother's life and his murder. Murphy, the show's executive producer, said he thought his team was being kind to the family through the show's portrayal of them.

In 2014, the Versace family sold 20% of the company to the Blackstone Group.

Donatella told Ssense that right after Gianni was shot, companies came to her asking her to sell them Gianni Versace S.p.A., saying things like, "None of your family will ever have to work again."

But Donatella wouldn't sell. She told Ssense, "My brother would not have wanted me to sell a single office chair. To him, the company was family, and you don't sell family."

However, the family sold some of the company to Blackstone Group in 2014 to help move Gianni Versace S.p.A. forward as a business, according to The Business of Fashion. Then, in 2016, Jonathan Akeroyd stepped in as CEO to overhaul people's perception of the brand, which was not doing well.

Akeroyd proved to be a good addition to the team. Twenty years after Gianni died, Donatella managed to pull off one of the biggest comebacks in the fashion world — so much so that fashion journalists dubbed 2017 "the year of Versace."

Donatella carried on Gianni's legacy in the brand's comeback.

Donatella incorporated her brother's loudest designs, styles, and prints in the 2017 collection. She also brought out the models he featured most to close her spring 2018 line showing in Milan.

The Versace family sold its shares of the company in 2018.

While the Versace family had stayed busy by running the company from every angle — keeping it in the family — they sold all of their shares in the company to Capri Holdings, which also owns Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo, in 2018.

John Idol, the chairman and CEO of Capri Holdings, said in a statement after the group acquired Versace that the Italian fashion house "has represented the epitome of Italian fashion luxury." He went on to call the brand timeless.

Michael Kors Holdings — the company's name before the Versace acquisition — purchased Versace for over $2.1 billion.

Donatella remained Versace's chief creative officer, and Santo remained chairman and president. After the sale, the family owned the equivalent of $176 million of Capri Holdings in group stock, per Business of Fashion.

Versace continued to be a staple of the fashion industry after its acquisition, though sales have declined in recent years.

In March 2025, Donatella announced she was stepping down as Versace's creative director.

On Thursday, Donatella took to Instagram to announce she would be stepping down as creative director for Versace and becoming chief brand ambassador instead. Dario Vitale will take over as creative director.

"Championing the next generation of designers has always been important to me," she wrote on her Instagram. "I am thrilled that Dario Vitale will be joining us, and excited to see Versace through new eyes. I want to thank my incredible design team and all the employees at Versace that I have had the privilege of working with for over three decades."

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to carry on my brother Gianni's legacy," Donatella said. "He was the true genius, but I hope I have some of his spirit and tenacity. In my new role as Chief Brand Ambassador, I will remain Versace's most passionate supporter. Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart."

The news comes amid reports Capri Holdings is nearing a deal to sell Versace to Prada, which improved both company's stocks.

• "Golden Bachelorette" star Joan Vassos said she has more time and energy in her 60s to be active.
• She loves energizing hobbies like pickleball and also does strength exercise for longevity.
• Her healthy eating strategy is to get plenty of protein like turkey, and enjoy daily treats too.

At 62, the fun is just getting started for Joan Vassos.

The "Golden Bachelorette" star said that as the years go by, she has more time for what she loves — activities like pickleball, playing with her grandkids, and traveling — and plenty of energy to keep up.

"I feel like I'm living kind of backwards, that I am doing more things and I'm more active at this age than I was when I was younger," Vassos told Business Insider in an interview on her partnership with pain relief brand Aspercreme.

She credits her active lifestyle for helping her look and feel youthful, from lifting weights for strong bones and muscles, to eating enough protein for longevity — with treats like chocolate to look forward to.

"Age is just a number and it shouldn't define what you do and who you are," Vassos said. "When I was growing up, as you became a grandmother, you were expected to slow down and act like a grandmother. And I feel like that is so not true anymore."

Social exercise like pickleball is good for longevity

Vassos said one of the biggest benefits of getting older is that she has more time to do the activities she loves instead of hitting the gym at 5 am before getting the kids to school and heading to work.

She enjoys hiking with friends as well as improving her pickleball game. The trendy sport that can help develop balance, agility, and core strength, all of which are key factors in longevity and healthy aging.

Vassos said her best exercise advice is to make it a group activity, whether you're into pickleball or just taking a walk. In her 30s and 40s, she'd meet up with other moms to take a few laps around the nearby track while her kids were at sports practice.

"I made some of the best friends I ever had during those years and I really looked forward to going," Vassos said. "That social aspect of it is good. It fuels my soul, also the workout is good for you."

She does strength workouts at home

Vassos said resistance training like push-ups, planks, and dumbbell exercise play a major role in keeping her healthy and resilient over time.

"It's important because bone density is a big issue at this age. You need to use weights to help with bone density," she said.

Research suggests lifting weights and other strength workouts can boost longevity, reduce the risk of injuries, and improve quality of life too.

Pulling up a quick YouTube video and using some dumbbells at home can be more convenient and less intimidating than hitting the weight room, Vassos said.

"If I had to get ready every morning and go to a gym, I probably wouldn't do it. But things are easy now. You can turn on your TV, pull up YouTube and you can do any exercise you want," she said.

A high-protein diet fortifies the body

Vassos said her diet is big on protein. It typically includes a lot of lean meats like turkey or rotisserie chicken as an easy, versatile staple for healthy meals.

"I naturally gravitate to protein," she said.

Protein is a crucial nutrient for building and maintaining muscle, and repairing tissue. As people age, muscle mass can decline over time, so it's important for older people, especially women, to get enough protein for longevity.

She has a daily treat like cookies or chocolate

Along with a generally balanced diet, the key to eating well over time is a bit of indulgence, according to Vassos.

"I don't really deny myself anything. I don't drink a lot of wine, but I drink a little bit of wine and when I go to dinner, I will order dessert and share it with somebody," she said.

Her kitchen is always stocked with sweet treats like chocolate or cookies, and enjoying them helps keep her on track for the long-term.

"If I denied myself, I would probably crave a cookie. But if I have a couple cookies a day, it's not going to kill me," Vassos said. "It's about living life and being happy."

• It's performance review season at TikTok, and some staff with low scores have been given a choice.
• They can either go on a performance-improvement plan or leave with severance, employees told BI.
• The company last year asked managers to deliver more low scores during review cycles.

It's review season for US staff at TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, and some employees are getting a choice: PIP or go.

TikTok is offering some employees who received low performance scores the choice of submitting to a performance improvement plan (PIP) or agreeing to leave the company with some severance, according to two e-commerce employees who received the offers verbally and three other current staffers who had heard directly from colleagues about the arrangement. TikTok instructed managers last year to deliver more low scores in reviews.

The employees said the value of the offers, which have also been made in earlier cycles, varied. One offer included one month in which the staffer would stay on payroll without having to work — often referred to as "garden leave" — along with a separate one-month severance payout arranged as part of a mutual separation agreement. The staffers who spoke to Business Insider asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation; their identities are known to BI.

Business Insider was unable to determine how many employees had been given an offer like this as part of this review cycle. A TikTok spokesperson confirmed the company was implementing PIPs but said they did not have information on severance offers. In February, The Information reported that TikTok's CEO Shou Chew had said he wanted to review the company's workforce and remove unnecessary layers.

TikTok and ByteDance are not the only tech companies to offer voluntary exit agreements to staff with low scores. In 2024, Meta began delivering lower ratings to staff as part of a workplace efficiency effort, offering some of those staff a chance to take three months' severance instead of going on a PIP. Other tech companies similarly offer PIPs, which can be tough to recover from no matter where you work. And a push to identify "low performers" has become trendy across the workforce.

Three current TikTok staffers told BI that they felt that accepting a PIP instead of severance was rare at the company because it was very challenging to survive a PIP.

"I have never met somebody who's passed a PIP," one of the staffers said.

The departure agreements arrive at a challenging moment for TikTok. The company's political future in the US is up in the air due to a divest-or-ban law that asked TikTok to find a new owner. In January, President Donald Trump instructed his attorney general not to enforce the law for 75 days, giving TikTok and ByteDance some more time to find a political resolution.

Current and former employees at TikTok told BI that burnout has become common at the company amid political uncertainty and the pressure to perform. Performance evaluations, in particular, have become a point of anxiety.

While TikTok reviews employees twice a year, it sometimes feels like "it's always performance review season," one of the current staffers said. "They'll PIP people, and then they'll hire new people, and then they'll continue this meat grinder of performance reviews."

• Sarah Wynn-Williams's memoir contains details about her experiences working at Facebook, now Meta.
• The Careless People author spoke with BI about how and why she wrote the book.
• Meta has since won a ruling barring Wynn-Williams from promoting the book.

Hours before an arbitrator ruled in Meta's favor, barring Sarah Wynn-Williams from promoting her explosive new tell-all about the company, she sat down for an interview with Business Insider. Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism, released Tuesday, is a scathing memoir detailing Wynn-Williams' time at Facebook, now Meta, where she worked in global public policy from 2011 to 2017.

The book seemed to materialize out of nowhere, announced less than a week before its release. And yet, it had all the makings of a bombshell.

Wynn-Williams describes an internal culture built on power, deference, and secrecy, where Mark Zuckerberg's employees allegedly let him win at board games, where executives reportedly bent over backward to court the Chinese government, and where she claims Meta's top policy executive, Joel Kaplan, sexually harassed her. (Meta has denied the allegations about Kaplan, saying an internal investigation found them "misleading" and "unfounded." The company cleared Kaplan in 2017. Meta also published a document stating that some of Wynn-Williams' claims in the book about Meta's China and Myanmar operations were "old news").

Earlier this month, Wynn-Williams also filed a whistleblower complaint with the SEC over Meta's dealings in China, alleging the company misled investors, and went to great lengths to please the Chinese government in a failed attempt to launch Facebook in the country.

"This is all pushed by an employee terminated eight years ago for poor performance. We do not operate our services in China today," a Meta Spokesperson said.

"It is no secret we were once interested in doing so as part of Facebook's effort to connect the world. This was widely reported beginning a decade ago. We ultimately opted not to go through with the ideas we'd explored, which Mark Zuckerberg announced in 2019."

After leaving Meta, Wynn-Williams shifted her focus to AI policy, including participating in a dialogue between US and Chinese experts on AI and military risks.

Since its release, Careless People has made headlines and drawn a swift, aggressive response from Meta. Multiple current and former employees, including some featured in the book, have publicly disputed Wynn-Williams' claims, calling them exaggerated or false. The company has gone after her in an unprecedented way, arguing that she violated a nondisparagement agreement and securing an emergency arbitration ruling that restricts her ability to speak publicly about the book.

"This book is a mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims about the company and false accusations about our executives," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.

"Sarah Wynn-Williams was fired for poor performance and toxic behavior, and an investigation at the time determined she made misleading and unfounded allegations of harassment. Since then, she has been paid by anti-Facebook activists, and this is simply a continuation of that work," the statement continued. "Whistleblower status protects communications to the government, not disgruntled activists trying to sell books."

When reached for comment about the arbitration ruling, a legal representative for Wynn-Williams said: "Because of an order dated 12 March sought by Meta, Ms Wynn-Williams has been prevented from providing comment."

Flatiron Books, Wynn-William's publisher, provided BI with the following statement: "The arbitration order has no impact on Macmillan. However, we are appalled by Meta's tactics to silence our author through the use of a non-disparagement clause in a severance agreement."

