Plus: The Protein Craze Is Changing the Dairy Industry (And Our Social Media Feeds)

Good evening,

Are you buying Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt (me at Whole Foods this AM), debating whether to try protein powder, or putting cottage cheese on… everything? You’re not alone. Many of us are getting inundated with big-protein marketing, and it’s fueling a daily boom.

Whey, the liquid byproduct of cheese-making, was once considered waste. Now, it’s being marketed as a nutritional goldmine, packed with protein and relatively low in calories (unlike, say, peanut butter).
- Estimates of the whey protein market range from $5 billion to $10 billion, but it’s expected to double over the next decade — driven in part by the rise of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic. Patients are advised to increase their protein intake.
And it’s not just in the dairy aisle. Mosh noticed that many of the new snacks featured at the Sweets and Snacks Expo this spring were branded as high in protein — from chips to candy.

I was a vegetarian for seven years (a story for another newsletter), and honestly, I think more about protein now than I did back then. We can thank social media for that. These days, I find myself looking up protein powder ice cream recipes and calculating how many grams are in my breakfast (the recommendation is about 25 to 30 grams). I feel healthy both ways 🍽️ 😋

Lauren
Producer

🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

Trump Turns On MAGA: Says Epstein Files Are A Democrat “Hoax”

President Trump ramped up attacks on his own supporters Wednesday over their continued focus on the Jeffrey Epstein case. He says they are playing in Democratic hands.

During an Oval Office media appearance on Wednesday, a reporter asked the president about his comments early Tuesday, in which he dismissed concerns about his administration’s lack of transparency in the Epstein investigation and called it a “hoax.” Trump denied that Attorney General Pam Bondi told him it was a hoax, but did not specify how he reached that conclusion.
- He told reporters: "It's all been a big hoax… It's perpetrated by the Democrats, and some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net."

Trump also took to social media Wednesday, blasting those upset with his administration’s handling of the case — calling them “PAST supporters” who’ve fallen for “‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker.”

Trump’s comments came just a day after one of his most loyal allies in Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson, called “for transparency” from the DOJ in the Epstein case.

HOW WE GOT HERE
Trump’s own Justice Department charged Epstein with sex crimes in 2019 — the same year the disgraced financier reportedly killed himself in a jail cell. For years, prominent MAGA voices like the current FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino have repeatedly suggested there was a larger conspiracy at play and vowed to expose it. But on July 7, the FBI and DOJ released a memo dismissing all major conspiracy theories and effectively declared the case closed.

There has since been mounting backlash from the right. Some prominent MAGA voices, including Charlie Kirk and Laura Ingraham, had stepped back a bit from calls to release the Epstein files. Others, like Megyn Kelly, were not backing down. Trump poured fuel on the fire on Wednesday.

HOW DEEP WILL THE MAGA DIVIDE GET?
Trump continues to ride the high of passing his “Big, Beautiful” tax and spending legislation. Either the Jeffrey Epstein story will eventually blow over — or the DOJ will be forced to say more. In the meantime, many vocal influencers who have backed Trump since 2016 are now up in arms.

Right-wing activist Laura Loomer warned the Epstein case threatens to “consume his presidency.”

Become Invisible Online 🫥

It seems like no matter what we’re doing online, someone is always trying to get hold of our personal information. From companies tracking your browsing habits to internet service providers logging your activity, it often feels like your data is up for grabs and being sold to the highest bidder.

That’s where Surfshark VPN comes in. It’s an easy-to-use app that lets you navigate the internet privately, keeping prying eyes away from your personal data. With just a simple login, Surfshark VPN encrypts your activity and hides your IP address so you can browse safely — whether you’re at home or using public Wi-Fi at airports, hotels, and cafes.

Another tip? Use the coupon code “monews” for an extra 4 months free at Surfshark.

🚨 ONE THING WE’RE WATCHING

Senate In Final Stages Of Passing Bill To Rescind $9 Billion In NPR/PBS & Foreign Aid Funding As House Faces Friday Deadline

House Republicans have until the end of the week to rescind $9 billion in previously allocated funds — $8 billion for foreign aid and about $1 billion for PBS and NPR — or the government must spend the funds as originally appropriated.

The Senate advanced the measure, which President Trump requested, Tuesday evening in a 51–50 vote. Vice President J.D. Vance broke the tie after Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) joined Democrats in opposing the move. It still needs to be voted on in the chamber to move to the House.

