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- 🌊 The Dye Has Been Cast
🌊 The Dye Has Been Cast
Plus: Elon returning to Tesla, Trump dropping Fed threat, & Conclave viewership soaring
Four months and one day before we launched Roca…
We had our first phone call about it, and that phone call took place 5 years ago today. Like many of you, we felt that news hit a fever pitch of insanity during the pandemic. For years the news landscape had been polarized and news outlets laughably partisan, but we naively hoped that maybe Covid would awaken an inner idealism at Fox, CNN, and the NYT. Alas… it didn't. As we sat in front of the TV watching the dueling realities of the left and right's Covid coverage, we got on the phone for a more serious conversation than usual about the state of news, a pet topic of ours. That’s when we had the idea for an unbiased news outlet.
Five years later, that idea has become the top nonpartisan news outlet for 18-35 year-olds (we love our older readers, too, especially on our newsletter!). Thank you for turning that call into a reality, and here's to an even better five years ahead.
🪦 RFK Jr. goes after food dyes
🚗 Elon to return to Tesla
📈 Hollywood's hottest old movie
–Max and Max
KEY STORY
Dye Ban
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) announced plans to phase out eight common petroleum-based food dyes
Food companies claim these dyes – made from petroleum byproducts and used in everything from cereal to candy – are safe, but some studies have indicated links between them and conditions including child hyperactivity and cancer
On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will move to revoke authorization for two common dyes in the coming months and “eliminate” six others by the end of 2026
RFK Jr. also claimed to have reached an “understanding” with the food industry to eliminate all other petroleum-based food dyes within four years
Dig Deeper
In his press conference, RFK Jr. also criticized sugar, which he called “poison,” and denounced the government recommending “a huge amount of sugar” for children
He added, “It’s hurting them, and it’s addicting them, and it’s changing their taste buds,” and recommended that Americans eat “zero” added sugar in their diets
However, RFK Jr. conceded, “I don’t think that we’re going to be able to eliminate sugar, but …we need to…give Americans knowledge about how much sugar is in their products”
The FDA says added sugar, which does not occur naturally in fruits or other foods, should not consist of more than 10% of diets, though Americans consume far more than recommended
KEY STORY
Musk Returning To Tesla
Elon Musk said he would cut back on his government role to refocus on Tesla
On Tuesday, Tesla reported a 71% decline in net profit in the first quarter. During a call with investors, Musk said, “My time allocation to [DOGE] will drop significantly”
Tesla added that “political sentiment” around Musk’s DOGE role may be harming the company's performance, which Musk acknowledged, saying it had caused “blowback” on the company
Musk’s reduced time commitment may also be motivated by his 130-day “special government employee” work limit, which was on pace to expire in May
Dig Deeper
Tesla shares, which have fallen 32% this year, rose 8% on Wednesday after Musk announced his reduced government role, but several major investors warned of DOGE’s lasting effects on consumer sentiment
One prominent Tesla investor told Reuters, “[Musk’s] time is very valuable, and I think Tesla needs his attention..But it doesn't change that people don't want the Tesla brand. I don't know how you fix that”
QUOTE OF THE DAY
There is no risk-free path for monetary policy.
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KEY STORY
Trump Drops Fed Threat
In a major reversal, President Trump said he has “no intention” of firing Federal Reserve (Fed) chair Jerome Powell
While Trump nominated Powell as Fed chairman in 2018, the Fed’s reluctance to lower interest rates has angered Trump, who said last week, “Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough!” Other officials said they were looking at ways to fire Powell
Speculation that Trump would try to fire the Fed chair, which no president has done before, stoked fears of the Fed losing its independence, a cornerstone of the US’ long-term financial stability
On Tuesday, though, Trump said he “never” intended to fire Powell: “I would like to see [Powell] be a little more active” in lowering rates, he said, but added, “I don’t want to talk about that because I have no intention of firing him”
Dig Deeper
Trump’s reversal helped lead stocks higher on Wednesday, with the S&P, Nasdaq, and Dow ending the day up 1.6%, 2.5%, and 1%, respectively
Several outlets reported that Trump’s close advisors, particularly Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, had worked to persuade him to moderate his rhetoric, warning that politicization of the Fed could cause significant long-term economic harm
One investor told the Financial Times, “This shows there are some guardrails around this president…Bessent recognises that the integrity of markets has to be maintained”
KEY STORY
Post-Attack Tensions
India implicitly threatened to strike Pakistan after a terror attack that left 26 tourists dead
The attack took place in the Indian portion of Kashmir, a region claimed by both India and Pakistan, and involved militants opening fire on Hindu tourists during a picnic. A group the Indian government says is backed by Pakistan claimed responsibility
On Wednesday, India’s defense minister promised a “very loud response,” adding, “We will not only reach those who perpetrated this act, we will even reach those who, sitting behind the scenes, conspired to carry out such nefarious activities on Indian soil” – an apparent reference to Pakistan
Dig Deeper
In the past, India has responded to Pakistan-backed terror attacks by bombing alleged terrorist training sites within Pakistan. India most recently bombed Pakistan in 2019, after a deadly attack. That situation led to border skirmishes, the shooting down of two Indian fighter jets, and fears of a wider war
India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed, have fought four wars in the past
RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office
🤱 The US birthrate rose around 1% in 2024, but remained near the record-low level that has concerned demographic analysts, per CDC data released on Wednesday
📈 The Trump Administration is considering a sharp “de-escalation” in its trade war with China, including potentially cutting tariff rates by 50%, per several reports
🇵🇸 President Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the Palestinian Authority (PA) which governs the West Bank, called on Hamas to disarm, free the hostages, and turn over Gaza to his government
💲 During Google’s antitrust hearing, an OpenAI executive told the Justice Department that it is interested in buying Google Chrome if Google is forced to sell it
🇺🇦 High-level peace talks in London between top Ukrainian, European, and US officials were postponed after Secretary of State Marco Rubio cancelled his trip and President Trump criticized Ukrainian President Zelensky
What does Roca Nation think?