"To be clear", Marlena Bittner, the publisher's director of publicity told BI, "the arbitrator's order makes no reference to the claims within Careless People. The book went through a thorough editing and vetting process, and we remain committed to publishing important books such as this. We will absolutely continue to support and promote it."

Wynn-Williams avoided directly answering some of BI's questions about the company's accusations against her.

Partly driven by the buzz generated by Meta's own attempts to suppress it, Careless People ranked among the top 10 bestsellers on Amazon in the US when this article was published.

Below are excerpts from BI's interview with Wynn-Williams, edited for clarity.

A lot of people were surprised when this book was announced. Why did you keep it under wraps?

Well, if you see the reaction that's happened since, I think that explains the decision. When I decided to tell my story and speak out about all these true experiences that are in the book, I wanted to make sure that the story would be out there.

It seems crazy when we live in a world where Meta is doubling down on freedom of expression and purports to be about supporting free speech. I thought: I want this out in the world—and so that's part of the reason for doing it that way.

You left Facebook in 2017. Why did you decide to release it now, after all these years?

Because I think we're on the cusp of this new era of technology. We're stepping into this AI era, and at a high level, I don't want the mistakes that were made during the social media era to be applied to the AI era.

One of the things that I've worked on since leaving [Meta] is the US-China AI dialogue on AI in weapons. So, I really understand the existential nature of AI. I also understand these people and how decisions are made. That's why, as we go into this new era, we have to do it better. China is such a big part of the story of AI. It's this growing strategic rivalry and how technology is so central to that rivalry.

And yet, this company has been doing things in the shadows for so long with the Chinese Communist Party, and their line is, oh, you know, we tried to get our services [into China] and we told you in 2019 that didn't happen. Have a look at how much of [Meta's] revenue comes from China — it's $18 billion.

(Editor's note: According to Meta's 2024 annual report, the company made $18.35 billion from China, primarily through resellers serving Chinese advertisers targeting global users.) So it seems that everyone is operating under the false notion that Meta is not operating in China when actually, it is fundamental to its current valuation, it's fundamental to its future growth. And we don't talk openly about it at the very time that we're about to enter this new AI era.

What was your process for writing this book? How long did it take you?

The process was off and on. It was something that I felt there was a growing need and importance [for]. It's a memoir; it's my story; and it's a true story that is also underpinned by evidence, and, further to that, underpinned [by my] filing with the SEC.

[My writing process] wasn't a linear thing. There were moments when something would happen, there would be a headline about China, and I'd think, "It would be so different if people knew the truth." Or there'd be a headline about something bad happening with teens using Instagram, and I'd think "Oh God." The story they were telling was departing more and more from the truth and it seemed more and more imperative that the truth was out there.

Meta spokesperson Andy Stone has said that your book wasn't fact-checked and that nobody reached out to Meta for comment. Did you get the book fact-checked?

I think Meta's problem is using this to not answer the questions themselves. What I would love is for us not to fall into the distraction. There's a real risk that we talk about things that don't matter. We've got these huge issues like China and I notice they're not providing any detail on that. There are so many smart people who've worked at this company and who are covering this company. Like, we have to do better.

A lot of current and former Meta employees have contested the claims in your book and said that they're fabricated or exaggerated. How do you respond to those statements?

Again, this is another distraction from talking about the things that Meta has done and the hypocrisy around that. It's making the conversation about them and their response, not about the true stories in this book that people need to know.

Have you personally heard from any current or former Meta employees since the book came out?

So many, and it's been so nice. I realize there are some very decent people who have worked at Meta and it's been amazing. The support has been incredible. I am very touched. I am very grateful. There are people who were in the trenches who had lived these stories with me, who were the ones raising eyebrows when stuff was feeling like "Oh, is this really happening?" It means a lot that they recognize the truth of the story and they also see themselves in it and as part of it.

Has Meta changed its ways since you've left? Do you see any difference in the way the company operates or in how senior management thinks about some of the issues that you bring up in the book?

I sit where I sit, but I see exactly the same behavior. I see a company that says it has changed all its accounts for teens, has a big push on that, and yet, hasn't grappled with [questions] like: Are you still gathering information about when teenagers are feeling worthless? What data are you giving to advertisers about 13 to 17-year-olds? Where are you surveilling teens on and off the platform? Go and ask them those specific questions and then see if it's the same company or a different company. See if you get answers that satisfy you.

I think broadly the tech press does continue to ask these questions of Meta.

Do you feel like you get straight answers?

You sometimes do.

That's part of why I wrote this. Use it to ask the questions, and you'll have the truth in your hands. You can go back on each of these things and say, like, "You know, show us the documents, show us the truth."

You worked closely with Mark Zuckerberg. I'm curious what you think about his transformation over the last year where he's trying to look cool and more accessible, wearing chains, and doing mixed martial arts.

Mark Zuckerberg has worn many different costumes and he continues to wear many different costumes. In my time at Facebook, he was cozying up with the Chinese Communist Party. Now he's cozying up with President Trump. It's one of the many costumes, and it's all in service of more power to Mark Zuckerberg — whether it's promoting President Xi and asking him to name your first-born child and learn Mandarin or now this moment [where] it's wrestling and wearing chains. Let's see it for what it is.

What do you make of Meta moving away from fact-checking on its platforms and getting rid of DEI initiatives?

Don't you think it's ironic that they're pivoting away from fact-checking and yet one of your questions to me was all about fact-checking at the behest of the Meta spokesperson? The hypocrisy is so outrageous. People need to read the book, understand the truth, and then say, "No, we know who you are — stop it."

Meta has released a statement saying that you were fired for poor performance and toxic behavior. They've called your allegations "misleading" and "unfounded". They've said that you're being paid by anti-Facebook activists.

They're trying to smear me and convince people not to read the book. People should read the book. The truth is in the book. They can make up their own minds. I stand by everything in the book. It's true, and that's what the focus should be on.

