Obama Presidential Center’s $470M safety net under scrutiny as subcontractors say they’re owed millions
Concern is mounting that taxpayers could be left holding the bag if the Obama Presidential Center runs into financial trouble, as the foundation behind it has yet to establish a promised $470 million safety net to guard against a public bailout. The scrutiny comes as a Fox News Digital investigation found multiple contractors and subcontractors claiming losses ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions on the project, with some alleging they remain locked in payment disputes and face financial ruin just days before the center’s grand opening. Under its agreement with the city, the Obama Foundation pledged to create the fund, known as an endowment, as part of its 99-year deal to take control of the publicly owned 19.3-acre section of Jackson Park for a one-time payment of just $10. Fox News Digital previously reported that the foundation had deposited just $1 million into the reserve fund in 2021 and that the balance remained largely unchanged in its most recent publicly available filings. VALERIE JARRETT EARNED $740K AS OBAMA INSIDERS FILLED TOP ROLES DURING $850M PRESIDENTIAL CENTER BUILD Concerns about the center’s financial state have raged for years, especially since construction delays and costs have ballooned from an original estimate of roughly $330 million to at least $850 million based on 2021 figures. An updated final projected cost has not been made public. Endowment concerns “One of their core promises was they were supposed to create an endowment as basically an insurance policy so the taxpayers wouldn’t get stuck with the bill,” Illinois GOP Chair Robert Grogan told Fox News Digital outside the center last week as worker vehicles entered and exited the center. “They promised hundreds of millions of dollars for it. It’s still sitting at the $1 million mark [where it stood] when they opened it up. So I don’t believe that they’ve kept that promise.” The contractor disputes have renewed concern of the endowment because critics argue the fund was intended to serve as a backstop if the project ever encountered financial distress. The Obama Foundation disputes suggestions that taxpayers face exposure and said the project is funded through private contributions. Grogan said reports that contractors and subcontractors remain locked in payment disputes make the largely unfunded reserve even more problematic. “The fact that they have created this probably unsustainable edifice to an ego and then, eventually, if it goes under, who’s going to be caught with the bill time and time again? It’s the taxpayers of the city, citizens of Chicago and the state of Illinois.” BUREAUCRATS HIDE TRUE PRICE OF OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER AS TAXPAYERS HIT WITH INFRASTRUCTURE BILL Richard Epstein, a New York University law professor who has spent years challenging the project in court, said the reserve fund was intended to protect against exactly this type of uncertainty. “The whole point of an endowment is to fund future expenses,” Epstein told Fox News Digital, adding that the endowment acts as a financial backup if future fundraising falls short. “If the endowment hasn’t been filled, the building [could] fall into neglect, it then becomes a safety risk, and it turns out that nobody’s going to pay the bill,” Epstein said. “The city therefore, is going to have to assume additional obligations to make sure that thing is kept in place.” Grogan said reports that contractors remain unpaid only reinforce the need for closer scrutiny and called for an investigation if allegations that subcontractors were left holding the bag prove accurate. Subcontractor disputes raise new questions A Fox News Digital investigation identified multiple construction firms claiming losses ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to tens of millions. Outside the center last week, Adamson Plumbing President Mike Owen provided company spreadsheets to Fox News Digital, which he said showed that his firm is nearly $4 million in the red. He said that unnecessary rework, delays and more than 100 change-order requests left his company absorbing millions of dollars in additional costs. In addition, Omar Shareef, the president of the African American Contractors Association, told Fox News Digital outside the center last Saturday that several Black-owned contractors are also in financial difficulty due to the project. The claims raise fresh worries about the center’s long-term financial sustainability because an endowment is intended to provide a permanent source of income that can help fund future operations and cushion against financial stress. Endowments are typically invested, with a portion of the earnings used to support an institution over time. The Obama Foundation told Fox News Digital that it is in compliance with its agreement with the city, noting that the pact required the creation of an endowment but did not specify a dollar target. OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER DEPOSITS JUST $1M INTO $470M RESERVE FUND AIMED TO PROTECT TAXPAYERS The foundation said the Obama Presidential Center is “fully funded” and that it plans to make “significant investments” in the endowment in the coming years. “On the eve of our Grand Opening celebrations, we are pleased to reiterate that the Obama Presidential Center is fully funded with generous