🧠 Yesterday’s Question: Do you think we as a country are too negative about America’s past?
Is this a serious question? It's hard to believe this could be asked in good faith by anyone past the age of 15. The truth is, we’re often not critical enough. We resist hearing honest critiques of America’s past because it makes us uncomfortable. But that discomfort reveals more about us than it does about history—it shows how unwilling we are to confront the truth.
We’ve been raised to believe that our way of life is inherently right and good. But look around: from the climate crisis to the epidemic of loneliness and disconnection, there’s mounting evidence that our systems are failing—not just us, but the world.
Criticizing America’s past isn’t about tearing the country down—it’s about growing up. It’s about recognizing that love of country can include holding it accountable. We are not children anymore. It’s time we stop reacting defensively to people who point out the harm and start listening instead.
We are 100% too negative about our Country’s past. There is not one single person alive today who was involved with taking the Natives’ land or slavery and few people alive today who were involved with Jim Crow and segregation. Yet, we’re constantly reminded of those bad things. It’s good to acknowledge the rough parts of history but not to the point where it hinders us from moving forward. We act like there’s still all that bad stuff going on and it’s causing way more division than it should. It’s okay to admit that things aren’t the way they were in 1864.
I don’t think we’re too negative about America, and here’s why: introspection is the first and most important step in getting better. America certainly has had its role in prior atrocities committed against humankind. But what makes this country great is the fact that we’re even allowed to know about and talk about those things. Many totalitarian regimes completely whitewash their history to the point that their citizens literally only know their country as the best and greatest thing to ever exist, where nothing bad has ever happened or will happen. Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it, and knowing our history is how we continue to make improvements to the nation for the good of all. I think at times the right selectively ignores the bad in our history and harps on the good, while the left often focuses on the bad parts - but the existence of this debate is a sign of a healthy nation and something we should not take for granted. Especially because people exist who would criminalize saying anything bad about America if they could, even if it’s the truth.
🧐 Today’s Question: What makes you proudest about America’s past? Why?
POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour
🎞 Divine Timing: Streaming of “Conclave,” a movie about the papal selection process, surged nearly 300% after Pope Francis died, rising from 1.8M minutes streamed on Sunday to 6.9M on Monday
🏁 Mythology Mishap: A Texas school district banned Virginia’s state flag, which features a Roman goddess’ bare breast, after it was found to violate a recent ban on “depictions or illustrations of frontal nudity”
🚗 Deep-Sea Drive-In: Researchers exploring a World War II ship sunk by Japanese forces discovered a vintage car in the wreck, prompting one to question, “That's a car... why is there a car on this boat?”
💀 Hangover from Hell: A man in China survived a 10-hour surgery on his skull after being impaled by a 15-inch metal rod, which occurred after he fell face-first onto a dinner table after a night of heavy drinking
👮♀️ Florida Man Strikes Again: A Florida man offered police officers a vodka drink during a car chase after allegedly robbing a convenience store and stealing several beverages
ROCA WRAP
Gang State
Haiti
A UN official warned that this country is nearing a “point of no return.”
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. After years of severe political instability, the situation deteriorated rapidly following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 by a group of foreign mercenaries. Haiti has now had no elected officials since 2023, and in the resulting power vacuum, gang warfare engulfed the state. Haiti now has an estimated 200 gangs who control much of the country and virtually all of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The most infamous gang is the brutal G9 Family, led by Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, who announced an alliance with rival groups in late 2023 to take down the government. These gangs have been accused of countless murders, rapes, kidnappings, and attacks on infrastructure and police forces.
A UN multinational peacekeeping force led by Kenya has failed to counter the gangs, and the UN’s secretary general has said that increased international support is needed to “prevent the capital slipping closer to the brink.”
If that warning weren’t grim enough, on Wednesday, the UN representative for Haiti told the UN Security Council that Haiti is nearing a “point of no return” where there will be “total chaos.”
“As gang violence continues to spread to new areas of the country, Haitians experience growing levels of vulnerability,” she said, urging the Security Council to “answer the urgent needs of the country and its people.”
In a recent report, Haiti’s UN ambassador wrote, “Haiti is slowly dying under the combined action of armed gangs, drug traffickers and arms dealers,” and called on countries to “help rid the country of the gangs that are terrorizing the population.”
Yet it’s unclear if anyone has the power or will to do that: The Kenyan task force has been largely unsuccessful, with homicides rising 41.3% in the first three months of this year compared to 2024. On Tuesday, gang attacks forced the closure of central Haiti’s last remaining major hospital.
Just as Haiti appears to need more help than ever, the gangs’ growing power is making any foreign intervention seem ever less likely.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts
Your answers to yesterday’s question were fascinating. We got a range of viewpoints on the topic — some of you think we’re too negative, others not negative enough. Behind the question is the fact that the Maxes have been feeling slightly more patriotic than usual this week: Max F because he just spent two-and-a-half weeks in Pakistan and Max T because he watched Steph Curry’s Team USA highlights from the Paris Olympics. Thank you, as usual, for your thoughtful responses.
–Max and Max