Suit & Times Daily Briefing – May 30, 2025

Unlock the Social Media Tactics That Work Right Now

Is your social strategy ready for what's next in 2025?

HubSpot Media's latest Social Playbook reveals what's actually working for over 1,000 global marketing leaders across TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube.

Inside this comprehensive report, you’ll discover:

• Which platforms are delivering the highest ROI in 2025

• Content formats driving the most engagement across industries

• How AI is transforming social content creation and analytics

• Tactical recommendations you can implement immediately

Unlock the playbook—free when you subscribe to the Masters in Marketing newsletter.

Get cutting-edge insights, twice a week, from the marketing leaders shaping the future.

Download The Report

🔹 Top Stories at a Glance

• 🧠 Big Tech Powers Up: Nvidia, Dell, and Meta Land Major Government Contracts
  From powering a new supercomputer to building AR systems for soldiers, Big Tech deepens its role in U.S. defense and energy infrastructure.

• 🏦 Fed Pushes Back: Powell Reaffirms Central Bank Independence After Trump Meeting
  Following Oval Office talks, the Federal Reserve issues a rare statement defending its apolitical stance and data-driven policy.

• 💄 e.l.f. Beauty Acquires Hailey Bieber’s Rhode in $1B Skincare Power Move
  The cult-favorite celebrity brand joins forces with a drugstore giant to expand its global reach and prestige skincare presence.

• 🕊️ Israel Accepts US Ceasefire Proposal, Hamas Gives Tepid Response
  A tentative step toward peace as Israel agrees to a U.S.-backed truce plan, but Hamas signals concerns and delays formal acceptance.

• 🏛️ Fed Pushes Back on Trump, Reasserts Independence After Oval Office Meeting
  Repeating its stance, the Fed doubled down on its legal obligation to act free of political pressure, signaling no imminent rate cuts.

• 🧊 Trump Administration Overhauls ICE Leadership Amid Pressure to Boost Arrests and Deportations
  Frustrated by lagging enforcement numbers, the White House replaces key ICE leaders in a bid to accelerate immigration crackdowns.

📈 The Ledger

Tracking key market indexes to give you a pulse on global financial movements. 

These indexes cover U.S. markets, global equities, small-cap stocks, volatility, and economic trends, offering a snapshot of where the market is heading.

🔹 Why These Indexes Matter:

• Broad Market Trends: The S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq show how major U.S. companies are performing.

• Volatility & Risk: The VIX measures market uncertainty and investor sentiment.

• Global Perspective: FTSE 100, Nikkei 225, and MSCI World reflect international market health.

🧠 Big Tech Powers Up: Nvidia, Dell, and Meta Land Major Government Contracts

The Story: Silicon Valley’s biggest players are deepening their ties with the federal government as Nvidia, Dell, and Meta secure major public-sector deals—spanning everything from supercomputers to augmented-reality military gear. These partnerships represent a powerful alignment between advanced tech and national priorities in science and defense.

🔬 Nvidia + Dell Power New U.S. Supercomputer

The Department of Energy unveiled plans for a new supercomputer named Doudna, set to launch in 2026 at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It’s named after CRISPR gene-editing pioneer Jennifer Doudna and will support more than 11,000 researchers.

• The system will use Nvidia’s Vera Rubin AI chips integrated into liquid-cooled Dell servers.

• Dell is tasked with providing infrastructure, while Nvidia powers the compute engine behind it.

• U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced the project at a Berkeley event Thursday.

💼 Dell Raises Forecast on AI Surge

In a separate earnings update, Dell Technologies raised its annual profit forecast on booming demand for AI-powered servers—many equipped with Nvidia chips.

• Dell booked $12.1B in AI server orders this quarter, more than all of last year’s shipments.

• The company now expects $9.40 adjusted EPS for 2025, up from a prior forecast of $9.30.

• Q2 revenue is projected to hit $28.5–$29.5B, significantly above analysts’ estimates.

• Revenue from Dell’s infrastructure group rose 12% to $10.32B last quarter.

Despite beating revenue expectations, Dell’s Q1 earnings per share missed slightly—coming in at $1.55 vs. $1.69 expected.

🪖 Meta Partners with Anduril on Battlefield AR

Meta is entering the defense space through a partnership with Anduril, the military tech firm founded by Oculus creator Palmer Luckey. The companies are developing AR/VR systems to assist U.S. soldiers in combat.

• The platform will integrate with Anduril’s Lattice AI software, delivering real-time data overlays.

• Soldiers will use the interface to control autonomous drones and battlefield assets.

• Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth called it “a new era of computing” that extends human perception and capability.

• Meta joins Amazon, Google, and Microsoft in providing tech solutions to the U.S. military.

Why It Matters:

• ⚙️ AI infrastructure is now a national priority, with billions flowing into high-performance computing.

• 🛡️ Big Tech is no longer just consumer-facing—it’s now embedded in national security and defense planning.