private contributions,” the Obama Foundation said in a statement. The $470 million figure emerged during public discussions surrounding the project and was later cited in the Obama Foundation’s 2020 annual report, which featured a fundraising chart stating: “$470M of our fundraising goal will go toward seeding an endowment that will sustain Obama Foundation activities and the operations of the OPC for generations to come.” The foundation previously estimated annual operating costs could reach approximately $40 million. Nonprofit endowments are typically structured so that only a small percentage of the fund — often around 4% to 5% annually — is spent each year while the principal remains invested. The goal is to generate investment income that can help support operations over the long term without relying entirely on future fundraising. The Obama Presidential Center consists of a museum tower, digital library, athletic facilities, conference space and offices for the Obama Foundation on Chicago’s South Side. The Obama Foundation is overseeing
Trump picks James McDonald to lead powerful Southern District of New York after Jay Clayton’s departure
President Donald Trump on Saturday announced his intent to appoint James M. McDonald as the next U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). The high-profile position is opening up following Trump’s recent nomination of the district’s current U.S. attorney, Jay Clayton, to serve in his cabinet as the nation’s new director of national intelligence. “I am confident that Jamie will deliver strong results for our Country as the next United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, as he has the respect of, and will work fantastically with, our Law Enforcement Patriots, the Legal Community, and the Judicial Bench,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post announcing the pick. TRUMP GREEN LIGHTS NEW DNI PULTE TO ‘START THE PROCESS’ ON MASS INTELLIGENCE FIRINGS McDonald, an Oklahoma native, previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the SDNY and worked during Trump’s first term as the director of enforcement at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Like his predecessor Clayton, McDonald has strong ties to the prominent law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, where he currently serves as a senior partner. His legal background also includes clerking for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., and graduating from Harvard College and the University of Virginia School of Law.
Rubio, Newsom share World Cup spotlight at US opener as 2028 presidential speculation swirls
Secretary of State Marco Rubio used Team USA’s World Cup opener Friday night in California to meet with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, according to a State Department official, as the Trump administration highlighted the secretary’s diplomatic work during the quadrennial international soccer tournament. “Secretary Rubio was honored to attend the first World Cup game in the U.S. [Friday] night and witness an incredible win for our country. Secretary Rubio never stops working to advance U.S. priorities and used the opportunity to meet with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña during the game to discuss our strategic partnerships,” an administration official told Fox News Digital. The U.S. men defeated Paraguay, 4-1, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in the opening match of its World Cup campaign. Rubio’s attendance also generated political interest after reports indicated he would be seated in the same suite as California Gov. Gavin Newsom during the match. USMNT WORLD CUP OPENER GETS OFF TO A FLYING START WITH OWN GOAL PUTTING AMERICANS AHEAD OF PARAGUAY The appearance placed two of the country’s most prominent political figures from opposite parties at the same event as speculation continues about the 2028 presidential race. Newsom has repeatedly faced questions about a potential White House bid and has acknowledged he has considered a presidential run, though he has not announced any plans to seek the office. Rubio, a former Republican presidential candidate and one of President Donald Trump‘s most visible Cabinet members, has likewise been discussed by some political observers as a potential future contender for the White House. The State Department did not provide additional details about Rubio’s discussion with Peña, including whether the meeting had been arranged before the match or what specific issues were discussed. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO OFFER ‘PREMIUM’ EXPEDITED VISA INTERVIEWS FOR $750 Paraguay has long maintained close ties with the U.S. and is one of Taiwan’s few remaining diplomatic allies in South America, a relationship that has made the country strategically important in the region as the U.S. and China compete for influence across Latin America. The World Cup is expected to draw government officials, world leaders and political figures from around the globe as matches are held across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The State Department and Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. The administration’s description of Rubio’s meeting with Peña underscored that the secretary of state continued conducting diplomatic business while attending the tournament opener, which marked the beginning of Team USA’s World Cup campaign on home soil.