The focus should be on China. It should be on what they're doing with teens. It should be on genocide and Myanmar. These are really serious issues. That's where the discussion needs to be. I can't overstate how much more important each of those things is.

So, just for the record: you're not being paid by anti-Facebook activists, right?

I'm not being paid by anyone!

They're also gearing up to take legal action against Macmillan, your publisher.

It's a surprising choice, to the extent that they're a "freedom of expression" company.

People should be asking questions about their commitment to freedom of expression. People should be asking questions about their principles and their values and their actions, as always, are so different from their words. People need to focus on their actions. Don't get distracted. Look at what they do, not at what they say.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the year Wynn-Williams' employment with Facebook ended. Wynn-Williams told BI that she was on payroll until 2018. A Meta spokesperson said that although she received her severance in 2018, her employment ended in 2017.

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• Brad Pitt and Damson Idris star as fictional Formula 1 drivers in the upcoming movie "F1."
• The film is directed by Joseph Kosinski and F1 driver Lewis Hamilton served as a producer.
• Pitt spent months training; that's really him driving at 180 mph on actual F1 race tracks.

Formula 1 is getting the Hollywood treatment.

The motorsport's drama on and off the track has inspired a new movie, simply titled "F1," which will hit theaters this summer. It's directed by "Top Gun: Maverick" filmmaker Joseph Kosinski and stars Brad Pitt and Damson Idris as teammates on a fictional 11th team on the grid, known as APXGP.

Whether you're an F1 fan or a cinephile looking for a summer popcorn movie, Kosinski guarantees that the movie will appeal to a wide audience.

"If you don't know anything about Formula 1, I think you're going to like this movie and you might come out wanting to watch some races or maybe even go to a race," he said at a global virtual trailer launch event attended by Business Insider on Tuesday. "You don't need to know anything going in. We'll teach you everything you need to enjoy this story."

Here's everything to know about "F1," from the training the actors underwent to portray race drivers to the real-life F1 stars who may pop up in the film.

The 'F1' cast includes Brad Pitt and Damson Idris as unlikely teammates

Pitt and Idris star as Sonny Hayes and Joshua Pearce, respectively. The plot is set in motion by Sonny, a washed-up former driver, joining F1 alongside his rookie APXGP teammate Joshua.

Trailers released so far have teased tension between the two drivers, with Sonny being called a "prick" and a "gambling junkie who missed his shot" while Joshua's inexperience leads to frustration.

The film also stars Javier Bardem as Ruben, the owner of APXGP who pairs Sonny and Joshua together because he sees potential, and Kerry Condon as Kate, the team's technical director who appears to be romantically involved with Sonny.

Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton served as a producer

Lewis Hamilton, one of the most successful F1 drivers of all time, is credited as a producer on the movie and worked alongside the cast and crew to ensure that technical aspects remained true to the motorsport.

"As someone who's dedicated his whole life to this sport, I'm so, so honored to have worked alongside this team of actors and filmmakers," Hamilton said at a global virtual trailer launch event. "This has been such a thrill for me. And I genuinely promise this film delivers on every level."

During the event, Kosinski said that he got hooked on F1 after watching Netflix's docuseries "Drive to Survive."

"I found that it's an incredibly unique sport in that your teammate is also your, in many ways, your greatest competition," he said. "And for me, that makes for a great drama."

The director said that he reached out to Hamilton so he could give real insights into F1, from a technical standpoint and narratively, since the driver has been both a rookie and a veteran in his career.

Hamilton also introduced Kosinski to Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team principal Toto Wolff, who suggested ways to capture the action.

Pitt and Idris are actually driving at high speeds on actual F1 race tracks

The two actors really are behind the wheel of those fast cars in "F1."

Kosinski said they bought real F2 cars and worked with Mercedes AMG and their engineers to build real race cars that could properly hold their camera equipment.

"Every time you see Brad or Damson driving this movie, they're driving on their own in one of these real race cars on a real F1 track," he said.

"Watching Brad drive around speeds over 180 miles an hour was really impressive to see because it's not something you can just learn overnight," Hamilton said.

Filming for "F1" took place during actual Grand Prix weekends in 2023 and 2024, and the crowds that appear in the stands during movie scenes are real fans who were in attendance. The crew had access to the tracks in Great Britain, Las Vegas, Mexico City, and Abu Dhabi, which is where the film ends.

"F1" was also made in collaboration with Formula 1 and the 10 real teams and their drivers. That means that real drivers will appear in the film, though it's unclear how involved they'll be in the plot and whether they'll have speaking lines.

The trailers released so far have shown brief glimpses of F1 drivers like Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Mercedes' George Russell were also seen filming a scene on the podium at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December, where Pitt's character celebrated a victory with a champagne shower.

Kosinski described the process of filming during race weekends as a "traveling circus," trying to squeeze production into small windows of time when they were free to use the track between practice, qualifying, and races.

"We'd get these 10 or 15-minute slots where we'd have to have Brad and Damson ready in the cars, warmed up with hot tyres ready to go, and as soon as practice ended, they would pull out onto the track," he said.

"It was like a live stage play, but in front of hundreds of thousands of people shooting at 180 miles an hour," Kosinski added. "So it was an adrenaline rush every weekend, but what we captured is something you can't fake, you can't stage."

Pitt and Idris spent months training

Specific details about Pitt and Idris' training routines are unknown, but if the actors prepped like real F1 drivers, they likely did reflex and strength training, in addition to learning the ins and outs of the cars.

Kosinski said that Pitt turned out to be a "naturally gifted driver," making the process even easier.

"When you see Brad driving, that's not acting," he added. "He's really concentrating on keeping that car on the track and out of the wall during all those scenes. So that's something that you just can't fake."

The 'F1' release date is June 27

The movie will be released this summer, during the same weekend as the Austrian Grand Prix.

• Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's relationship goes back decades, when their moms introduced them as kids.
• Affleck told BI at the "The Accountant 2" premiere that he doesn't have many close friends.
• "You don't need a million friends. You need a few," Affleck said.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's decadeslong friendship is precious — just ask Affleck.

"It's a beautiful thing," Affleck told reporters at the red carpet premiere of "The Accountant 2" at the SXSW Film & TV Festival Saturday. "You know, I don't have very many — none of us really have very many friends. You don't need a million friends. You need a few. You need good ones."

"I'm really lucky to have had a friend in Matt," he added.

Affleck and Damon's friendship extends back to their childhood, when their moms introduced them as kids in the 1980s. They've come a long way since working as uncredited extras together on the 1989 Kevin Costner movie "Field of Dreams," including winning an Oscar together for writing "Good Will Hunting" in 1998.

It's not just Affleck who's gushed about their friendship. In 2023, Damon reflected on how his bond with Affleck changed after his dad died in 2017, calling his friendship with Affleck one of "the three most significant partnerships" in his life.

In addition to their busy acting careers — Damon can next be seen leading the stacked cast of Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," while Affleck returns for "The Accountant 2" in April — both have thriving behind-the-scenes careers as producers.

In 2022, they founded Artists Equity together, and "The Accountant 2" is one of the films they've produced. It's a far cry from their days sharing a bank account and hoping their power wouldn't get turned off.

"It's been very rewarding to create an opportunity for other people, directors and artists, to kind of be able to take responsibility for and manage and have a more creative say in their projects," Affleck said, adding that "The Accountant 2" director Gavin O'Connor had a strong vision for the film. "We wanted to set him up to succeed, and I feel like this movie, frankly, really validates that approach."

"The Accountant 2" is in theaters April 25.

• I went to Outback Steakhouse to try its Aussie three-course meal deal in the $15 tier.
• I got a baked-potato soup, a Bloomin' burger with a side of broccoli, and a slice of cheesecake.
• With tax, my bill came to just $16.28, which I think is more than worth it for the food I got.

I have no illusions about what to expect when I walk into an Outback Steakhouse.

At the chain, I assume I'll get food that tastes good though probably not great. It's comfort dining: the menu is vast, the calorie count is often pretty high, and the flavors are familiar.

However, at Outback, like at many chain restaurants these days, the food isn't exactly cheap. An appetizer of those famous Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie, for example, will run you about $16, a steakhouse salad $18, and a 13-ounce ribeye nearly $30.

With that in mind, I was skeptical of its limited-time Aussie three-course meal deal, which comes in three tiers: $15, $19, or $22. It's only available for dine-in customers and can vary by location.

On a recent visit to Outback, I went with the $15 meal. Here's how it went.

For my first course, I chose soup instead of a salad.

For my starter, I could choose baked-potato soup, a house salad, or a Caesar salad. (There were also two other soup and two other salad options available for a modest additional fee.)

I went with the baked-potato soup, as I adore potato soups.

Unfortunately, this one was just not that great. I found it to be too salty, too thin, and not quite hot enough when it was served to me.

I appreciated the cheese, green onions, and bacon toppings, but the soup itself let me down.

The burger I chose felt like a high point of the meal deal.

For my entrée, I could choose the Bloomin' Burger or one of three shrimp dishes.

I went with the burger, which cost $15.50 on its own. The fact that my full three-course meal was just $15 illustrates the true savings at play here.

The burger was, as expected, good but not great. It came topped with Outback's signature Bloomin' Onion petals and Bloom sauce, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onion.

It was so messy to eat that I quickly reverted to a knife-and-fork approach. Unfortunately, the pickles seemed more like flavorless cucumber coins than anything else.

However, the meat was properly cooked, the lettuce and tomato seemed fresh, and the sauce was tangy and applied liberally without being gratuitous.

Had I paid $15.50 for the burger alone, I'd have been disappointed. For a three-course meal costing slightly less than that price, I was plenty satisfied with the entrée.

I got a side of broccoli with my burger.

Each entrée in this deal comes with a side. In an attempt to balance out the calories of the burger (and the soup and cake), I went with broccoli.

Other side options were fries, a baked potato, mixed veggies, or a small salad.

Unfortunately, I wasn't satisfied. The broccoli seemed so overcooked it was almost mush. I only ate a few pieces in the name of writing a thorough review, not because it was at all tasty.

The meal ended with cheesecake, and I got to choose the sauce.

For the final course, diners get a slice of New York-style cheesecake with either raspberry or chocolate sauce. (Or I could've upgraded to the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under brownie with ice cream for an extra $3).

I went with the chocolate sauce. Overall, the cheesecake was fine, albeit nothing amazing.

It was sweet without being cloyingly so, and the overall flavor was lightly tangy and, of course, creamy. I didn't mind the texture.

Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of cheesecake, so I called in my wife and kids to try it also, and they were all plenty happy with the dessert.

The food wasn't life-changing, but the price was so good.

All in all, I'd order the Aussie three-course meal deal again.

Next time, I'd probably try my luck with a salad and a different side dish. I'd also be open to trying the shrimp entrées that are also available at the $15 price tier.

• Donatella Versace is stepping down as creative director of Versace after 28 years.
• Dario Vitale, the former design director of Miu Miu, is set to take over her role in April.
• Versace has faced challenges with declining revenue and a prospective acquisition by Prada.

Donatella Versace is stepping down as the chief creative officer of Versace after running the fashion house for nearly 30 years.

On Thursday, Capri Holdings, which owns Versace, Jimmy Choo, and Michael Kors, said she would transition in April to the role of chief brand ambassador of Versace.

It will be the first time in the brand's history that a non-family member leads its creative vision.

Dario Vitale, the former design director of Miu Miu, is set to take her position at the Italian fashion house.

