Mamdani ripped for claiming victory over capitalism after NYC’s multi-billion dollar taxpayer funded bailout
New York City‘s mayor is again under fire after spewing outlandish claims that his socialist policies are to credit for a balanced budget in the Big Apple, just after the city received a multi-billion dollar bailout from the state. “In January, our administration inherited a $12 billion budget deficit — a fiscal crisis greater than the Great Recession,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a Tuesday post on X announcing that the debt had been cleared. “We balanced the budget by taxing the rich and making government more efficient,” Mamdani continued. “We did not balance this budget on the backs of working people, and we never will.” MAMDANI ALLOCATES $500K FOR REPARATIONS TALKS AS NYC FACES $5.4B DEFICIT But the real reason the budget it balanced is because the city was handed $1.5 billion by the state of New York in January — funded by working class taxpayers across the state — as part of a multi-year plan to bail out the fiscally-challenged city. In late May, the city received another $4 billion. Of the combined $8 billion provided to the city’s bailout fund under former Mayor Eric Adams’ tenure and now Mamdani’s mayorship, $5 billion was directly earmarked for the city to address fiscal measures. This includes allowing city government to defer pension contributions to close the budgetary gap. Mamdani’s claims about socialist policies producing results — and his failure to mention the massive bailouts provided by taxpayer dollars — did not fly on social media. MAMDANI ALLOCATES $500K FOR REPARATIONS TALKS AS NYC FACES $5.4B DEFICIT “This is a lie,” independent journalist Nick Shirley said in a reply to the mayor. “You balanced the budget by borrowing billions from the NY state government which pushed back pension payments, so you literally took money from ‘the backs of hardworking people.’ Don’t get it twisted,” he added. Commentator and journalist Nick Sortor also flamed the mayor over the loan and his classification of the bailout. “Are you saying New Yorkers can ‘balance their budgets’ by taking out massive credit card loans?” he asked sarcastically. BROADCAST NETWORKS TOUT MAMDANI’S VICTORIES, PROCLAIM SOCIALISM IS ‘RESONATING’ “Mamdani balanced the budget by taking money from Albany, who in turn taxed Rochester and Buffalo” another social media user said. “That’s who is paying for all of Mamdani’s free crap.” In a press conference earlier in the day, Mamdani claimed victory over capitalism. “Throughout this process I have been reminded of the words of the Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek: ‘if socialists understood economics, they wouldn’t be socialists.’” After the Republican National Convention (RNC) posted that clip, Mamdani also faced ridicule for that. “It always looks good at first until the chickens come home to roost,” one person replied. “He’ll soon ‘deliver’ bread lines instead,” said another. Mamdani’s office did not return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Melat Kiros becomes 28th far-left candidate to win a Democratic primary this year as socialists amass power
Melat Kiros has become the 28th candidate endorsed by a far-left group to win a Democratic primary election this cycle, according to a Fox News review. The 29-year-old Democratic socialist is now in the same company as Graham Platner, the scandal-plagued Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, as well as the trio of Zohran Mamdani-backed House nominees — Brad Lander, Claire Valdez, and Darializa Avila Chevalier. Kiros ran for Colorado’s 1st congressional district and was supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the Working Families Party (WFP) and the Justice Democrats. DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS SEIZE THE MOMENT WITH EXTREME, ANTI-AMERICAN VIEWS THAT BADLY TARNISH THE PARTY Although not all 25 far-left House candidates who won Democratic primaries this year are guaranteed to win their general election bids in November, many of them, including Kiros, are in solidly blue districts where Republican challengers have little chance of being successful. If all the far-left House candidates tracked by Fox News were to win, they’d join another 18 like-minded colleagues, including Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. In the best case scenario for the far left, they’d have a 43-member bloc in the House of Representatives come January 2027. WATCH: PELOSI, OMAR STAY SILENT AS MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST VICTORIES SHAKE DEMOCRAT PARTY Seeing as there are just 10 Blue Dog Democrats, a left-wing sweep would substantially tip the balance of power in the Democratic Party, which is favored to retake the House majority next year. The Blue Dog Caucus is a coalition of House Democrats who describe themselves as fiscally responsible and focused on bipartisan dealmaking. They also support a strong national defense. With her victory on Tuesday, Kiros also became the sixth insurgent candidate this year to oust an incumbent. CARVILLE WARNS DEMOCRATS ANTI-ISRAEL ‘LOUDMOUTHS’ COULD