Murkowski criticized lawmakers for supporting White House-dictated spending priorities without enough detail. She raised concerns, along with Sen. Collins, over the cuts to public broadcasting.

Many GOP lawmakers are framing it as a way to combat the growing U.S. debt.

“When you've got a $36 trillion debt, we have to do something to get spending under control,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (SD) said.
Democrats aren’t having it. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and others pointed to the more than $3 trillion the recently passed “Big, Beautiful” tax and spending bill is expected to add to the national debt in the next decade.
- “Now, Republicans are pretending they are concerned about the debt. So concerned that they need to shut down local radio stations. So concerned they are going to cut off Sesame Street,” she said.

The House approved the package last month. But House members would need to re-vote following changes to the bill in the Senate — including the anticipated removal of $400 million in proposed cuts to the global HIV/AIDS relief program PEPFAR.

The move shows just how much power the executive branch has over federal spending, technically the job of Congress. Bill Clinton was the last president to submit a rescissions bill to pull approved funds.

INSIDE THE CUTS
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting funds more than 1,500 public television and radio stations across the country, including NPR and PBS. Most public media budgets come from donations and corporate sponsors, while federal funding contributes about 8% of the average public radio station’s budget and roughly 17% for public television. Still, the more than $1 billion in proposed cuts is expected to impact smaller stations.

Critics, including Trump, argue that these outlets have a liberal bias and should not receive federal support.

The bulk of the funding rollback, $8 billion, comes from foreign aid, which the Trump administration has targeted for not aligning with national interests and being overly expensive. The U.S. spent about ten times that in 2023 on foreign aid — about 1% of the U.S. budget. One of the programs in Trump’s crosshairs is the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which already is preparing to fire nearly all of its staff by September 2 as it winds down operations.

USAID purchased more than 1 million metric tons of food from U.S. farmers in fiscal year 2023. This week, nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food aid expired (after long delays in distributing it) and will be destroyed within weeks, according to current and former government employees who spoke to The Atlantic.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) called the spoiled aid “indefensible,” saying Wednesday there’s “no greater example of waste” than letting lifesaving supplies expire before delivery. Last week, Senate Democrats introduced a bill to prevent the destruction and waste of foreign aid.

⏳ THE SPEED READ

🚨NATION

US deports immigrants from Jamaica, Cuba, and other countries to the African kingdom of Eswatini (AP)
NYPD run like a 'criminal enterprise,' ex-commissioner says in bombshell lawsuit (ABC)
Pete Hegseth orders the removal of 2,000 National Guard troops from Los Angeles (NBC)
Zohran Mamdani reportedly tells business leaders he will ‘discourage’ the phrase ‘globalize the intifada’ (CNN)
Trump says trade deal reached with Indonesia, trimming proposed tariff (AXIOS)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

Captured live: Israel strikes targets in Syria as it vows to protect Druze community (MO NEWS)
Russia launches attack on Ukraine after Trump threatens sanctions (THE HILL)
Japan calls axis of China, Russia, North Korea the 'gravest threat' to global order since WWII (FOX)
Cuban minister resigns after saying country has no beggars (BBC)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

Trump says he’s “highly unlikely” to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell, signals change is coming (MO NEWS)
Profits soar for Chinese maker of viral Labubu dolls (SEMAFOR)
World’s biggest Mars rock sells for $4.3 million at auction (CNN)
Cosmic first: astronomers capture the birth of planets around a baby sun outside our solar system (AP)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

American Idol executive Robin Kaye and her husband shot and killed at Encino home, suspect arrested, police say (CBS)
Pete Davidson is expecting his first child with girlfriend Elsie Hewitt (NY POST)
Caitlin Clark injures groin late in Indiana Fever's win over the Connecticut Sun (ESPN)
Legend of Zelda live-action movie casts Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Zelda and Link (VARIETY)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… The National League was crowned champions of the MLB’s first All-Star swing-off Tuesday, a mini-home run derby game between American League and National League players.

Unlike a traditional regular-season game, the All-Star Game — now in its 92nd year — is an exhibition where fans vote for the starting players. This year, a 3-3 tie after nine innings triggered a rule introduced in 2022: the game would be decided by a home run swing-off instead of extra innings.

Philadelphia Phillies hitter Kyle Schwarber secured the National League’s victory, batting three home runs in three swings, giving the NL a 4-3 lead.

It looks like the swing-off was quite a hit! ⚾️