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Tag: interview

House Dem fumes over Musk’s DOGE crackdown during fiery interview: ‘I’m pissed’

Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts blasted Elon Musk on Wednesday and argued that his DOGE efforts are undermining the “values” of the United States, and promised to “fight” against them.

“Elon Musk has probably never stepped into a public school, his kids will get private tutors, he doesn’t understand it, he has no idea what this is all about,” McGovern, who represents the 2nd Congressional District of Massachusetts, told Fox News Digital after a rally against DOGE cuts to the Department of Education.

“Our teachers do an incredible job. They deserve to be respected. The Department of Education is more than just a line item,” he continued. “It represents real people, and it represents our future. And so, yeah, I’m pissed.”

McGovern explained that “not a single” Democrat protesting is upset about cutting fraud or waste, but said that education is not the place to start.

CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT SAYS PARTY NEEDS TO ‘BRING ACTUAL WEAPONS’ IN THE ‘FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY’ AGAINST ELON MUSK

Dem. Rep. Jim McGovern railed against Elon Musk’s DOGE efforts on Wednesday (Fox/Getty)

“I use colorful language because I can’t believe we’re at this moment, and I’m really pissed at my Republican colleagues who are sitting there twiddling their thumbs, afraid to say anything because they’re afraid they might get a primary challenge,” the House Democrat continued. “But you know what? Being in Congress is about helping people, not screwing people. And it’s about time they grew a backbone and came out here and joined us and pushed back against this nonsense.”

McGovern argued that the Department of Education is “not a line item” and that it “represents real people” who could lose important funding for their children in schools.

“I’d like to start with the Department of Defense first, McGovern said, “where I can tell you there’s tons and tons of waste. They’ve never been audited successfully. All these other departments and agencies have been audited. But here’s the deal. This is not about rooting out fraud, waste, or abuse. This is about them shutting down important agencies of departments so they can have money to give billionaires and big corporations a tax break, and I’m just sick and tired of the well-off and the well-connected to this country, getting whatever the hell they want while everybody else gets screwed. We can’t stand for that.”

ELON MUSK DESCRIBES LIMESTONE MINE USED FOR PROCESSING FEDERAL WORKERS’ RETIREMENT PAPERS: ‘LIKE A TIME WARP’

Elon Musk speaks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and guests at a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship, in Brownsville, Texas, November 19, 2024. (Brandon Bell/Pool via Reuters/File Photo)

“I mean, when is the last time Musk ever walked into a public school?” McGovern said. “When’s the last time you walked into a supermarket? When’s the last time he actually talked to, like, real people? And as far as this DOGE thing, I don’t even know what kind of clearances Musk has or the young minions that he has around him.”

“I don’t know what kind of clearances they have going through all this stuff. But we should be worried. They’re undermining our democracy here. They’re undermining, you know, our values. And as I said, if they want to fight, I’ll give them a goddamn fight. We’re ready for this fight.”

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Ranking member Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., speaks during the House Rules Committee meeting on a resolution denouncing the horrors of socialism, in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. (Tom Williams)

When asked whether he wants Musk to answer questions before Congress, McGovern said he’d like to see the Tesla and Space X CEO testify under oath.

“I do, I want him to come before Congress. I want them to be sworn in. So he can’t lie. I mean, I saw that press conference, and It was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I mean, these guys, this is. You can’t make this stuff up.”

DOGE’s spending cuts have drawn the ire of numerous Democrats in recent weeks prompting rallies where lawmakers have pledged to fight Musk’s efforts.

The Department of Education, which Trump pledged to eliminate when he was on the campaign trail, has been a particularly heated subject, and Trump recently suggested that he still intends to get rid of it and send education decisions to the states.

“Oh, I’d like it to be closed immediately. Look at the Department of Education. It’s a big con job,” Trump said this week. “They ranked the top countries in the world. We’re ranked No. 40, but we’re ranked No. 1 in one department: cost per pupil. So, we spend more per pupil than any other country in the world, but we’re ranked No. 40.”

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to [email protected].

February 13, 2025
JD Vance weighs in on deadly airliner accident during Fox Business interview

Vice President JD Vance sets the record straight with President Donald Trump’s approach to DEI and more during an appearance on ‘Sunday Morning Futures.’

Vice President J.D. Vance spoke about what he and President Trump believe contributed to the deadly mid-air collision over Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport this week in an exclusive interview on Fox Business’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” February 2nd.

In one of his first TV interviews since becoming the 50th Vice President of the United States last month, Vance spoke to host Maria Bartiromo about Trump’s second-term agenda as well as the major crises the administration has had to tackle only days into the presidency – including the deadly plane crash that claimed 67 lives earlier this week.