COST ELECTIONS Kiros defeated Rep. Diana DeGette, who served 15 terms in Congress, by a nearly 10-point margin, according to The Associated Press. DeGette was sworn into the House in January 1997, four months before Kiros was born. DeGette supported abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and implementing Medicare-for-All, two key priorities of her opponent and leftists at large. Largely aligned on domestic policy priorities, Kiros and DeGette diverged on the issue of Israel. DeGette is a strong supporter of the Jewish nation and has also advocated for a two-state solution. Kiros took a harsher stance, accusing Israel of committing a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Kiros, who supports a full U.S. arms embargo on Israel, criticized DeGette for backing continued U.S. military aid to the country, including funding for defensive systems like the Iron Dome. Kiros’s other foreign policy ideas have drawn significant criticism, including her view that the U.S. shares culpability in the horrific 9/11 terror attacks. 9News journalist Kyle Clark asked Kiros in a June 22 interview whether she believed 9/11 was an “inevitable consequence” of American intervention. “Inevitable in the sense that we destabilized a lot of the Middle East, which led people to believe that another act of violence was the only response. And again, just like I said before, our responsibility is to get rid of those conditions that lead to violence in the first place,” Kiros said. Before her campaign, Kiros was fired from her position at the Sidley Austin law firm in 2023 after publishing an open letter criticizing law firms, including her own, that called for action against antisemitism on college campuses. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Harris reaches out to socialist mayor Mamdani in latest sign she’s shoring up support for possible 2028 bid
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is courting New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and other progressive power players as 2028 speculation builds around another possible White House bid. The phone call with Mamdani last week, first reported by Axios and confirmed by Fox News Digital, along with other closed-door meetings with progressive groups, suggests Harris is trying to shore up support from factions of the party that didn’t support her during her 2024 run. Additionally, Harris met with progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., behind the scenes at a Black women empowerment summit in Chicago, Axios first reported, and Fox News Digital confirmed. Harris reportedly has also been reaching out to pro-Palestinian groups after she faced pushback from those groups during her 2024 presidential run. Harris reached out to at least one group that was part of the “Uncommitted Movement” that developed as a result of President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel and Gaza conflict. KAMALA HARRIS DROPS BIGGEST HINT YET ON 2028 WHITE HOUSE RUN Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani and Harris’ office for comment. News of the Harris and Mamdani call sparked criticism from conservatives online. “Kamala Harris 2020 was desperate, Kamala Harris 2024 was pathetic, Kamala Harris 2028 will be unhinged,” GOP political strategist Nathan Brand posted on X. Mamdani’s influence in the party has only grown since he was sworn into office in January, as highlighted by a clean sweep of socialist-aligned candidates he endorsed winning their races in the New York Democratic primary last month. CARVILLE WARNS DEMOCRATS ANTI-ISRAEL ‘LOUDMOUTHS’ COULD COST ELECTIONS “The fact that she’s courting people like Mamdani, these socialists and communists, it goes back to the radical leftists, because the Democrats are in big trouble as a party,” RNC chair Joe Gruters exclusively told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “They’re in the death spiral, because now they have these people inside their tent,” he continued. “This is who the Democratic Party is today: these radical leftists that want to fundamentally transform our country. And that’s why we have to fight. That’s why we have to come together, unite, and we have to win. We have to win to save the country. We have to win to move our policies forward. There’s a lot at stake. Certainly, Kamala Harris, the meeting with Mamdani and these radicals shows you where the left continues to go where they want to go, but listen, she has to kowtow to these radicals to try to win.” Earlier this year, Harris made stops in the crucial primary state of South Carolina less than a week after she dropped a tantalizing comment at the first major cattle call of Democratic presidential contenders. “I might. I might. I’m thinking about it… I’ll keep you posted,” Harris said in April at the National Action Network’s 35th Anniversary Convention, when asked by the event founder, the Rev. Al Sharpton, if she would seek the presidency in 2028. Harris, who replaced President Joe Biden as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee but later lost the election to President Donald Trump, was greeted by the crowd with chants of “run again.”