Workers rip Trump’s name from Kennedy center facade months after it goes on, hours after failed appeal
Workers removed President Donald Trump‘s name off the Kennedy Center facade Saturday, after an appeals court denied a request from the Kennedy Center’s board to block a judge’s ruling that Trump’s name be removed. Workers erected scaffolding around the Washington, D.C., landmark Friday and began removing the Trump name from the signage that had previously read “The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts.” The Kennedy Center board had approved the addition of Trump’s name in December, claiming that the move was in recognition of Trump’s accomplishments in saving “the institution from financial ruin and physical destruction.” Workers affixed Trump’s name to the facade the next day. TRUMP’S NAME ADDED TO KENNEDY CENTER FOLLOWING UNANIMOUS BOARD VOTE TO RENAME HISTORIC BUILDING Now, however, the Trump name is coming down despite numerous legal efforts from the Kennedy Center board. The board filed for both a stay pending appeal and an immediate administrative stay, arguing the name should not be removed before the matter gets an appellate review. But an appeals court denied the request for an immediate administrative stay. OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE WITH TIES TO ANTI-TRUMP CONSPIRACY THEORY HIT WITH MISCONDUCT COMPLAINT The board then filed an emergency motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals, but a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit denied it. The board had requested a pause in the enforcement of Judge Christopher Cooper’s ruling that Trump’s name be removed, but Cooper, a U.S. district judge, denied the request Friday. Cooper maintained in an opinion on his ruling that the Kennedy Center’s name can only be changed or modified through an act of Congress. Trump slammed Cooper’s decision in an excoriating late May Truth Social barrage, writing, “Trump Hating Judge wants to keep it open because his wife probably told him to do so,” while pointing out that Cooper’s wife, Amy Jeffress, is a former Obama-era Department of Justice (DOJ) attorney who represented a number of high-profile Trump critics. “We remain fully compliant with the court’s directive while we evaluate legal options regarding the Board’s unanimous vote,” Roma Daravi, Vice President of Public Relations at the Kennedy Center said in a statement. “The establishment of the Trump Kennedy Center Fund is intended to recognize President Donald J. Trump’s significant contributions and dedication to America’s premier cultural center, while furthering our founding mission like never before.” Fox News Digital contacted the White House for additional comment. Fox News’ Bill Mears contributed to this report.
EXCLUSIVE: Collins pits record built in Maine potato fields against Platner’s ‘angry rhetoric’
EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, learned hard work in the dirt. When she was 10 years old, like several other children in Caribou, Maine, she left school to pick potato fields to aid farmers with the harvest deep in potato country in Aroostook County, dubbed “The County” by locals. “I remember my mother saying to me when I was going to pick for the first time at age 10, saying, ‘Now, Susan, this is really hard, back-breaking work, but you cannot quit. The farmers are depending on you, and you can’t let them down,’” Collins told Fox News Digital. “And those words have always stayed with me.” SCHUMER’S ‘NUMBER ONE TARGET’ SAYS VOTERS WILL SEE HER DEMOCRAT SENATE CHALLENGER AS TOO EXTREME It’s that work ethic born in her hometown of Caribou, molded by her parents’ separate stints as mayor of the small town in the county that helped shape her into the political titan she is today, propelling her to a record 10,000th straight vote in the Senate and a gavel atop the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. It’s also caused her to have the biggest target on her back in a highly contentious election cycle where Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is once again trying to flip her seat. Collins’ race has also become the most-watched and controversial of the cycle because of her unlikely opponent, Democratic nominee Graham Platner, who over the last several months has been rocked by scandal after scandal. Speaking to Fox News Digital on the drive between Bangor, Maine and Portland, one she’s made several times since joining the Senate in 1997, Collins acknowledged Platner’s rocky past and present but that she still was taking him seriously as an opponent. MAINE DEMOCRATS DECIDE FATE OF SENATE CANDIDATE DOGGED BY EXPLOSIVE ALLEGATIONS “I am surprised that [Gov. Janet Mills] is not my opponent,” Collins said. “That’s what I would have predicted, particularly given the very serious allegations against Graham Platner. Plus, his own words over many years, including recently. So, I think that he has a lot of questions to answer, but I do take him very seriously as a candidate.” Platner has been no stranger when it comes to attacking Collins in his insurgent campaign, skewering her for her vote to authorize the Iraq War two decades ago or her backing of parts of President Donald Trump’s agenda. During his acceptance speech earlier this week, he accused her of being “just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves.” Collins, who is no stranger to heated campaigns, argued that her ability to produce results was a better metric for Mainers. “I think when people look at the accomplishments and results that I’ve delivered for the people of Maine, that the contrast is enormous,” Collins said. “And angry rhetoric does not produce results.” She knows how to bring the bacon home to Maine. In her climb to the top of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she’s sent back $1.5 billion over five years, dozens of new or renovated fire stations, billions in rural healthcare funding and a fire boat that saved key businesses along Portland’s waterfront when a blaze broke out. Still, she’s in a tight race with Platner, despite the scandals and baggage. And Schumer, who has spent years trying to beat her, hopes to seize the opportunity in this cycle, even with a candidate