• 💰 Dell and Nvidia’s wins highlight a public sector shift toward scalable AI-powered systems.

• 🔍 Meta’s defense expansion marks a key monetization step for its AR/VR research, outside social media.

🔗 Read the full story → Yahoo

🏦 Fed Pushes Back: Powell Reaffirms Central Bank Independence After Trump Meeting

The Story: The Federal Reserve issued a rare and sharply worded statement Thursday reaffirming its independence following a tense White House meeting between Chair Jerome Powell and President Trump—who’s been publicly pressuring the Fed to cut interest rates ahead of the election.

🗣️ Fed to Trump: We’re Not Political

After meeting Trump in the Oval Office Thursday morning, Chair Powell delivered a clear message: monetary policy decisions are based on data, not politics.

• In a brief three-paragraph memo, the Fed said Powell emphasized that rate decisions will be made based “solely on careful, objective, and non-political analysis.”

• Powell did not offer any forecast on future rate cuts during the meeting.

• The memo underscored the Fed’s legal duty to pursue maximum employment and stable prices—not political outcomes.

The Fed rarely issues statements outside of its policy announcements, making Thursday’s response especially notable.

⚠️ Trump Keeps Up the Pressure

At a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Trump told Powell he’s “making a mistake” by not lowering rates.

• Trump has stepped up his public campaign for cuts, calling Powell “Too Late Jerome” and urging the Fed to act amid economic turbulence he himself helped trigger through tariff policies.

• In early April, Trump called for immediate rate cuts after his “liberation day” tariff announcement sent stock markets tumbling.

Despite mounting political pressure, Powell and other Fed officials have cautioned that rising inflation risks and ongoing trade-related instability mean they’re in no hurry to ease monetary policy.

🔥 Can Trump Fire Powell? Probably Not.

Though Trump has floated firing Powell before, it remains unclear whether a president can remove a sitting Fed chair.

• The Supreme Court recently allowed Trump to remove members of the National Labor Relations Board, but signaled that the Fed’s unique, quasi-private structure makes its leadership harder to oust.

• Legal experts say any attempt to fire Powell would likely trigger a serious constitutional showdown.

Why It Matters:

• 📉 Trump’s pressure campaign risks politicizing monetary policy, a line past presidents have typically avoided.

• 🧩 The Fed’s rare public memo signals growing concern about maintaining credibility during a politically charged cycle.

• 🏛️ Any direct challenge to the Fed’s independence could trigger market volatility and undermine global confidence in U.S. financial stewardship.

As 2025 shapes up to be a high-stakes economic year, the battle between the White House and the central bank may define both policy and politics heading into November.

🔗 Read the full report → The Guardian

📉 PDD Stock Plunges After Major Q1 Earnings Miss, Slowing Growth and Trade Pressure

The Story: In one of the biggest beauty deals of the year, e.l.f. Beauty has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Hailey Bieber’s skincare brand Rhode in a blockbuster $1 billion deal. The move signals e.l.f.’s growing ambitions in the prestige skincare space and aims to bring Rhode’s minimalist skincare line to a global audience.

💰 The Deal Breakdown

e.l.f. will pay $800 million upfront — split between $600M in cash and $200M in stock — with a potential $200M earnout based on future performance over three years.

• The deal represents 3.8x Rhode’s $212 million in trailing 12-month sales.

• Funding includes $600 million in debt financing, while founders and employees will receive shares subject to a one-year lockup.

🌟 Bieber Stays On Board

Hailey Bieber will remain founder and take on the role of chief creative officer and head of innovation, steering the brand’s creative direction, product development, and marketing.

• Bieber will also act as strategic advisor to the combined companies.

• Rhode’s co-founders and CEO will continue operating from their LA office.

🧴 From Viral to Retail

Previously a direct-to-consumer brand, Rhode is now preparing for a major retail rollout at Sephora in North America and the U.K. later this year.

• Rhode was the #1 skincare brand in earned media value in 2024, growing EMV 367% year-over-year.

• Bieber’s “one of everything really good” skincare philosophy has resonated with Gen Z and Millennials alike.

📈 What This Means for e.l.f.

e.l.f. Beauty — already the top cosmetics brand in unit sales in the U.S. — adds a prestige skincare rocket to its growing skincare empire, following its acquisition of Naturium in 2023.

• e.l.f. stock jumped 23.7% on the news.

• CEO Tarang Amin called Rhode a “like-minded disruptor” and said the brand is “ready for rocketship growth.”

Why it matters:

• 🌎 This deal solidifies e.l.f.’s position as a rising giant in both mass-market and prestige skincare.

• 💡 Celebrity-backed brands like Rhode are proving they’re not just hype — they’re scalable businesses.

• 🛍️ A Sephora rollout gives Rhode massive new reach, moving beyond niche DTC sales to global shelf space.

• 📊 Investors see strong upside: e.l.f. stock popped, and the beauty M&A market is heating up in 2025.