EXCLUSIVE: Inside the secretive mine DOGE helped drag out of a decades-old bureaucratic black hole
BOYERS, Pa. — Deep inside a limestone mine more than 230 feet underground, the Trump administration marked what it called the “Last Day of Paper” for federal retirements Tuesday, giving Fox News Digital rare access to the long-secretive Pennsylvania facility where millions of government records helped keep the retirement process trapped in an analog system for decades. “It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before, which I think is the reaction that I generally hear from lots of people… I believe that many [government employees] have just been constrained by a system that does not allow innovation and does not allow some element of risk-taking,” U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told Fox News Digital in a sit-down interview. “The only thing I did that was different than any other predecessor was we gave people permission to actually solve the problems that I knew needed to be solved,” he continued. FEDERAL HR OFFICE PULLS BACK CURTAIN ON SWEEPING NDA PLAN AIMED AT CURBING GOVERNMENT LEAKS For decades, retirement applications were physically mailed between federal agencies before arriving at OPM’s Retirement Operations Center in Boyers, which houses over 400 million paper records and where workers manually processed roughly 10,000 retirements each month. OPM celebrated moving from the paper system to digitized records, explaining the millions of documents languishing in the mine will be shredded. OPM functions as the federal government’s human resources department, overseeing the policies, benefits and personnel systems that affect millions of civilian federal employees and retirees. Kupor said the Biden administration and previous officials had discussed modernizing the online retirement application, but the effort never gained momentum. “The idea of the online retirement application was an idea,” he said. “I think what happened was it never got traction.” The federal retirement system has relied on a largely paper-based process since it opened in the 1980s. Over the years, officials launched multiple modernization efforts, including pilot programs and attempts to digitize retirement applications. Despite those initiatives, the government remained dependent on paper until the Trump administration accelerated adoption of OPM’s Online Retirement Application following Musk’s public criticism of the system. The underground operation became a national symbol of government bureaucracy after Elon Musk revealed its existence last year, calling it “like a time warp,” while in the Oval Office. “Now people can retire as soon as they want, instead of waiting six months for paper to be carried into a mine,” Musk exclusively told Fox News Digital. READ: DR. OZ PUTS ALL 50 GOVERNORS ON NOTICE OVER BILLIONS LOST TO MEDICAID FRAUD Kupor shared that both Musk and U.S. Chief Design Officer Joe Gebbia deserve an “enormous amount of credit.” “It’s a great example to me of the more meta level of what Elon and the DOGE team was doing, which is rethink processes from ground zero, be creative in terms of what the solutions are and recognize that, look, you have to actually make significant change if you want to ultimately drive efficiency in the government,” said Kupor. Iron Mountain provides secure archival storage for numerous museums, archives, cultural institutions and government agencies. Its holdings include materials for Getty Images, CBS, Disney, artifacts related to the Flight 93 National Memorial—near Shanksville, Pennsylvania—and Holocaust-related collections, Fox News Digital learned. TRUMP SAYS ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS ARE UNCOVERING BILLIONS IN WASTE, CLAIMS SAVINGS COULD BALANCE BUDGET “We have a great team who does a lot of security, and obviously we’re in a building here with other very highly secure agencies. There’s a number of kind of three-letter agencies who also have records here,” said Kupor. “I think by far the benefits of obviously getting off paper going to electronic records. Way outweigh any potential risks we might have from a security perspective,” said Kupor when asked about any security concerns the physical copies presented. Kupor argued that government innovation is key to reducing costs for taxpayers. PENTAGON ANNOUNCES INVESTIGATION INTO LEAKS, WHICH COULD INCLUDE POLYGRAPH TESTS “I think what the president has done and told us is take the skills that you have around innovation and creative thinking and apply that to modernization for the government and if we do that, we’ll not only improve the quality of service, but that is where we get efficiency,” said Kupor. “That’s how we actually deliver more for the American people without constantly going to have to go back to the till and ask Congress for more money.”