who was not his first choice. WATCH: CHUCK SCHUMER SIDESTEPS PLATNER SCANDALS, CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR CONTROVERSIAL DEM Schumer told Semafor that Collins is “weaker than in 2020,” when they last squared off, arguing that her defense of Trump, her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the role that vote played in overturning Roe v. Wade have weighed her down. “To me, this is déjà vu all over again,” Collins said, noting that six years ago, Schumer and Democrats spent over $160 million to defeat her. Collins contended, “Democratic leaders always distort my record,” and added that when she voted to advance Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” last year, it was so she and others could modify the bill. She ultimately voted against the final product but scored a $50 billion rural hospital fund nonetheless. “If we can’t get on the bill, I can’t help fix that,” Collins said. And on Kavanaugh, Collins noted that she disagreed with how he voted on Roe v. Wade, but that she also voted “for people who voted on the other side of that decision.” “I voted for Sonia Sotomayor. I voted for Elena Kagan. I voted for Justice Jackson,” Collins said. “And that always seems to get left out.” She doesn’t vote in lockstep with Trump, either, who recently said that Collins was “not my best friend at all,” but was a “sane woman.” That prompted a laugh from the longtime lawmaker, who noted, “I’ve worked with five different presidents, and I have never agreed with a single one of them on every issue.” “I know that there’s some people who want me to oppose President Trump, just because he’s President Trump, and that’s not how I operate,” Collins said. “I look at each individual issue and then make my decision. And based on whether it’s helpful to the state of Maine, and improves the lives of families in the state of Maine.”
Talarico touts Texas roots as out-of-state cash powers Senate campaign
Donors from outside of Texas accounted for roughly 50% of the funds Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico received during the final stretch of the first quarter of 2026, compared to his Republican opponent, who received just about 25% of his cash from out of state. Of the $8.5 million Talarico raised between February 12 and March 31, a period where he saw a significant uptick in donations owing to his growing national profile, approximately $4 million came from states other than Texas, according to campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital. The Republican nominee, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, meanwhile, raised $640,000 out of the roughly $850,000 he brought in during that period from within Texas. The fundraising disparity underscores the nationalization of Texas’ Senate race, with Talarico drawing major financial support from Democratic donors and executives far beyond the state he seeks to represent, even as he campaigns on Texas roots and opposition to outside special interests. The haul gives Democrats a cash advantage in what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive Senate races this cycle, while giving Republicans an opening to cast Talarico’s campaign as powered by coastal liberal donors rather than Texas voters. Donors from New York and California, for instance, showered Talarico with more than $1.3 million in the final six weeks of quarter one, according to Federal Election Commission records. VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR’S ‘GRASSROOTS’ CAMPAIGN POWERED BY OUT-OF-STATE CASH, MOSTLY BY COASTAL ELITES Talarico has made an effort to highlight his ties to Texas during his Senate campaign, touting the fact that his family has lived in the state for eight generations and criticizing the influence of out-of-state interests on Texans. “I’ve led the fight against the billionaire mega-donors that have rigged the system against working Texas families,” Talarico’s campaign website reads. “Now, as those same billionaire mega-donors take over the federal government, we need more fighters in Washington who will take power back for working people.” ACTBLUE SUES TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON, ALLEGING POLITICAL RETALIATION OVER DEMOCRATS’ FUNDRAISING “James is proud to be the only candidate in this race not taking a dime of corporate PAC money, shattering grassroots fundraising records with donations from 246 Texas counties and the help of over 540,000 small dollar contributors — unlike John Cornyn and Ken Paxton, who have raked in millions of dollars from special interests and enriched their billionaire donors while working Texans struggle,” campaign spokesman JT Ennis told Fox News Digital when asked about out-of-state donations. “Our campaign is bringing Democrats, Republicans and Independents together to fix this broken, corrupt political system and bring down costs for families across our state.” Talarico accepted donations from out-of-state executives at Google, Warner Brothers, Apple, Meta, Victoria’s Secret, and other major companies between February 12 and March 31, per FEC records. The Democratic Senate hopeful has also accepted donations from lobbyists representing major corporations such as Google, AirBnB, Boeing, Novo Nordisk, Comcast, CVS and JP Morgan. While Talarico has attracted considerable support from outside of Texas, his fundraising operation within the state has also eclipsed that of Paxton, who raised less than one-fifth as much from Texans as his Democratic opponent. Paxton, however, fought a brutal primary against Sen. John Cornyn, splitting the GOP donor base. JAMES TALARICO ADMITS PAST COMMENTS ‘MISSED THE MARK’ WHEN CONFRONTED ON CLAIMS LIKE GOD IS ‘NON-BINARY’ Beyond his campaign committee, Talarico has also benefited from Lone Star Rising PAC, a super PAC spending millions to help him win. In contrast to his campaign rhetoric, much of the cash behind the super PAC boosting Talarico’s campaign came from wealthy out-of-state donors. Just 12% of the millions of dollars in donations collected by Lone Star Rising PAC, which the Washington Free Beacon reports is run by Talarico’s longtime friend, came from entities within Texas, according to campaign finance records.
