Mic Daily: Trump calls Ted Cruz “beautiful Ted” — and other news of the day

Impact

Good evening folks, and a very happy Monday to you. Here are the five top stories out of Mic today, including a powerful essay in response to the New York Times report on the Trump administration’s move to erase transgender and nonbinary identities.

“He’s beautiful Ted”: Trump says he doesn’t regret saying Cruz’s dad was part of JFK assassination

Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

Speaking to reporters on Monday, President Donald Trump addressed — kind of — previous comments he made about Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. You know, that time Trump said Cruz was a liar whose father was implicated in the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy. That ol’ thing.

Supreme Court temporarily stops youth climate change lawsuit against Trump administration

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

A group of young Americans sued the Trump administration for failing to act on climate change, thus having “violated the youngest generation’s constitutional rights to life, liberty and property” — but the Supreme Court has stopped the lawsuit in its tracks. Temporarily, anyway.

The Trump administration’s attempt to rewrite gender is not enough to erase trans existence

Jewel Samad/Getty Images

This one’s from over the weekend, but it’s worth reading if you have yet. After news broke Sunday that the Trump administration is working to redefine and inextricably link sex and gender under Title IX — essentially erasing transgender and nonbinary identities — Mic correspondent Serena Daniari penned an essay in response.

“This purported measure sends a disturbing message to trans individuals,” Daniari said. “It suggests our lived experiences are not enough to prove we exist. It implies we are liars, and ultimately perpetuates a false narrative of delusion and mental illness.”

“He is wholly owned by the NRA”: Andrew Gillum and Ron DeSantis spar over gun rights in debate

Chris O'Meara/AP

Sunday night, Florida’s gubernatorial candidates — former U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum — faced off in a debate ahead of the midterm election in November.

At one particularly tense point, Gillum accused DeSantis of being “wholly owned” by the National Rifle Association.

In a new interview, Sarah Silverman says Louis CK masturbated in front of her with her consent

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

In a new interview on Howard Stern’s Sirius XM radio show, comedian Sarah Silverman shared that her pal and admitted sexual abuser Louis C.K. masturbated in front of them when they were “kids” — consensually.

“When we were kids, and he asked if he could masturbate in front of me, sometimes I’d go, ‘Fuck yeah I want to see that!’” she said.