Walz post calling SCOTUS girls’ sports ruling ‘cruel’ backfires online as critics reveal what’s even crueler
Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz faced backlash from conservatives on social media after denouncing Tuesday’s Supreme Court ruling on transgender athletes in women’s sports by calling it “cruel.” “As the Supreme Court says states can be cruel to trans kids, my message is clear: Here in Minnesota, we stand with and value our trans neighbors and youth,” Walz posted on X as the Supreme Court was ruling in favor of West Virginia and Idaho against trans athletes who sued to gain access to girls’ sports. Walz’s comment was immediately blasted on social media by conservatives, many of whom are from Minnesota. “What’s cruel is making a teenage girl, already uncomfortable in her own skin, change in a locker room next to a naked boy,” Minnesota Republican state Sen. Julia Coleman posted on X. “What’s cruel is letting our girls get the s— kicked out of them by biological males on the field and lose out on scholarships and more chances to compete. What’s cruel is putting your base above female safety and opportunities.” U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE MAKES NEW TRANS ATHLETE FINDINGS AGAINST USA HOCKEY “Once again you disregard the laws of America,” retired Minnesota State Patrol Lt. John Nagel, running for Congress as a Republican in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, posted on X. “You don’t support women’s rights. You don’t stand for anything. You are the face of everything that is wrong with the Democratic party.” “Which Minnesota girl deserves to lose her spot on a team to a male athlete?” True North Legal attorney Renee Carlson posted on X. MARTINA NAVRATILOVA SAYS SHE TRIED TO WARN KAMALA HARRIS’ CAMPAIGN ABOUT TRANS ATHLETES: ‘NOBODY WOULD LISTEN’ “Tim Walz calls it ‘cruel’ that the Supreme Court ruled to protect young girls and keep men out of their sports,” a Republican National Committee account posted on X. “What’s actually ‘cruel’ is advocating for the gender mutilation of children and letting men in their locker rooms you sicko.” “True cruelty to these children is perpetuating the LIE that they can be a different gender,” Minnesota Republican state Sen. Michael Holmstrom posted on X. “The consequence of which is the destruction of lives — and the victimization of girls across the state. The DFL has lost reality.” WALZ APPROVAL RATING CRATERS TO LOWEST LEVEL EVER AND TRAILS TRUMP AMID MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL: ‘TIRED OF IT’ “Worst Governor in America,” Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X. “Thankfully we have exposed him and he’ll be headed to retirement soon. Good riddance, Tim.” Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office for comment. Walz later in the day explained that his state’s position on girls in boys sports won’t change as a result of the ruling, Fox 9 Minneapolis reported. “The Supreme Court has allowed states to be as cruel as they want to be to transgender people,” Walz told reporters. “They’ve also allowed states like Minnesota to be as kind and welcoming as they can, so I kind of view this as a mixed bag.” “We’re going to view it as a positive considering what could have been done. In Minnesota, we can continue to treat our transgender athletes and youth with dignity and humanity and respect. We’ll continue to do that, nothing will change there. Anything that gets kids involved, I want them to be involved. This idea of folks who have never been to any youth event are hell-bent on making sure some kid doesn’t participate in bowling is ludicrous. I think Minnesotans find there’s a lot of other things to worry about than three little kids wanting to play sports somewhere.” In the highly anticipated rulings in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, the high court upheld state laws requiring student-athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond with their biological sex at birth rather than their gender identity. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3. Now, more than half of the states in the U.S. are empowered to enforce the protection of women’s sports without fear of a legal challenge. However, there are still 23 states, including California, New York and Massachusetts, that don’t have any such laws, and some of those have laws to protect trans athletes in girls’ sports. Fox News Digital’s Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Trump takes inaugural flight aboard new Air Force One ahead of library debut honoring famed outdoorsman
President Donald Trump is taking his first presidential flight aboard a newly retrofitted Boeing 747 serving as Air Force One on Wednesday, traveling to Medora, North Dakota, to mark the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and promote a conservation push tied to America’s 250th birthday. “This will be the first flight of what I think is maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built. I said to Boeing, what’s the best one? He said, ‘this is the best plane ever built, and you’re going to have the privilege of flying it,’” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. Trump is traveling aboard a $400 million Boeing 747-8i donated by the government of Qatar and refurbished for presidential use. Trump is also set to meet with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and other officials in Medora, where he will mark the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and promote Roosevelt’s conservation legacy. NEW AIR FORCE ONE TAKES FLIGHT AS TRUMP UNVEILS REVAMPED PRESIDENTIAL AIRCRAFT “I’m excited about the first flight. It’s something nobody’s ever seen anything like it. Even you people, with all your experience and all of your talents, you will never see anything like it. They just completed it. They made it appropriate for a president,” Trump added. “That means the security and all of the different bells and whistles they put on very complex stuff.” He said the previous plane was around 36 years old and Americans should be proud of the new plane. “It would be parked next to the new ones like this. It really didn’t look appropriate for our country… you can do two things. You can low-key it or you can show it,” added Trump. NEW AIR FORCE ONE TAKES FLIGHT AS TRUMP UNVEILS REVAMPED PRESIDENTIAL AIRCRAFT Trump and Burgum will arrive at the museum with a ceremonial Rough Riders horseback escort before touring the presidential center later on Wednesday. Roosevelt was known for his passion for the outdoors – dramatically expanding federal protection of natural resources and public lands. He established national parks, created national monuments and strengthened the U.S. Forest Service. “The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired,” Roosevelt famously said, which is inscribed on the museum’s wall. BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP TO RESTORE SLAVERY, CLIMATE CHANGE REFERENCES AT NATIONAL PARKS Trump will sign the “Great American Outdoors Act Reauthorization,” which centers on previous legislation signed by the 45th and 47th president but renews funding in honor of America’s 250th birthday. “As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, Congress has a historic opportunity to reauthorize President Trump’s Great American Outdoors Act and secure a lasting conservation legacy for future generations,” an Interior Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Reauthorizing this program will accelerate long-overdue infrastructure improvements, restore our most treasured public lands, and ensure America’s iconic places continue to thrive.” The act continues investing about $1.9 billion per year for deferred maintenance projects, such as repairing roads, bridges, trails, campgrounds, visitor centers and water systems on public lands.