🔗 Read the full story → FOX Business

🏛️ Fed Pushes Back on Trump, Reasserts Independence After Oval Office Meeting

The Story: The Federal Reserve issued an unusually direct public statement Thursday, underscoring its independence after Chair Jerome Powell met with President Donald Trump amid renewed pressure from the White House to cut interest rates. The message? The Fed’s job isn’t to follow politics — it’s to follow the data.

Following their Oval Office meeting, the central bank released a rare three-paragraph memo emphasizing its legally mandated role: to support maximum employment and stable prices through “careful, objective, and non-political analysis.”

This response signals the Fed’s awareness of growing political pressure from Trump, who has recently ramped up criticism of Powell and the Fed’s rate policy as a headwind to economic growth — and possibly his reelection narrative.

What the Fed Said:

📜 Powell told Trump that monetary policy decisions would be based entirely on economic information, not political considerations.

⚖️ “The path of policy will depend entirely on incoming economic information and what that means for the outlook,” the statement read.

🔒 The Fed reaffirmed its commitment to independence — a principle that’s been tested throughout Trump’s second term.

Trump’s Pressure Campaign:

Trump has repeatedly urged the Fed to lower interest rates, especially after his aggressive “Liberation Day” tariff announcements in April sent markets tumbling. In a Truth Social post following the meeting, he wrote:

Trump has previously called Powell “Too Late Jerome” and even floated the idea of firing him — a move many legal experts argue would be extremely difficult, if not outright unlawful, due to the Fed’s unique quasi-independent structure.

Why It Matters:

🧭 The Fed’s public stance marks an effort to hold the line against mounting political interference — even as Trump’s allies threaten structural changes if the central bank resists rate cuts.

💬 At Thursday’s press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Fed’s statement was “correct,” but added that Trump believes Powell is making “a mistake by not lowering rates.”

⚠️ Economists warn that further politicizing the Fed could damage investor confidence, spook markets, and fuel inflation if rate cuts are made prematurely.

The Big Picture:

🏦 Historically, presidents have refrained from strong-arming the Fed. But Trump’s approach is anything but traditional.

📉 With inflation still above target and volatility returning to markets due to his sweeping tariff policies, the Fed has been cautious — Powell recently said officials are “in no hurry” to cut rates.

🧨 And with Trump’s far-reaching economic agenda taking heat from Wall Street, his public campaign to reshape monetary policy could intensify.

Until then, the Fed is signaling it won’t bend.

🔗 Read the full story → AP News

🧊 Trump Administration Overhauls ICE Leadership Amid Pressure to Boost Arrests and Deportations

The Story: The Trump administration is shaking up top leadership at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in response to internal frustration over what officials say are underwhelming arrest and deportation numbers. The move is part of a broader effort to escalate immigration enforcement nationwide.

Kenneth Genalo, the head of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), is retiring and will transition into an advisory role. Robert Hammer, head of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), has been reassigned. Both branches play key roles in the administration’s crackdown on unauthorized migrants.

They’ll be replaced by ICE veterans Marcos Charles and Derek Gordon in what officials are calling a strategic "leadership realignment."

By the numbers:

📈 White House officials, led by deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, have reportedly set a target of at least 3,000 immigration-related arrests per day — a record-setting enforcement goal.

🛃 ERO has been leading the charge, coordinating efforts to track down and deport migrants living illegally in the U.S. or under temporary immigration protections.

🔍 HSI, typically focused on crimes like trafficking and child exploitation, has been pulled into immigration operations more heavily under Trump’s directive.

What ICE is saying:

🗣️ In its Thursday statement, ICE called the move essential to meeting the "operational tempo" set by the administration.

The agency framed the leadership changes not as a shake-up, but as an operational pivot to scale enforcement nationwide.

Why it matters:

🚨 These moves signal a hardline shift and growing urgency from within the Trump administration to ramp up deportation numbers ahead of the 2026 midterms.

🏛️ The Department of Homeland Security has not publicly commented, but insiders say the White House is increasingly impatient with the pace of removals.

🔁 This marks the second leadership reshuffle at ICE this year — earlier, acting director Caleb Vitello was replaced just weeks after his appointment.

With Trump’s allies continuing to push for sweeping immigration action and Congress gridlocked on reform, executive pressure on federal agencies appears to be the administration’s chosen lever of enforcement — and ICE is now squarely in the spotlight.

🔗 Read the full story → CBS News

Reach 4,000+ Industry Leaders & Decision-Makers

Our audience includes executives, investors, and professionals across business, finance, and technology—engaged readers who influence industries and drive decisions. Put your brand in front of the right people.

📩 Contact [email protected] to explore sponsorship and partnership opportunities.

Start Your Shopify Store for Just $1/Month

As a valued Suit & Times subscriber, you’re getting exclusive access to this Shopify deal—a free 3-day trial, then just $1/month for your first 3 months. If you’ve been thinking about launching an online store, now’s the time.

💡 That’s it for today’s briefing. Stay sharp, stay informed, and we’ll see you tomorrow!