Dario Vitale is taking over as creative director of Versace

Born in 1983 near Naples, Italy, Vitale graduated from Istituto Marangoni in 2006 and worked with Dsquared2 for a year, followed by Bottega Veneta, Vogue reported.

He joined Miu Miu in 2010 as a fashion designer and became the ready-to-wear design director. His departure from the brand was announced in January.

Miu Miu saw impressive growth with Vitale's help as revenue grew by 97.3% last year. It's consistently been named a top brand in recent years, becoming a major trendsetter in everything from ballet flats to underwear as outerwear and the viral micro-miniskirt.

Miu Miu has also been a major factor in helping its parent company, Prada, avoid the luxury slump.

Vitale has remained relatively under the radar compared with his Versace predecessor, having confirmed his latest career move in the bio of his Instagram account, which has zero posts.

On Thursday, Versace CEO Emmanuel Gintzburger said, "Vitale is a rare talent who deeply respects the essences and values of Versace," adding: "His experience and vision will bring a new perspective to the brand."

Addressing his new role, Vitale said: "I am truly honored to join Versace as the Chief Creative Officer and be a part of this special and powerful fashion luxury House created by Gianni and Donatella. The House of Versace has a unique heritage that has spanned decades and has shaped the history of fashion."

He added: "It is a privilege to contribute to the future growth of Versace and its global impact through my vision, expertise, and dedication."

Donatella Versace's legacy

Donatella Versace took over as creative director after her brother Gianni Versace, who founded the fashion house in 1978, died in 1997. In his will, he left his sister a 20% stake in the company.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to carry on my brother Gianni's legacy," she said in a statement on Thursday.

In her new role as chief brand ambassador, she said she would "remain Versace's most passionate supporter," adding: "Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart."

The designer also confirmed the news on Instagram, posting a montage of iconic Versace moments, which she captioned, "I hope I've made you proud so far."

The brand is known for its maximalist style, vibrant prints, and, of course, Jennifer Lopez's "jungle dress," which was so iconic that it inspired the creation of Google Images.

"Versace is what it is today because of Donatella Versace," Gintzburger said in his statement on Thursday.

She expanded the fashion house into a globally recognized brand, which was acquired by Capri Holdings in 2018 for about $2.12 billion.

In 2023, Tapestry, which owns Coach and Kate Spade, announced it would acquire Capri Holdings for $8.5 billion, but the Federal Trade Commission blocked the merger in 2024.

Versace has continued to struggle with sales. In February, the brand's revenue had dropped 15% compared with the previous year. The CEO of Capri Holdings, John Idol, cited its move toward quiet luxury and fewer entry-level-priced goods as reasons for the dip.

Now, Donatella Versace's departure comes amid reports that Prada could buy Versace from Capri Holdings for $1.6 billion.

• The Kia Sorento is a smaller midsize family SUV that comes standard with a third row.
• I recently drove a fully loaded Sorento in X-Line SX Prestige trim.
• I was impressed by the Sorento's peppy driving dynamics, rugged styling, and well-executed tech.

I recently tested a fully loaded Kia Sorento and was impressed by the family SUV's peppy driving, rugged looks and suite of tech features.

The smaller midsize splits the difference between compact crossovers like the Honda CR-V and larger, three-row midsize SUVs like its bigger brother, the Kia Telluride.

The 2025 Sorento starts at $31,990 and is pretty much unchanged from previous years. The most significant update is the use of black instead of silver badging on X-Line trim models.

With fees, my Georgia-made X-Line SX-Prestige test car came out to $48,285.

12 features jumped out to me that helped make the Sorento a great family SUV that's practical, fun to drive, and packed with cool tech.

Hybrid and ICE engine options

Most vehicles offer consumers one or two engine options. The Sorento has four different powertrains, including a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid.

My high-end test car was powered by a 281 horsepower turbocharged engine with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. More value-minded buyers can opt for the entry model's 191 horsepower, naturally aspirated four-cylinder.

The Sorento can also be had as a hybrid with 227 horsepower and as a plug-in hybrid with 261 horsepower and 31 miles of electric range.

My all-wheel-drive, turbocharged test car boasts EPA fuel economy figures of 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined, which is pretty standard in this part of the market.

Rugged styling

The Sorento's revised front end, with its squared edges, vertical LED headlights, and rectangular grille, looks bold and rugged. It draws heavily from the brand's flagship Telluride SUV.

Fun to drive

The Sorento's punchy turbocharged engine really shines. Kia's 2.5-liter turbocharged engine and eight-speed DCT combine to make the Sorento surprisingly peppy. Power delivery felt immediate, consistent, and pretty smooth for a turbocharged four-cylinder.

The SUV's responsive steering makes it one of the better-handling midsize SUVs I've driven.

According to Kia, my 4,250-pound test car could accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 7.5 seconds with a top speed of 131 miles per hour.

Sage green leather interior

The sage green leather upholstery in my test car looked great and was a happy break from the traditional black, white, and tan interiors found in my vehicles.

The heated and ventilated power front seats are not only incredibly comfortable, but their quilted design also adds an extra dash of flair to the cabin.

Great infotainment system

Every carmaker has an infotainment system, but few do it well. I find the latest Hyundai/Kia system in the Sorento to be among those few. The system is responsive, easy to navigate, and comes packed with helpful features like built-in vehicle diagnostics and a 360-camera system.

All Sorentos also come with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

Blind spot view monitor

The blindspot view monitor system debuted a few years ago and has been unique to high-end Hyundai and Kia models. The system, which uses side mirror-mounted cameras, activates when the turn signal is used and proved to be a helpful feature

Seatback USB sockets

Most SUVs' second-row power sockets are usually placed low down on the center console facing the rear passenger. The Sorento's USB-C sockets are on the inside of its front seatbacks. This smart design, also found on a couple of other recent Hyundai/Kia SUVs, makes the USB-C sockets easily accessible to both front and rear seat passengers.