Soros network targets deep-red Mississippi in bid to flip Senate seat
Mississippians haven’t elected a Democrat to the Senate in nearly four decades, but powerful backers of the Magnolia State’s underdog candidate believe that by dumping money into the race they can overcome the hump. Scott Colom, a district attorney, is squaring off against incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., in deep-red Mississippi, and some of his top backers, including billionaire philanthropist George Soros’ top advisor, believe that he is primed to flip the seat. During a call earlier this month with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., former Rep. Joe Kennedy, D-Mass., and Soros’ top advisor, Michael Vachon, Colom’s backers laid out his path forward. MISSISSIPPI’S GOP GOVERNOR DROPS ELECTION PLEDGE IN HUGE SETBACK FOR TRUMP’S MIDTERM PLAN “Scott can win in Mississippi,” Vachon said on the call. “The conditions are right in a way that they’ve never been before at the national level and at the local level. He’s a great candidate running against a very weak candidate, and people across the country are angry about the state of the nation.” Vachon contended that there was one key hurdle for Colom, “Not enough people know who he is and that he’s running.” “Once people know who he is and know his story and know he’s running, then they want to vote for him,” he said. “And, you know, what stands in the way of that name recognition, honestly, is money, right?” TALARICO TOUTS TEXAS ROOTS AS OUT-OF-STATE CASH POWERS SENATE CAMPAIGN According to filings from the Federal Election Commission, members of the Soros family have donated nearly $30,000 to Colom’s campaign this cycle. “This comes as no surprise,” Nathan Calvert, Hyde-Smith’s communications director, said. “Scott Colom has always relied on the backing of out-of-state liberal elites, and now George Soros’ political network and Elizabeth Warren are openly treating Mississippi as the next stepping stone to enacting their radical national agenda.” Money from Soros also colored Colom and Hyde-Smith’s first clash, where the lawmaker torpedoed his nomination to serve as a district court judge in Mississippi under the Biden administration. WARREN TELLS TRUMP TO ‘SIGN THE DAMN BILL’ AS BIPARTISAN HOUSING PACKAGE REMAINS STALLED IN WASHINGTON At the time, she used the veto power each home-state senator has, known as a blue slip in the upper chamber, to weigh in on a judicial nominee — it’s a tradition that President Donald Trump has demanded be done away with to nullify Democratic resistance to his own judicial nominees. Colom argued that his record as district attorney was “proof of how I make decisions: based on the evidence and the law, not based on who’s writing the checks.” “I’m running a grassroots campaign powered by Mississippians, and the only voices I will ever listen to are theirs, not those of donors or special interests,” Colom said. “That’s the difference between me and Cindy Hyde-Smith, who answers to whoever cuts her the biggest check, while Mississippians pay the price.” “Just ask the fertilizer companies under federal investigation, who gave to her campaign while Mississippi farmers are paying more for fertilizer,” he continued. Indeed, Hyde-Smith has received $14,000 in donations from fertilizer industry donors since 2018, including $11,000 from Koch Industries and $3,000 from Nutrien, both of which are under federal investigation for allegedly inflating fertilizer prices. Meanwhile, Warren painted her vision of what a Democratic majority in the Senate could look like, aided in part by a hopeful Colom victory in November. “I know you’ve already talked about other things we can do here, but we need to deliver by passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act — guarantee the right to get your vote counted,” Warren said on the call, “ending gerrymandering anywhere in the United States, and, my own personal favorite, it’s time for D.C. statehood.”