“There is a very direct connection between the policies of the last administration and short-staffed air traffic controllers. That has to stop,” Vance told the Fox Business host.

CHILLING AUDIO REVEALS FINAL MOMENTS BEFORE PHILADELPHIA PLANE CRASH

Vice President J.D. Vance speaks to Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo in an interview that appears on “Sunday Morning Futures” tomorrow. (Fox Business / FOXBusiness)

Bartiromo asked Vance about Trump mentioning progressive DEI policies in relation to the crash between an American Airlines flight and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that crossed its flight path on Wednesday night.

In a Thursday press conference concerning the crash, Trump targeted DEI standards at the Federal Aviation Administration as contributing the crash, stating, “We have to have our smartest people. It doesn’t matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. What matters is intellect, talent. The word ‘talent.’ They have to be talented geniuses. We can’t have regular people doing that job. They won’t be able to do it.”

Bartiromo gave Vance a chance to elaborate on Trump’s statements.

“So the president’s been very clear about this. This is not saying that the person who was at the controls is a DEI hire. But let’s just say, first of all, we should investigate everything, but let’s just say the person at the controls didn’t have enough staffing around him or her because we were turning people away because of DEI reasons,” he told the host.

DC PLANE CRASH INVESTIGATORS RECOVER AMERICAN AIRLINES BLACK BOXES AFTER MIDAIR COLLISION

A screenshot from an EarthCam appears to show the moment an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair with an American Airlines jet at Reagan Washington National Airport. ((Credit: EarthCam) (EarthCam))

The vice president also slammed the media for grilling Trump over his suggestion. “And by the way, it’s so funny to me the media has picked up on this. Not you, of course, Maria, but others have picked up on this. The president made very clear that he wasn’t blaming anybody, but he was being very explicit about the fact that DEI policies have led our air traffic controllers to be short-staffed.”

“That is a scandal. Thankfully, it’s a scandal that the president has stopped,” Vance added.

Elsewhere in the interview, Bartiromo asked Vance what his political ambitions are after the vice presidency. “You’re one of the youngest vice presidents that we’ve ever seen in the history of our country. Are you expecting to run for president in three and a half years?”

“Maria, you’re the first person who’s asked me that,” Vance replied. Viewers can catch Vance’s full answer when it premieres on “Sunday Morning Futures” tomorrow.

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February 1, 2025
Top 5 moments from Trump’s ‘Hannity’ interview

President Donald Trump sat down for an exclusive interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday, his first since returning to the White House.

Trump has routinely answered questions from reporters during his first week in office, including from Hannity.

In front of a primetime audience, Trump reflected on his return to the White House four years after his loss to former President Joe Biden, threatened a reckoning with FEMA, shared his view on TikTok’s future and discussed Biden’s preemptive pardons for officials and family members.

Here are the standout moments.

TRUMP’S ‘SHOCK AND AWE’: FORGET FIRST 100 DAYS, NEW PRESIDENT SHOWS OFF FRENETIC PACE IN FIRST 100 HOURS

President Donald Trump speaks with Fox News’ Sean Hannity. (Fox News)

1. Trump reflects on return to White House

Trump looked back on his historic return to the White House in his interview with Hannity, saying his political comeback proves the policies and philosophies of the “radical left” throughout the past four years are “horrible” and “don’t work.”

The 47th president lamented the Biden administration’s policies, once again targeting inflation, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the onset of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars.

“With all that being said, I think it’s bigger. It’s bigger than if it were more traditional,” he said on “Hannity,” referring to his two nonconsecutive terms. “I think we got there just in the nick of time.”

From right to left, former President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband Doug Emhoff and former President Joe Biden listen as President Donald Trump speaks after taking the oath of office during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

2. Hannity reveals what he told Trump after 2020 election loss

Hannity revealed he told Trump after the 2020 election that a return to the White House four years after the Biden administration would be “bigger” than a consecutive win, comparing it to Winston Churchill’s return as prime minister following World War II.

“Maybe I shouldn’t disclose this, but I will, and it was after the 2020 election, and you asked me a question. And we’ve known each other for 30 years, so we have a friendship, and we have a professional relationship,” Hannity said in his exclusive interview with Trump on Wednesday.

“And the question you asked me, ‘maybe in the end, it will be better that if I came back in four years.’ And we talked about history. After World War II, Winston Churchill was thrown out, but they brought him back. Grover Cleveland, the only other American president that did not serve consecutive terms,” he continued.

TRUMP WARNS FEMA FACES A RECKONING AFTER BIDEN ADMIN: ‘NOT DONE THEIR JOB’

Churchill served as prime minister twice, from 1940-1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. Trump is the second U.S. president to serve two, non-consecutive terms behind President Grover Cleveland, the nation’s 22nd and 24th president.

