1 month ago
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PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two additional natural color additives and expanded the use of a third, aligning with efforts to phase out artificial food dyes being pursued by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
👥 Who’s Involved: The FDA, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, and U.S. food manufacturers.
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📍 Where & When: The FDA’s approval occurred on Friday in Silver Spring, Maryland.
💬 Key Quote: “Today we take a major step to Make America Healthy Again,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
⚠️ Impact: The approval supports the transition to natural dyes in food, affecting products like cereals, snacks, and candies.
IN FULL:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken a significant step toward reducing artificial food dyes by approving additional natural color additives. This move aligns with a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative to eliminate artificial dyes, which are often petroleum-based and lack nutritional value.
The FDA’s recent approval includes Galdieria extract blue, derived from algae, and butterfly pea flower extract. The use of calcium phosphate, a natural compound, has also been expanded. These natural colorings are now permitted in a variety of food products, including fruit juices, cereals, snacks, and candies.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed his commitment to making America’s food supply healthier, stating, “For too long, our food system has relied on synthetic, petroleum-based dyes that offer no nutritional value and pose unnecessary health risks. We’re removing these dyes and approving safe, natural alternatives—to protect families and support healthier choices.”
The FDA has been encouraging food companies to voluntarily phase out synthetic dyes, a move supported by some manufacturers like Tyson Foods. FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary emphasized the agency’s dedication to this transition, noting, “FDA staff have been moving quickly to expedite the publication of these decisions, underscoring our serious intent to transition away from petroleum-based dyes in the food supply and provide new colors from natural sources.”
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Transgenders in the U.S. military are being given between 30 and 60 days to self-separate after the Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to enforce a ban on their service.
👥 Who’s Involved: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, approximately 1,000 transgender service members, and the Supreme Court.
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📍 Where & When: U.S. military, with deadlines for self-separation being set by June 6 for active duty and July 7 for reservists, according to a Department of Defense (DOD) memo published on Thursday, May 9, 2025.
💬 Key Quote: “After a SCOTUS victory for [President Trump], TRANS is out at the DOD,” Hegseth announced on X (formerly Twitter).
⚠️ Impact: The ruling affects military readiness policies and a broader effort to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion policies at the Department of Defense (DOD).
IN FULL:
The Department of Defense (DOD) has initiated a timeline for transgender service members to voluntarily separate from the military following a Supreme Court order clearing the way for a ban on their service in the U.S. military. A recent memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlines that approximately 1,000 service members who have identified as having gender dysphoria must begin the process of self-separation. Active duty members are required to exit by June 6, with reservists having until July 7 to comply.
This development follows the Supreme Court’s decision to stay a lower court ruling, effectively allowing the Trump administration’s ban on transgender troops to proceed. The administration argues that this policy is essential for maintaining military readiness, unit cohesion, and avoiding the disproportionate costs associated with transgenders’ need for often lifelong medical care.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating: “The Secretary is encouraged by the Supreme Court’s order staying the lower court’s injunction, allowing the Department of Defense to carry out its policies associated with ‘Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.'”
Hegseth, in an announcement on X (formerly Twitter), declared, “After a SCOTUS victory for [President Trump], TRANS is out at the DOD.” He further noted that service members with a current diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria could choose to separate voluntarily by the set deadlines, or face involuntary removal if they fail to do so.
The Trump administration’s policy, initially introduced via Executive Order in January, mandates updates to medical standards to prioritize readiness and lethality. It also seeks to eliminate the use of invented and identification-based pronouns within the Department of Defense.
The Pentagon’s move is part of a broader initiative to eliminate policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and gender ideology. Hegseth recently announced that nearly all DEI-related policies have been removed from the Department, alongside efforts to standardize fitness tests for men and women.
From January 2016 to May 2021, the Department of Defense reportedly spent around $15 million on transgender treatments for active-duty service members. This financial aspect has been a point of contention in discussions about military spending and readiness.
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