One of America’s oldest manufacturers says AI is creating jobs — not replacing them
Before Henry Ford rolled out the Model T, before the Wright brothers took to the skies and before the Statue of Liberty welcomed millions to America’s shores, Corning was already charting a course of innovation that continues today. Best known to many Americans for the glass products that have been fixtures in kitchens for generations, Corning has also spent decades developing technologies that quietly transformed the modern world. From the glass used in Thomas Edison’s light bulbs to the durable screens protecting billions of smartphones. Nearly 175 years after its founding, Corning is once again helping shape a technological revolution. As demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure surges, the New York-based manufacturer is ramping up production of optical fiber, the backbone of the high-speed networks powering AI. The company is also partnering with NVIDIA, the chipmaker at the center of the AI boom, to create 3,000 jobs in two states. NVIDIA CEO JENSEN HUANG SAYS AI WILL RESHAPE WORK LIKE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND THE U.S. ‘SHOULD ABSOLUTELY LEAD’ At a time when many Americans worry artificial intelligence will replace human workers, Corning Chairman, CEO and President Wendell Weeks says the opposite is happening inside one of the nation’s oldest manufacturers. “AI is a huge job creator, and it’s a huge manufacturing job creator,” Weeks told Fox News Digital. He said the AI boom is driving demand for Corning’s optical fiber while fueling the company’s fastest period of growth in nearly two centuries. “As a 175-year-old company, we’re going through our fastest growth period,” Weeks said. “We will probably double our size over the coming years and almost all of our new hires will be in advanced manufacturing, a significant part of them right here in America.” That growth is already taking shape on Corning’s factory floors. NVIDIA CEO JENSEN HUANG: WE ARE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE AI REVOLUTION “As the world develops and tells us what it needs, we’re right there at the forefront,” Emily Capek, planning supervisor at Corning’s Wilmington, North Carolina, facility told Fox News Digital. She said employees are seeing firsthand how demand for AI platforms is driving the need for Corning’s products. “Right now, the world needs our glass optical fiber to support the AI demand we’re seeing,” Capek said. “It’s a great feeling on the factory floor.” Her comments reflect a much broader trend. While much of the attention surrounding AI has focused on chipmakers and software developers, companies like Corning are supplying the glass technology that connects AI systems and supports the industry’s rapid expansion. That investment is already translating into the opening of new U.S. factories and creation of American jobs. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Earlier this year, NVIDIA partnered with Corning to build three advanced optical manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Texas. It’s expected to create more than 3,000 jobs across both states while expanding Corning’s U.S. optical manufacturing capacity tenfold. Having worked with innovators such as Apple co-founder Steve Jobs during his career, Weeks said he’s proud to now partner with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang as Corning helps build the infrastructure powering the AI revolution. While companies like NVIDIA have become synonymous with artificial intelligence, Weeks said many people overlook the role optical fiber plays in connecting AI systems. “The common story is AI being powered by chips, but actually, those chips are connected by glass,” Weeks said. The AI manufacturing boom isn’t just fueling growth at longtime American companies like Corning. It’s also attracting foreign investment into U.S. manufacturing. Wistron, a Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer, is establishing AI supercomputer manufacturing operations in Texas for NVIDIA, bringing advanced manufacturing jobs to the state. “Building in America is essential for speed, resilience and strategic advantage,” Wistron Chairman Simon Lin told Fox News Digital. “Texas offers the talent, industrial strength, and strategic location to help power the next generation of AI infrastructure, while creating durable, high-value jobs at scale for the local workforce,” he added. As America marks 250 years of independence, Weeks said the country’s next chapter of innovation will depend not only on breakthrough ideas, but on manufacturing them at home. “The tools change, but the approach doesn’t,” Weeks said.
EXCLUSIVE: Millions of newborns to receive special Social Security cards celebrating America’s 250th birthday
EXCLUSIVE: Millions of babies born during America’s 250th anniversary celebration will receive a first-of-its-kind commemorative Social Security card under a new Social Security Administration (SSA) initiative obtained exclusively by FOX Business. The limited-edition cards, available only to children born in the United States between July 2 and Dec. 31, 2026, will feature the official Freedom 250 logo while functioning exactly like a standard Social Security card, according to an announcement from the Social Security Administration shared with FOX Business. Unlike commemorative coins, stamps or anniversary merchandise, these cards will become one of the very first official federal documents millions of American children ever receive. Only babies born during the six-month window will receive the Freedom 250 design, making it a once-in-a-generation keepsake tied to the nation’s 250th birthday. FIRST ON FOX: BEHIND THE SCENES OF ARLINGTON’S MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE FOR AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY “Freedom 250 is a celebration of America’s storied history and the monumental moments that have shaped our nation, including the creation of Social Security over 90 years ago,” SSA Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano said. “The next generation of Americans born during this historic year will receive limited-edition Social Security cards bearing the Freedom 250 logo. Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, we are strengthening Social Security, improving service, and building an SSA to serve Americans today and in the future.” The commemorative designation is reserved exclusively for original cards issued through the agency’s Enumeration at Birth (EAB) program during the qualifying period. Babies born before July 2 or after Dec. 31, 2026, along with anyone requesting a replacement Social Security card, will receive the standard version instead. FIRST ON FOX: BEHIND THE SCENES OF ARLINGTON’S MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE FOR AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY Parents won’t have to submit any extra paperwork, pay additional fees or sign up for the commemorative version. According to SSA, the commemorative cards will automatically be issued through the Enumeration at Birth program, which allows parents to request a Social Security number while completing birth registration paperwork at hospitals, birthing centers or through licensed midwives. The agency said the cards will be produced at no additional cost to families or taxpayers. The commemorative design does not change a child’s Social Security number or the legal function of the card. Replacement and duplicate cards issued after the initial enrollment period will not include the Freedom 250 designation, according to SSA. WHAT SCAMMERS DO THE WEEK YOUR SPOUSE DIES SSA has issued Social Security numbers through the Enumeration at Birth program since 1987, a partnership with hospitals and state vital records offices. More than 3.5 million children are born in the United States each year, meaning millions of families could receive the commemorative card during the six-month rollout. The agency also warned parents to beware of scammers seeking to capitalize on the announcement. “SSA will never call, text, or email you requesting payment to obtain a commemorative card for your child or otherwise,” the agency said, adding that parents do not need to register or provide any information beyond the standard birth registration process. The commemorative rollout comes as the Trump administration has launched other initiatives focused on young Americans, including Trump Accounts, tax-advantaged investment accounts intended to help eligible families begin saving for their children’s futures. For most Americans, a Social Security card is among the first official federal documents they receive. For babies born during America’s 250th year, it will also serve as a lasting reminder that he or she entered the world during a special moment in our nation’s history.
House Dem urges transparency by public officials after GOP colleague reveals reason for extended absence
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said Tuesday that public officials have an obligation to be transparent about lengthy absences, after Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., disclosed that his recent months-long time away from Congress was for treatment for depression. Kean had been missing House votes for months before returning on Tuesday. “As someone who has lived with depression, I have deep sympathy for anyone struggling with mental illness. I might not be alive today were it not for a prolonged hospitalization and proper medication. I know the value of taking a medical leave firsthand,” Torres wrote in a post on X. GOP CONGRESSMAN REVEALS MYSTERY ILLNESS THAT SIDELINED HIM FROM CONGRESS FOR NEARLY FOUR MONTHS “At the same time, public office carries a duty of transparency. When a public official is absent for an extended period, the public has a right to an honest explanation,” he continued. “Transparency deepens the public’s empathy, whereas secrecy breeds suspicion. When in doubt, err on the side of transparency. Tell the truth, and tell it early. The public is often most forgiving of those who level with them,” Torres asserted. Kean disclosed the reason for his months-long absence during a Tuesday House floor speech. MISSING GOP CONGRESSMAN REVEALS HE’S ‘MORE ENERGIZED THAN EVER’ TO RETURN TO WASHINGTON “Several months ago, due to health concerns, I entered the hospital for some testing. I did not believe that this would result in a long-term stay. I was given the diagnosis of depression,” he noted. “But, as the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover, there is no timeline for healing. There is no timeline for recovery. Only the work of getting better one day at a time,” Kean said later during the speech. SWING-SEAT REPUBLICAN SIDELINED BY ‘SERIOUS’ ILLNESS MISSES 88 VOTES AS MAJORITY HANGS BY THREAD Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., commented on Kean’s announcement, declaring in a post on X, “While we can certainly have compassion for him, and should, being in congress is not a right. There are 700,000 other people in his district, and could have done the job. It’s absolutely unforgivable to pretend this wasn’t a dereliction of duty.”