Hasan Piker celebrates America being ‘closer than ever’ to socialism as he backs NYC candidates
Controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker threw his support behind two far-left candidates running for Congress in New York City, arguing their victories would help push the country closer to socialism. “For the longest time, I thought we were so far away from socialism, and we might still be far away from socialism, but we do have an opportunity right here right now, more than ever before,” Piker said Thursday at a Brooklyn rally for candidates endorsed by the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America ahead of the state’s June 23 primary. Leading the DSA-backed slate are State Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, D-N.Y., and activist Darializa Avila Chevalier, whom Piker praised as “giants” of the socialist movement. “We must seize that opportunity, and you all must continue your own disciplined organizing for that to happen,” Piker told the crowd. “That is the challenge.” DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MAMDANI ALLY MOUNTS BID FOR US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Both candidates are socialists who want to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), raise taxes on the wealthy and advance the Palestinian cause in Congress. If they win their contested primaries for deep-blue districts, they would almost certainly pad the ranks of the Democratic caucus’ far-left flank. “I’ve rarely ever seen such tremendous ideological representation at such an important level,” Piker said, referring to Valdez and Avila Chevalier. “I mean, a congressional seat is a tremendous amount of power.” “What an honor it is to be joined by Darializa on stage,” Valdez jokingly said, referring to a cardboard cutout of Avila Chevalier. “[It’s the] honor of my life to be on a slate with her, with so many of my other socialist comrades.” Valdez is running for a seat vacated by retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., that spans progressive bastions in Queens and Brooklyn. Meanwhile, Avila Chevalier is running as a formidable leftist challenger to Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., the chairman of the influential Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in a district covering Upper Manhattan and the West Bronx. The leftist duo is backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Justice Democrats, the progressive group that helped launch New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s insurgent House campaign in 2018. MAMDANI STANDS BY FELLOW SOCIALIST CANDIDATE DESPITE RESURFACED FAR-LEFT, ANTI-AMERICAN POSTS Avila Chevalier has sparked controversy over since-deleted social media posts in which she asserted “Israel doesn’t exist,” voiced literal support for open borders and claimed “all deportation is wrong,” CNN first reported. The Mamdani ally has also faced scrutiny over calling former President Joe Biden “a rapist” and writing “F— Kamala Harris” in 2021 after the former vice president told Guatemalan nationals not to illegally cross the border. Piker predicted a wave of socialist victories in New York City would soon eclipse the significance of Mamdani’s mayoral win last year. “By the end of these midterms, Zohran will seem unremarkable. Because by then, we will have elected so many brilliant fighters into legislative offices throughout New York City and the state,” Piker said, referring to the slate of socialist candidates. “These are your comrades, these are your fighters,” he continued. Thursday’s rally comes as Piker, who has sparked widespread backlash over comments saying, “America deserved 9/11,” and Hamas is “a thousand times better” than Israel, has interviewed and campaigned with proudly socialist candidates across the country. Several Piker allies have lost their primaries, including former Ocasio-Cortez chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti, who launched a failed bid to succeed former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. However, the socialist streamer did score one notable victory with progressive surgeon Adam Hamawy’s primary victory for a Democratic-heavy New Jersey House seat. Fox News Digital reached out to spokespersons for Valdez and Avila Chevalier for comment. Fox News’ Matthew Donnell contributed to this report.