Digital rearview mirror

Although digital rearview mirrors are not as rare as they once were, they are still fairly uncommon. The feature is especially useful in family SUVs like the Sorento, as it gives the driver an unobstructed view even when the cabin is packed with cargo and passengers.

Voice memo

I've encountered the voice memo feature on several recent Hyundai/Kia models. It's offbeat and not something I'd necessarily use, but I can certainly see it coming in handy if inspiration strikes while stuck in traffic.

Standard third row

The Sorento's standard third row isn't terribly spacious. In fact, it offers roughly the same legroom as a coach seat on a low-cost airline. However, its mere presence in a smaller, lower-priced midsize SUV and the flexibility it affords owners make it a standout feature.

Smart handsfree liftgate

There are various smart, hands-free power liftgates on the market, but Hyundai/Kia's system is one of the easiest to use. You don't have to kick or swing your leg under the rear bumper. All you have to do is stand two to three feet behind the Sorento while possessing the key fob. After three seconds, the vehicle will beep, and the rear liftgate will automatically open.

Center-locking differential

As with most crossover SUVs, the Sorento's all-wheel-drive system drives the front wheels most of the time and only sends power outback when it needs additional traction. When road conditions are really bad, the Sorento comes with a center-locking differential, activated by pushing a button on the center console, that ensures power is split evenly between the front and rear wheels.

• My family and I moved from Texas to Las Vegas in 2014.
• The major tourist destination has been a surprisingly great place to raise a family.
• Here in Vegas, we have access to great entertainment, outdoor adventures, and a major airport.

Before moving to Las Vegas in 2014, my wife and I had been wrestling with the idea of leaving Texas for a while. We spent 30 years in Beaumont, a small city in the southeast part of the state, and craved a fresh start.

So, we set our sights on Vegas, a place we had vacationed to and enjoyed. It seemed like a bold change, and the city's energy was infectious every time we visited.

Making the move wasn't easy. We didn't have a safety net of friends or family in Vegas, and our two children had to stay behind with their grandparents for a bit to finish their school year. It was an emotional roller coaster for everyone involved.

But now, more than a decade after our move, we can confidently say that our decision to uproot our family was the best thing we've ever done.

Here are just a few of the many reasons we enjoy living in Sin City.

Outdoor adventures are surprisingly easy to find in Vegas

When friends ask about our lives in Vegas, most are surprised at how often we go on outdoor adventures.

Of course, there were plenty of opportunities to get outside in Texas, but very few of the major destinations were near our home.

Here in Vegas, however, we have access to plenty of national forests, state parks, and national parks. For example, in 45 minutes, we can visit Valley of Fire State Park, home to 40,000 acres of bright-red Aztec sandstone.

And in 15 minutes, we can travel to Red Rock Canyon, a gorgeous conservation area with a 13-mile scenic drive, rock climbing, and hiking trails.

Las Vegas is an excellent base for travel

Before our move, I never realized how strategically placed Sin City is for road trips. While living in Beaumont, driving 11 hours west meant we were still in Texas.

Now, we spend lots of time in cities like Phoenix, San Diego, and Los Angeles, all within a few hours' drive from home.

Living close to Harry Reid International Airport has been another incredible convenience, with affordable flights to destinations across the West Coast, Mexico, and Hawaii.

Back in Texas, with only a small regional airport in our immediate area, traveling out of state was a chore. Sure, we could head further east along the Gulf Coast, but it was more of the same landscape.

World-class entertainment is always minutes away

The closest entertainment options in Beaumont were typically a two-hour drive to Houston. Although artists sometimes swung through, we often found ourselves without any viable concert options.

Now that we're in Vegas, however, we're spoiled when it comes to entertainment. When the best musical acts in the world announce a tour, we typically don't have to hope they include our city.

Vegas also has several major-league sports teams and has hosted massive events like the Super Bowl, the Formula 1 Grand Prix, NASCAR races, and rodeo championships.

Away from the Strip, the Las Vegas suburbs have a small-town vibe

When I lived in Texas, I thought a city like Las Vegas would be sensory overload and a terrible place to raise a family.

It's true that if you spend most of your time on the Strip, the crowds, noise, and constant barrage of lights and music can lead to overstimulation.

However, when you step away from those areas, you discover that Las Vegas and its suburbs have small-town charm. For example, throughout the year, we enjoy community Christmas parades, Fourth of July celebrations, and cultural festivals scattered across the city.

We've found it easy to carve out a peaceful but fulfilling life here, a few minutes from one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

It may not be perfect, but for anyone willing to look beyond the bright lights, the city shows itself as a diverse and welcoming community.

• Apple was late to AI. But this past spring, it said it was catching up and promised all kinds of AI features.
• Many of those have yet to materialize, and close Apple watchers are wondering whether Apple will ever deliver them.
• Maybe Apple eventually shrugs this off. But when people like John Gruber, an Apple blogger, are publicly shaming the company, you know something's up.

Do you remember when Apple told the world it was going to bring artificial intelligence to its phones, which would allow them to do all kinds of amazing things?

That was June. And, it turns out, a bunch of the stuff Apple promised was coming has yet to show up, and now may not show up for some time — if ever.

If you're a normal person, you probably don't care about this. But for close Apple watchers and Apple fans, this has become an increasingly big problem: It's making them wonder whether Apple made a distinctly un-Apple-like mistake last year, by showing off stuff it doesn't know how to deliver.

And that has them worrying about the state of Apple itself.

That crisis of faith materialized most prominently on Wednesday, via a blistering post from John Gruber, an influential Apple blogger. The title gets right at it: "Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino."

