TFP - August 18, 2025
DC officers, ACOG, and Ultra Processed Foods.
❗️3 THINGS THIS WEEK
Trump dispersed federal law enforcement officers around DC to crack down on crime and (visible) homelessness, to the dismay of Mayor Bowser.
ACOG rejected nearly $1M in HHS funding to avoid their influence in their recommendations.
All age groups are now getting over half their calories from Ultra Processed Foods.
🌎 WORLDWIDE
🇮🇷 Iran has closed government offices as they attempt to manage both a power and water shortage.
🇫🇷 France contained a wildfire that burned 62 square miles (1.5x the size of Paris).
🇦🇷 Argentina's Perito Moreno glacier is losing ~18 feet per year, up from ~1 foot per year 25 years ago.
🇺🇸 USA
📉 US immigration dropped 20% last month, compared to June.
💻 Trump allegedly plans to impose a 100% tariff on all chips/semiconductors coming into the US.
🔂 Vinay Prasad is back in his position at the FDA after less than 2 weeks, after an unsuccessful targeting by MAGA influencer Laura Loomer for being allegedly too liberal.
❄️ MINNESOTA
🙋🏻♂️ Gov. Walz endorsed Jacob Frey for the Minneapolis mayoral election.
😳 Housing Stabilization Services program is being shut down due to “extreme vulnerability to fraud.”
👋 Controversial Hennepin County attorney Mary Moriarty will not seek reelection.
🏛️ WHITE HOUSE
💊 Trump said he’s demanding commitments from 17 pharma companies to commit to “most favored nation” pricing (not charging more here than in other countries).
🌹 Trump paved over the Rose Garden with granite (more Mar-a-Lago-esque), saying it’s more event friendly.
🇮🇱 After backlash, Trump admin removed the requirement in pending legislation that states must not boycott Israel if they want disaster relief funds.
📜 LEGISLATION
💉RFK reallocated $500M from mRNA vaccine funding to other vaccine funding.
🤖 Illinois banned AI therapy, saying it is not safe or reliable enough.
🤑 Crypto, private equity, and real estate may now be put into 401(k)’s.
⚖️ JUDICIAL
🚙 Tesla was found to be liable for a fatal crash in which “Tesla Autopilot” (less than full self-driving) was being used.
🏳️⚧️ 16 states and DC are suing the Trump admin, saying they’re seeking to intimidate providers to stop trans procedures for minors.
🙂↔️ A federal judge rejected DOJ requests to unseal grand jury transcripts from Ghislane Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial.
👮🏻♂️ CRIME
📦 Trump dispersed federal law enforcement officers around DC to crack down on crime and (visible) homelessness.
DC’s mayor is pushing back, but the power balance in DC is unique.
👸🏻 Miss USA has filed a restraining order against (married) Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL); the whole story is pretty nuts for anyone interested in digging further.
🔪 There has been a 19% decrease in homicides for major US cities year over year.
Denver, Tampa, Portland, Honolulu, and Orlando all dropped over 50%.
🧬 HEALTH & SCIENCE
🤰🏼ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) rejected nearly $1M in HHS funding to avoid their influence in their recommendations.
🤱🏽 Rates of breastfeeding:
🍭 All age groups are now getting over half their calories from Ultra Processed Foods:
📝 EDUCATION & KIDS
👨🎓 Interest began to accrue again for graduated student loan borrowers.
😔 56% of new moms skip postpartum checkups.
🍽️ NYC Dept of Education was caught spending $750M at a single restaurant, calling it “support of minority owned businesses.”
🏦 ECONOMY
💡 Power bills are up 6.5% on average this year.
📉 US trade deficit hit a 2 year low, driven by declined imports.
💳 Credit scores!
🎥 MEDIA
🗞️ New York Post will launch LA-based California Post next year.
🥾AI is proving to be helpful in helping find lost hikers/travelers due to the ability to scan photos and rapidly identify precise locations.
🍎 Apple is increasing US manufacturing by 20%.
✌️CULTURE
👖 We’re split on the Sydney Sweeney “great jeans” ad, with slightly more favorably amongst men and Republicans.
🫏 Dem identification is back up.
😊 Who we like:
