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Costco CEO, execs members of Washington business group dedicated to “racial equity”

‘The Big Money Show’ explores companies turning against DEI policies while Costco bucks the trend.

Costco’s CEO and several executives are affiliated with a Washington business group dedicated to advancing “racial equity for Black Washingtonians,” showcasing just how deeply committed the grocery wholesaler is to diversity, equity and inclusion as it faces mounting pressure from investors to drop the controversial programs.

Washington Employers for Racial Equity is a group that brings together local business leaders, ranging from Costco CEO Ron Vachris to Microsoft President Brad Smith in order to support “Black Washingtonians” and build “a future rooted in equity for all,” according to its website.

WERE members have pledged to achieve a series of equity-related goals by the year 2030. Among those goals are racial quotas for their workforce, vowing to have the percentage of Black employees mirror the percentage of working-age Black people living in the communities the WERE members are doing business in, investing a combined $2 billion in programs to support “racial equity,” increasing investment in Black-owned business and providing anti-bias training.

COSTCO AWARDED EXECUTIVES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN DEI-RELATED BONUSES

Several Costco execs are members of a “racial equity” business group.

“Equity will increase prosperity for our entire state. Our communities will be stronger, healthier, and more vibrant. Our economy and our companies will benefit from a greater diversity of ideas, a more robust talent pipeline, and increased opportunity for all Washingtonians. We will start by owning our part of this problem, actively working to contribute to solutions, and using our voices to advocate for governmental action that supports transformational and lasting change,” WERE’s report “The Commitment to Progress: An Equitable Future for Washington,” said.

In addition to Vachris, several other Costco execs are members of WERE’s “Supplier Diversity Task Force.” Costco Director, Journeys, Diversity & Inclusion Claude Green, Senior Vice President, Corporate Foods & Sundries Nancy Griese and Food & Sundries Assistant General Merchandise Manager Leanne Bender are all listed as being part of the taskforce.

“This task force focuses on removing barriers and identifying opportunities to improve supplier diversity and support investment in Black-owned businesses,” the website stated.

The grocery wholesaler has been under pressure to drop their DEI policies. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)

WASHINGTON AG STANDS BY COSTCO, BLASTS REPUBLICAN ATTORNEYS GENERAL THREATENING DEI CRACKDOWN

Costco’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion has made the grocery wholesaler the focus of a broader national conversation around DEI. In January Costco’s board shot down an investors’ proposal to investigate the risks associated with their DEI policies, which led to backlash as well as support from the Rev. Al Sharpton, who staged a “buy in” at wholesaler’s Harlem location.

In response, 19 states’ attorneys general wrote a letter to CEO Vachris ordering the grocery chain to drop their DEI policies to get in line with President Trump’s executive orders combating the controversial programs.

A former Costco executive Roger Campbell told Fox News Digital that DEI is part of the company’s culture, and a key ingredient in the secret sauce that made the grocery chain so successful.

President Trump has signed several executive orders combating DEI. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images / Getty Images)

“The term DEI didn’t even exist to us, it was the way we ran our business… it’s who we are,” former Costco International Division Senior Vice President Roger Campbell told Fox News Digital.

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Several members of Costco’s board donated heavily to Democratic party aligned groups, with Chairman of the Board Hamilton E. James having given $100,000 to the Harris Action Fund in May 2023, FEC data revealed.

Neither WERE nor Costco responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

February 11, 2025
Trump fires Kennedy Center board members, becomes self-appointed chairman

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President Donald Trump announced on Friday he decided to immediately fire multiple Kennedy Center board members, including the chairman, and fill that role himself.

Trump claimed he and current chair David Rubenstein “do not share [the same] Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture,” according to the announcement on Truth Social.

He said a new board would be announced soon, adding the new chairman, naming himself, is “amazing.”

The Kennedy Center website features information about a drag event hosted in October 2024. (The Kennedy Center)

INDIANA JUDGE RULES PRISON MUST PROVIDE TRANSGENDER SURGERY FOR INMATE WHO KILLED BABY

“Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP,” Trump wrote in the post.

The Kennedy Center in October hosted a Dancing Queens Drag Brunch at its Roof Terrace Restaurant in October, featuring Washington, D.C.’s “most fabulous drag performers,” according to its website.

The Kennedy Center website features information about a drag event hosted in October 2024. (The Kennedy Center)

The October event featured 2024 Capital Pride Honoree, Tula, and other drag performers “representing the diversity of D.C.’s queer community,” according to the site.

Tickets were sold for nearly $100 each, with reservations required, and included bottomless mimosas.