Hannity explained that he believed “it would be bigger if you came back.” Trump agreed that it is already shaping up that way after three days in office.

“It’s turning out to be bigger. And I think one thing is happening is people are learning that they can’t govern and that their policies are terrible. I mean, they don’t want to see a woman get pummeled by a man in a boxing ring?” he said.

3. Trump warns FEMA faces a reckoning after Biden administration

Trump warned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is set to face a reckoning following four years under the Biden administration, arguing the emergency agency has “not done their job.”

“FEMA has not done their job for the last four years. You know, I had FEMA working really well. We had hurricanes in Florida. We had Alabama tornadoes. But unless you have certain types of leadership, it’s really, it gets in the way. And FEMA is going to be a whole big discussion very shortly, because I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems,” Trump said.

FEMA came under the nation’s microscope last year when Hurricane Helene ripped through North Carolina, devastating residents as it wiped out homes and businesses and killed more than 100 people. FEMA and the Biden administration faced fierce backlash for its handling of the emergency, while Trump accused the agency of obstructing relief efforts in Republican areas.

‘TOTALLY PREPARED’: TRUMP ALLIES SAY HE’S BETTER POSITIONED THAN EVER TO ENACT AGENDA

“The Democrats don’t care about North Carolina. What they’ve done with FEMA is so bad. FEMA is a whole ‘nother discussion, because all it does is complicate everything,” he said.

“So I’m stopping on Friday. I’m stopping in North Carolina, first stop, because those people were treated very badly by Democrats. And I’m stopping there. We’re going to get that thing straightened out because they’re still suffering from a hurricane from months ago,” Trump said.

Trump will visit North Carolina on Friday, his first trip as president, where he is expected to tour and meet with residents who were left devastated by the hurricane in September. He will also visit California that same day, where wildfires have ripped through the Los Angeles area this month.

4. Trump has a ‘very warm spot in my heart’ for TikTok

President Trump is pictured in front of the TikTok logo. (Getty Images)

Trump credited his campaign’s decision to go on TikTok with his strong 2024 election performance with youth voters, though he told Hannity the short form video platform must be sold by its Chinese owners to continue to operate in the U.S.

“I think TikTok ought to be sold,” Trump said. “People want to buy it.”

On his first day in office Monday, Trump issued an executive order granting TikTok more time to operate and work toward compliance with a law forcing the platform’s Beijing-based owner, ByteDance, to either divest the app to an American buyer or shut the platform down in the U.S.

He has stated that the U.S. should own half of TikTok and suggested that billionaire Elon Musk or Oracle founder Larry Ellison should purchase the app.

TRUMP’S 90-DAY TIKTOK EXTENSION COULD BE ‘LEGALLY INVALID,’ JONATHAN TURLEY WARNS

In the interview, Trump seemed dismissive of Hannity’s concerns that TikTok is a “spying app for the communist Chinese.”

“But you can say that about everything made in China. Look, we have our telephones made in China for the most part. We have so many things made in China. So why don’t they mention that, you know?” Trump said.

“You’re dealing with a lot of young people,” he added. “So they love it. Is it that important for China to be spying on young people and young kids watching crazy videos of things?”

Hannity replied that he does not want China spying on anybody.

“No, but they make your telephones, and they make your computers, and they make a lot of other things,” Trump said. “Isn’t that a bigger threat?”

5. Trump reacts to Biden not pardoning himself

During a discussion on Biden’s preemptive pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the House Jan. 6 select committee, Trump suggested the “sad thing” about it was that Biden did not pardon himself.

“I was given the option,” Trump said, recalling the end of his first term, when political pundits speculated that Trump may pardon himself to avoid prosecution for his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021 riots.

“They said, ‘sir, would you like to pardon everybody, including yourself?’ I said, I’m not going to pardon anybody. We didn’t do anything wrong. And we had people that suffered,” Trump said, noting that his former chief strategist Steve Bannon and former trade advisor Peter Navarro were jailed for contempt of Congress.

“[Biden] went around giving everybody pardons, and, you know, the funny thing — maybe the sad thing — is he didn’t give himself a pardon. And, if you look at it, it all had to do with him,” Trump told Hannity.

TRUMP PARDONS NEARLY ALL JAN.6 DEFENDANTS ON INAUGURATION DAY

Biden was asked in 2020 about reports that then-President Trump was considering preemptive pardons for members of his family and even himself, describing the possibility as concerning.

“Well, it concerns me in terms of what kind of precedent it sets and how the rest of the world looks at us as a nation of laws and justice,” Biden told CNN anchor Jake Tapper.

Four years later, he pardoned his sister, two brothers and their spouses. Biden said the array of pardons was in part because he feared “baseless” and “politically motivated investigations” into his family from the Trump administration.