Platner’s ‘deranged’ response to Musk becoming a trillionaire sparks online outrage: ‘Loserthink’
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner was widely mocked by conservatives on social media over a post lamenting Space X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk being labeled the world’s first trillionaire. “Elon Musk just became the world’s first trillionaire,” Platner posted on X on Friday. “Let’s make sure he’s also the last.” Platner’s post, which was seen over 2 million times as of Friday evening, was referring to news that Musk’s SpaceX began trading at $150 a share on Friday, above its listing price of $135 a share, making him the world’s first-ever trillionaire following the initial public offering. THE GROWING LIST OF CONTROVERSIES THREATENING DEMOCRAT GRAHAM PLATNER’S MAINE SENATE BID The post received heavy criticism from conservatives on social media, with many bringing up the various controversies surrounding Platner’s campaign, including reports of infidelity, a Nazi tattoo, physical abuse of an ex-girlfriend and social media posts criticizing the military and rural America. “Communists can never quite grasp that if you make Musk poorer, you make millions of others poorer in the process because unlike them, he actually creates value for others in society,” Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. “It’s deranged.” “”Pick your fighter,” Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee posted on X. “Guy who innovates constantly, has built phenomenally successful businesses, and now reaps the rewards. PLATNER CAMPAIGN ROCKED WITH DAMNING ALLEGATIONS FROM ANOTHER EX-LOVER AS SENATE RACE HEATS UP: REPORT Guy who thought it wise to permanently stain his chest with a Nazi SS Totenkopf tattoo.” “Worth reminding everyone that in addition to being a pathological liar Graham Platner also has the economic views of third world resentment socialists,” Charlie Kirk show producer Blake Neff posted on X. “This is loserthink,” California Post opinion editor Joel Pollak posted on X. “Musk’s IPO is making millions of Americans wealthier. And his success is inspiring others: ‘If it can happen for an immigrant kid — why not me?’ The winning way to think — the AMERICAN way to think — is: Let’s make some more trillionaires! “ “I hope @elonmusk is the first of many trillionaires,” Actor Dean Cain posted on X. ” Pray for others to have his success and continue to change the world for the better, for EVERYONE!!” Fox News Digital reached out to Platner’s campaign for comment. Platner has faced widespread criticism since launching his campaign for overplaying his blue collar record and embracing the economic policies of progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who has emphatically endorsed him. Musk’s rocket and satellite company raised a record $75 billion, valuing the company at about $1.8 trillion, pushing the value of Musk’s stake in SpaceX to an estimated $690 billion. The company is trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker “SPCX” after pricing its IPO on Thursday. Combined with his holdings in electric vehicle maker Tesla, as well as other investments and assets, Musk’s net worth is now estimated at about $1.1 trillion. SpaceX stock jumped after it began trading, rising to $168.75 a share before paring some of those gains to trade around $158 a share. It subsequently rebounded and reached a new high of $176.52, and closed at $160.95 per share. Investor demand for SpaceX has been intense. Reuters reported this week that the company attracted more than $250 billion in orders, while Bloomberg News reported Thursday that retail investors alone submitted more than $70 billion in requests for shares. The company is expected to allocate at least 20% of the offering to retail investors, according to Bloomberg — an unusually large portion for individual investors in a deal of this size. Fox News Digital’s Eric Revell and Bradford Betz contributed to this report
WATCH: House Dems blame racism, ‘all-White’ jury for Karmelo Anthony’s guilty verdict
House Democrats are raising concerns about how race and jury selection may have impacted the guilty verdict in the Karmelo Anthony case, with several arguing the verdict highlights the racism they believe exists in the criminal justice system. “A travesty, two lives ruined, and what struck me most is that you had an all-White jury,” Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas, said when asked his thoughts on the guilty verdict. “You had preemptive strikes that were used in order to achieve an all-White jury.” After Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Tuesday for the stabbing and killing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track event, many activists and Democratic lawmakers have claimed the trial to be unfair and racist. KARMELO ANTHONY VERDICT DRAWS ANTI-WHITE RAGE AND LIES FROM RADICAL DEM CONGRESSWOMAN, ANGRY ACTIVISTS Many are claiming the jurors were all White, and that this contributed to the rejection of Anthony’s self-defense claim. “Juries should represent the diversity of this country, and if a White kid was convicted of murder and it was an all-Black jury that did the conviction, people would say this is patently unfair,” Menefee said. “So why should it be fair if it’s the other way around?” But sources close to the trial told Fox News Digital that there were three