Chicago Tribune Opinion Tuesday, July 7, 2026 | | |
| | | | | Good morning, Chicago. I learned a new term thanks to the Tribune Editorial Board: “’90s summer.” In a nutshell, it’s the kind of summer that doesn’t involve obsessing over optimizing kids’ time during their long break from school. I wholeheartedly agree that freedom and unstructured play are good for the young soul. Let kids be kids. Also today, the editorial board is wondering why Trump is meddling in World Cup affairs. His intervention on behalf of a U.S. player who was red-carded risks undermining our national team’s achievements and how it is perceived, the board writes. In commentary, Iranian American Pegah Banihashemi explains why she was inspired to see judges march in this year’s Chicago Pride Parade and how that gives her hope for her home country. Two advocates for Illinois’ aid programs for college students, including the state treasurer, explain why this assistance is especially needed after federal changes to student lending allowances. And foreign affairs columnist Daniel DePetris preps us for the spectacle that the NATO summit is sure to be thanks to President Donald Trump and the war in Ukraine. In letters, we have more views from our readers on the city’s bike lanes. As always, the insightfulness of our readers, as a ’90s kid might say, is all that and a bag of chips. Stay rad, readers. — Colleen Kujawa, opinion editor Submit an op-ed | Submit a letter to the editor | Meet the Tribune Editorial Board | Subscribe to this newsletter | | | | Kids don’t need every hour of summer optimized. Some boredom is one of the healthiest parts of childhood. | | | | | By lobbying for Balogun, Trump wallowed in the mud with FIFA. | | | | | When judges chooses to stand with the LGBTQ+ community that has spent decades being judged, something different is happening. | | | | | For many students, financing is the difference between graduating college and stopping just short of the finish line. | | | | | Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin all want the war in Ukraine to end, but on their own terms. | | | | | In a K-shaped economy, scrappy consumers are finding the smart phone can be an equalizer. | | | | | I am strongly opposed to segregated bike lanes that reduce much-needed auto lanes. | | | |