“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” Biden said in a statement released on Inauguration Day.

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Trump declined to answer Hannity’s question about whether Congress should investigate the Biden family.

“Look, he didn’t give himself a pardon, and he didn’t give some other people a pardon that needed it,” said Trump.

Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan, Emma Colton and Breck Dumas contributed to this report.

Chris Pandolfo is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital. Send tips to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @ChrisCPandolfo.

January 23, 2025
Fake job interview emails installing hidden cryptocurrency mining malware

The job market hasn’t been great in the last few years, especially in tech, leaving a lot of people actively looking for jobs.

Scammers are taking advantage of this. They have come up with a new trick where they pretend to be recruiters to spread crypto miners on people’s devices.

It starts with an email inviting the person to schedule an interview for a job. But when they click the link, it installs a malicious app that secretly mines cryptocurrency. This app hijacks your PC’s resources, like the CPU and GPU, which slows down its performance significantly.

I’M GIVING AWAY THE LATEST & GREATEST AIRPODS PRO 2

A person typing on their laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What you need to know

This malicious campaign begins with an email that tricks victims into thinking it is part of a recruitment process, as reported by Dark Reading. In most cases, these emails are pretending to be from recruiters at the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.

The fraudulent email contains a link claiming to take the recipient to a site where they can schedule an interview. However, in reality, it redirects the victim to a malicious website that offers a download for a supposed “CRM application.”

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

The site provides download options for both Windows and macOS. Regardless of which option the victim selects, the download will be a Windows executable written in Rust. This executable then downloads the XMRig cryptominer.

The executable performs several environmental checks to analyze the device and avoid detection. It scans running processes, checks the CPU and more. If the device passes these checks, the executable will display a fake error message while secretly downloading additional payloads needed to run the XMRig miner.

Fake CrowdStrike job application download. (CrowdStrike)

HERE’S WHAT RUTHLESS HACKERS STOLE FROM 110 MILLION AT&T CUSTOMERS

How does a cryptominer affect your PC?

A cryptomining app can significantly impact your PC’s performance. Once installed, it hijacks your computer’s resources, including the CPU and GPU, to secretly mine cryptocurrency. This process requires a lot of computational power, which can cause your system to slow down drastically. You might notice your computer becoming unresponsive, running hotter than usual, or consuming more power.

In some cases, prolonged use of cryptominers can also lead to hardware damage due to the increased strain on your components. Additionally, these miners often run in the background without your knowledge, making it harder to detect the issue until the damage is already done.

CrowdStrike is aware of the scam and advises individuals to stay vigilant. “This campaign highlights the importance of vigilance against phishing scams, particularly those targeting job seekers. Individuals in the recruitment process should verify the authenticity of CrowdStrike communications and avoid downloading unsolicited files,“ the company said in a blog post.

“Organizations can reduce the risk of such attacks by educating employees on phishing tactics, monitoring for suspicious network traffic and employing endpoint protection solutions to detect and block malicious activity.”

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People working on their laptops. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

BEWARE OF ENCRYPTED PDFS AS THE LATEST TRICK TO DELIVER MALWARE TO YOU

5 ways to stay safe from job interview scams

1. Check if you applied for the job: If you receive an unsolicited interview invitation, think back to whether you actually applied for that job or company. Scammers often target jobseekers randomly, hoping someone takes the bait. If you didn’t apply, it’s likely a scam. Always confirm directly with the company before proceeding.

2. Verify recruiter credentials: Always double-check the recruiter’s details before responding to an email or clicking any links. Verify their email address, LinkedIn profile and company association. Legitimate companies will use official email domains, not free services like Gmail or Yahoo.

3. Avoid downloading unsolicited files: Be cautious of emails asking you to download any files or applications. Legitimate recruitment processes rarely require you to install software. If unsure, contact the company directly to confirm the request.

4. Inspect links before clicking: Hover over any links in the email to see their actual URL. Scammers often use URLs that mimic legitimate sites but have subtle differences. If a link looks suspicious, avoid clicking on it.

5. Use strong antivirus software: Use strong antivirus or endpoint protection software to detect and block malicious downloads. Regularly update your security tools to ensure they can handle new threats effectively.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BANK ACCOUNT IS HACKED

Kurt’s key takeaway

Cybercriminals always manage to come up with new ways to exploit people. While this particular scam is more focused on using your computer’s resources than stealing data, it is still very dangerous. It shows that if a hacker can easily install software on your PC, they can also go ahead and steal your financial information and other personal data. Always verify the emails you receive, and try not to download anything you don’t trust.

Have you ever received a suspicious email that looked like a job offer? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

January 23, 2025