jurors who were racial minorities. They said that of the 18 total jurors, including alternates, six were minorities. Additionally, four Black men testified in defense of Metcalf, saying Anthony was not provoked in any way to justify stabbing the 17-year-old. SELF-DEFENSE CLAIM IN AUSTIN METCALF SLAYING IS ‘UPHILL BATTLE’: EXPERT Supporters of Anthony claim that he stabbed Metcalf as an act of self defense, arguing he did not receive a fair trial. Some activists and Democratic lawmakers have called for further review of the case and urged Anthony to pursue an appeal. “Here is a case where a young man certainly appears to have been being attacked and defended himself,” Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., said about the case. “It does bring in light the imbalance in our judicial system, as it relates to African Americans and people of color” Carter continued. “And that’s a shame. So hopefully, there’ll be an opportunity for some appeal and some further discussion.” “Case after case, after case you see that if it is a young Black person, they’re not allowed to be fearful, they’re not allowed self-defense, they don’t get the same standard ground opportunities that other people get,” Menefee said. “But then other races do.” AUSTIN METCALF’S DAD EXPRESSES EMPATHY FOR KARMELO ANTHONY AS KILLER’S PARENTS SAY ‘THEY DID A NUMBER ON US’ Some lawmakers were less likely to directly blame the trial as unfair due to race, but were still sympathetic toward Anthony and were not blatantly opposed to the idea of looking further into the evidence in the case despite a verdict already being made. “We’ve got to stop this loss and the killing of these young children, number one,” Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., said. “First of all, they need to reopen it and all the evidence needs to come forward.” “I think it’s an unfortunate circumstance all the way around,” Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala., said. He continued, “You have one young man who was killed. His family will never get to be with him again. You have another young man who, for all intents and purposes, thrown a lot of years of his life. A lot of the years of this life. If he does 35 years, he’ll be 50 — in his 50s — when he gets out. And it’s just totally unfortunate.” Throughout their criticism of the verdict, several lawmakers framed the case as part of a larger debate over race, self-defense claims and equal treatment for minorities under the law. “The American justice system does not work equally for everybody,” Menefee said.
Trump says US military eliminated ‘infamous’ Tren de Aragua leader in lethal strike
President Donald Trump on Friday night announced the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) “delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike” to successfully execute Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as Niño Guerrero, the “infamous” leader of Tren de Aragua (TdA). The U.S. Department of State previously offered up to a $5 million reward for the 43-year-old Venezuelan’s arrest or conviction. “Before I returned to office, Joe Biden opened our Southern Border to millions of Illegal Criminals, and allowed this foreign army to rape, maim, and murder American Citizens with total impunity,” Trump wrote in a statement on Truth Social. “During my Campaign, I pledged to expel these monsters from our Country, and bring Justice to the families of those they slaughtered, including the precious 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, 22-year-old Laken Reilly, and countless other beautiful souls.” DOJ INDICTS ALLEGED HIGH-RANKING TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBER ON TERRORISM CHARGES FOR THE FIRST TIME VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT USES TREN DE ARAGUA AS PROXIES TO UNDERMINE US PUBLIC SAFETY, FBI ASSESSMENT FINDS The president said with Friday’s action, the U.S. military “has brought retribution for them, their families, and their loved ones.” “Early in my Administration, I delivered on my promise to designate Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, deport thousands of evil criminals, and wage war against the Cartels, who have long been waging war against our Citizens, while weak leaders left America helpless and defensive,” Trump wrote. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “This action was coordinated closely with our friends in Venezuela, with whom we are working very well,” he continued. “As a result, Tren de Aragua terrorists no longer have safe haven in Venezuela or anywhere else and, under my leadership, we will find these vicious murderers and drugs lords anytime, anyplace, and send them to the depths of hell where they belong.” TdA, originally a prison gang in the Aragua state of Venezuela, has grown into a transnational criminal organization led by Flores, according to the State Department. The group has since been designated by the U.S. as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Authorities said Guerrero spent many years incarcerated at the Tocorón Prison in Aragua State of Venezuela and expanded the group’s influence by extorting prison inmates and bribing prison guards. The gang later assumed overall control of the Tocorón prison, gold mines in Bolivar State, drug corridors on the Caribbean coast and of some of the clandestine border crossings between Venezuela and Colombia.