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Fourth & Democracy | Trump's Epstein Problem, Joe Rogan's Regrets, & J.D. Vance Makes his Move
Welcome to our new weekly newsletter, where the playbook meets the public square.
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Welcome to the first edition of Fourth & Democracy — a weekly newsletter for young men, veterans, and anyone politically adjacent who gives a damn about sports, gaming, news, and culture.
We’re here to make news more accessible — and way less boring — for people sick of corporate media telling them what to think. We cover cultural moments with real impact. No gatekeeping. No bullshit.
Who I Am
Hey, I’m Evan Fields. Army veteran. Millennial. Husband. Colorado resident. Sports fanatic, media critic, and political crashout.
For a long time, I was just a guy trying to make sense of a country that didn’t seem to care much for me. I served in the military, got hurt, got out – and didn’t really see much out there. So, I went back to school. Finished undergrad, then knocked out a master’s in public administration. The plan was to go back into public service. The kind that actually helps people.
But I won’t serve under an administration that treats human life like a political inconvenience. So I found another way.
Through relentless outreach (and maybe a little stubbornness), I got connected with Rick Wilson, Susan Demas, and the crew at Lincoln Square – great people who believe that the voice of a regular guy still matters in this country.
That’s what I’m trying to bring here. No corporate spin. No elite detachment. Just honest commentary from someone who cares enough to fight for a democracy that’s slipping through our fingers – and smart enough to know we need to reach the guys who’ve been left behind.
This newsletter is for you. For us. For the people who still give a damn.
Let’s get into it:
This week, the veneer cracked. Trump’s crown is slipping. Rogan is tip-toeing out the side door. And J.D. Vance is looking to his future. These aren’t isolated events. They’re signals. The loudest men in the room aren’t strong anymore. They’re scared.
What comes next — politically, culturally, personally — is up to us.
1st & Ten: Trump’s Epstein Problem
President Trump’s decline is undeniable. He isn’t just aging — he’s publicly unraveling. His appearances have slowed. His makeup is uneven and caked. His pant legs have widened amid catheter rumors. The bruises on his hands and pauses in his speech have sparked concern. But more than health, what’s vanishing is the alpha male myth.
Epstein files are back in the headlines, and Trump’s “we have certain things in common” letter to Jeffrey Epstein is in the spotlight. With over 1,000 confirmed victims and redactions still hiding powerful names, the pressure is mounting – and so is the paranoia.
The president went on a daylong social media rant Sunday as news continued to spread details of his relationship with the most notorious predator in American history. Despite Trump’s best efforts at distraction and a media blitz – the Epstein story has continued to stick.
Second & Long: Rogan’s Cognitive Dissonance
Silence isn’t neutrality. It’s complicated.
Joe Rogan once opened minds. His podcast was a portal for young men to explore wild ideas, meet brilliant thinkers, and laugh with comics who felt like friends. For guys who never felt welcome in academia, it was summer school for the disillusioned. But Rogan didn’t stay curious — he pivoted to paranoid.
By 2024, Rogan had platformed Trump, endorsed him, and helped sell the illusion of masculine strength to a generation of insecure young men. He made Trump mainstream to a whole new generation and level. And now that ICE is rounding up workers across the country and the vibes feel off, he wants to act surprised?
“I’m just a comedian” doesn’t cut it anymore.
He helped build the cage-match fantasy. Now the cage is real, and it’s on the White House lawn. He can mumble and bullshit all he wants about construction workers and FEMA cuts, but Joe isn’t some innocent bystander. He’s a co-architect of this mess. He was perfectly happy bringing his wife, Tony Hinchcliffe, Theo Von, and other members of his entourage to the inauguration — but now that the vibes are off, he doesn’t get to switch up that easy.
Third & Short: Targeting the NFL
Like a cornered and wounded animal, Trump is obsessed with any form of symbolic dominance he can get – and now his wrath has extended to the NFL. Last weekend, he threatened to block the Washington Commanders stadium deal unless they change their name back to Redskins.
That’s not a policy stance – it’s a tantrum wrapped in racism.
The pettiness gets even more ridiculous, though. In the same breath, Trump pondered that he would officially approve Americans calling soccer “football” if the issue were to arise – a subtle dig at the owners of American football’s NFL owners.
Once again, this isn’t about sports or business. It’s about control – over language, identity, and which version of America gets to win. The president wants to be seen as a strongman that controls all aspects of American life. He’s already doing so with his media lawsuit campaign which brought about the firing of late night host Stephen Colbert – it remains to be seen if NFL owners will kiss the ring, as well.
Fourth & Democracy: J.D. Vance Meets With Rupert Murdoch
Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha, flew to Montana on Tuesday to reportedly meet with Wall Street Journal owner Rupert Murdoch. The meeting came a day before the outlet decided to publish its piece about Donald Trump and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Succession was way too spot on.
Just to put this into perspective – J.D. Vance, the sitting Vice President, traveled to Montana to meet with the right-wing media kingmaker the day before his publication dropped a story on his boss being great friends with a pedophile.
Call us crazy, but it would seem that there is a changing of the guard on its way. Are Peter Thiel and Rupert Murdoch ready to crown their next useful idiot? Will Trump willingly step down? How bad does the Epstein drama need to get for that to happen?
You don’t need a tinfoil hat to see the picture here. Trump is wearing out his welcome and usefulness to the most elite members of society and they are almost certainly gaming out scenarios where Curtis Yarvin’s post-democratic ideals will make their way into the West Wing.
What to Watch, Play & Read
Here’s some things we found interesting this week — for guys trying to stay sharp, grounded, and looking to unwind.
Gaming:
College Football 26 is finally out. A long-awaited return after the series made a comeback last year — and some heavy nostalgia for any guy who grew up making Road to Glory characters (high school games are back).
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 Remastered is out for all consoles and PC. If you’re looking for some outstanding nostalgia, this is your place. The game is only $49.99 for the standard edition – so it’s on the cheaper side.
Mafia: The Old Country. Pardon our excitement, but LFG! This is one of our favorite gaming series and they’re taking it back to its mafia roots in Sicily. The long-awaited return of the Mafia series gets released August 8.
Watch:
James Talarico - The Joe Rogan Experience : If you haven’t seen the episode yet, it’s a must watch. James Talarico, a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives and Christian pastor, stopped by to discuss everything from young men to christian nationalism – it’s a worthwhile watch.
Joe Rogan Experience #2352 - James Talarico
The Brilliant Idiots - Charlamagne Tha God and co-host Andrew Schulz discuss the Epstein files and Trump’s fracturing base, along with political opportunities for Democrats.
Epstein Files Fracturing Trump's MAGA Base & Democrats Are Missing the Political Opportunity
Books:
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter - A readable blend of adventure, masculinity, and mental strength.
The Good Immigrant - Essays on identity, masculinity, and America from those outside the dominant narrative.
In Closing
The cracks in MAGA and their promises are starting to show. The myth of the tough guy who could fix it all is falling apart. But this isn’t about schadenfreude. It’s about clarity.
Young men have been failed by a system that sold them strength and gave them endless struggle. But that doesn’t mean they’re lost. It means they’re looking for something. And they’re watching. We need to stop mocking them and give them something real. We were never meant to follow broken men. We were meant to build better ones.
We are at the goal line — and Fourth & Democracy is here to offer better answers than hate, greed, and cruelty designed as strength.
Stay loud. Stay grounded. Stay up.
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