Gruber's argument boiled down: Apple hasn't shipped the most consequential features it showed off in June — like the ability for the phone to sift through your emails and texts, and to tell you when your mom is arriving at the airport. More worrisome is Gruber's belief that Apple doesn't actually know how to deliver that kind of feature, and that what it showed off in the spring was mere "vaporware" — perhaps the most damning thing you can say about an Apple product.

Even more worrisome: It wasn't just that Apple showed this stuff off at a developer conference — it has been telling normal people that these features are coming soon, via an ad campaign it has now shelved.

Add it all up, Gruber said, and it points to a deep malaise at the company — one he says is ultimately a problem for CEO Tim Cook. If Cook can't figure it out immediately, Gruber argued, "then, I fear, that's all she wrote. The ride is over."

"When mediocrity, excuses, and bulls—t take root, they take over," he said. "A culture of excellence, accountability, and integrity cannot abide the acceptance of any of those things, and will quickly collapse upon itself with the acceptance of all three."

Gruber isn't the only one worried about the state of Apple's AI efforts. Earlier this week, Ben Thompson, an analyst, noted the delays and concluded, "It appears Apple tried to do too much all at once."

These critiques have been building for some time: In November, Marques Brownlee, a hyperpopular tech reviewer, assessed the AI features that Apple had rolled out by then and was unimpressed. "Apple's made this promise that this huge thing is coming," he said. "I think that promise is starting to fade."

I've asked Apple for comment.

Does any of this matter in the real world? Maybe. Apple's stock is down 10% this week, double the decline that the broader Nasdaq has seen. Of course, there are other reasons for investors to be concerned about Apple — namely, the specter of a trade war that could dramatically increase costs for Apple's supply chain, which is highly dependent on China.

That said: A year ago, Google was in the middle of what seemed like an existential crisis as it stumbled through its own AI rollout — you may recall embarrassing "woke" results from its Gemini chatbot or equally embarrassing answers about putting glue on your pizza. But Google kept at it, and for better or worse, Google now gives you AI-generated answers much of the time, whether you want them or not.

It's also possible that Apple can simply sidestep this problem entirely by leaving the AI to companies that spent a gazillion dollars chasing AI and focusing on what Apple does really well: making high-end hardware at scale.

Analysts are excited about new Apple devices — like a newly released desktop PC that's supposed to work really well with the computing demands state-of-the-art AI requires.

"Apple doesn't need to have its own industry-leading AI s—t. Not right now at least. That'd be great if they did, but it's fine if they don't," Gruber told me via email.

"What Apple has are the best platforms to use AI from anyone. Best phone to use ChatGPT is iPhone. Best phone to use Claude or Perplexity is iPhone. ChatGPT has a fantastic native Mac app. Even Google makes a really good Gemini app for iPhone… Apple should be hammering that."

What's a bit strange is that "Apple makes good hardware for other people's AI" was, in fact, a major component of Apple's AI pitch last year, and people like Thompson thought that was quite smart.

"Having an interface for the folks that want to spend billions of dollars to do these huge large language models, to plug in and sort of take it or leave it — it's Apple leveraging their position of being the trusted device in people's lives, and getting everyone to dance to their tune," he told me in the spring.

Could Apple just focus on that version of AI, instead of trying to play catch-up to everyone else? It would be very unlike Apple to pull an about-face and announce that a very big thing they promised was never going to happen. It's also very unlike Apple to get this kind of grief from some of its biggest fans.

• A judge ordered the Trump administration to reinstate fired federal probationary employees.
• The judge said the explanation for firing them for performance issues was a "sham" and a "lie."
• The ruling affects employees in the departments of Defense, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, and others.

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to reinstate the jobs of probationary federal employees across multiple agencies, blasting the procedure behind their mass firings as a "sham."

Ruling from the bench in a San Francisco courthouse, US District Judge William Alsup said the Office of Personnel Management — the federal government's human resources department — had no basis for claiming the employees were fired for "performance" issues.

Alsup, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, said the explanation was a "gimmick" to circumvent legal requirements for laying off federal employees.

"It is sad, a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that's a lie," Alsup said, according to Politico.

The firings were part of President Donald Trump's initiative to shrink the federal workforce, led by the White House's DOGE office.

The White House quickly said it would appeal Alsup's ruling, calling it "an absurd and unconstitutional order."

"A single judge is attempting to unconstitutionally seize the power of hiring and firing from the Executive Branch," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. "The President has the authority to exercise the power of the entire executive branch — singular district court judges cannot abuse the power of the entire judiciary to thwart the President's agenda. If a federal district court judge would like executive powers, they can try and run for President themselves."

Alsup previously ruled the OPM "does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe" to tell another agency to fire its employees.

His new ruling orders the departments of Defense, Treasury, Energy, Interior, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs to offer fired probationary employees their jobs back.

An IRS employee who was terminated in February, and who expects to be reinstated following Alsup's order, told BI that "it's pretty awesome."

"It's relieving to an extent," the employee said. "I have been job-hunting and had an interview yesterday, but obviously you never know when you'll get a job offer."

Another IRS employee was more wary, anxious that Trump would just pursue another way to fire him and believing a private sector job could offer more stability.

"Even without an offer, my initial reaction is extreme stress, concern, and worry," the employee said. "If I get the offer and take the job back, will this happen again? What I used to think was a job with great job security is now not so secure."

Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, the union representing the government employees, said the order would save tens of thousands of jobs.

"We are grateful for these employees and the critical work they do, and AFGE will keep fighting until all federal employees who were unjustly and illegally fired are given their jobs back," Kelley said.

Representatives for the Trump administration didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, praised Alsup's ruling and urged the Trump administration to promptly restore the jobs of fired government employees.

"The Trump-Musk Administration must immediately respect the court's decision and reinstate these dedicated civil servants — including nuclear researchers, park rangers, VA health care workers, and more — so they can get back to work on behalf of the American people," Connolly said in a statement.