President Joe Biden speaks at the The Kennedy Center Honorees reception at The White House on Dec. 3 in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS BANNING ‘RADICAL GENDER IDEOLOGY,’ DEI INITIATIVES IN THE MILITARY

Following Trump’s announcement, the Kennedy Center’s website limited users, citing “high traffic.”

Hundreds of visitors had to queue in an online waiting room to view the site.

In addition to George Clooney, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, Tania León, and U2 members Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. were honored at the Kennedy Center Honors. (Kevin Wolf/AP Photo)

In his post, Trump called the center “an American jewel,” and said it must reflect the nation’s “brightest stars” on its stage.

“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” the President wrote. “For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”

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It is unclear which Board of Trustees members have been canned, as of Friday night.

February 8, 2025
Royal Caribbean cruise passengers, crew members experience gastrointestinal illness symptoms

Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty discusses 2Q earnings and vacation bookings on ‘Cavuto: Coast to Coast.’

Eighty-nine passengers and two crew members experienced gastrointestinal illness symptoms aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship returning to Tampa, Florida, on Saturday, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

The Radiance of the Seas departed Florida for a seven-day western Caribbean cruise on Feb. 1, according to cruise tracking website CruiseMapper. Its planned stops included two in Mexico, one in Honduras and one in Belize.

The outbreak was reported to the CDC’s vessel sanitation program on Tuesday. Those who have fallen ill have experienced diarrhea and vomiting. At this time, the CDC says the cause is unknown.

Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to a FOX Business request for comment, but told USA Today, “Enhanced measures have been implemented onboard in an abundance of caution to protect the health and comfort of all our guests and crew.”

NATIONAL PLAN FOR VACATION DAY ENCOURAGES AMERICANS TO ARRANGE TRAVEL PLANS

Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas docked at Sydney Harbour in Sydney, Australia. (Royal Caribbean / Fox News)

Ill passengers and crew were isolated from others, the CDC said, and “increased cleaning and disinfection procedures” were implemented.

Cruise ships must report gastrointestinal illnesses to the CDC, the agency noted.

“Cases reported are totals for the entire voyage,” the CDC’s website states. “It does not mean all people are sick at the same time, such as when they arrive or leave a port or ship.”

NOROVIRUS OUTBREAK ON PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP LEAVES DOZENS OF PASSENGERS, CREW SICK: CDC

Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas enters the Victoria Shipyards in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, to start her 22-day dry dock on May 23, 2011. (Royal Caribbean / Fox News)

While Norovirus is “often a cause of gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships,” the CDC says determining the cause “can take time.” Stool specimens from impacted passengers were collected to aid in the investigation.

The CDC provides tips for healthy cruising here.

Radiance of the Seas’ outdoor movie screen on June 9, 2011. (Royal Caribbean / Fox News)

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Radiance of the Seas is an almost 24-year-old ship which underwent improvements during a 2011 dry dock, according to Royal Caribbean’s website. It can hold 2,143 guests under double-occupancy conditions and up to 894 international crew members.

February 6, 2025
First 10 ‘high threat’ illegals to arrive to Guantanamo Bay are all Tren de Aragua members

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The Department of Defense (DOD) confirmed the arrival of the first 10 “high threat” illegal migrant criminals to the U.S.’s most secure prison – the Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp – in Cuba, all of whom are members of the violent Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua (TdA).

TdA is an international criminal group that has been terrorizing U.S. communities from New York City to Colorado. As one of his first actions, President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 20 instructing the State Department and other government agencies to move to designate TdA as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

On Thursday, ICE and other federal law enforcement agencies conducted a series of raids in Aurora, Colorado, resulting in the arrest of over 100 TdA members.

MEXICAN TROOPS BEGIN ARRIVING AT US-MEXICO BORDER FOLLOWING DEAL MADE TO PAUSE TRUMP-APPROVED TARIFFS

This image shows migrants boarding a military flight to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Department of Homeland Security)

The 10 high-threat migrants arrived at Guantánamo Bay on Thursday, the DOD confirmed in a statement. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also confirmed the migrants’ arrival and stated that all 10 are members of Tren de Aragua.

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The DOD stated that these migrant criminals are being housed in vacant detention facilities. The DOD said that is only a temporary arrangement being made to “ensure the safe and secure detention of these individuals until they can be transported to their country of origin or other appropriate destination.”

DHS clarified that the Guantánamo Bay prison will be used to house only “the worst of the worst” criminals.

TRUMP HAS BECOME ‘GAME-CHANGER’ IN CONFRONTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRISIS: TOM HOMAN

This image shows migrants boarding a flight to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Department of Homeland Security)

Commenting on the arrests of the over 100 TdA members on Wednesday, Joseph Humire, executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society and an expert on TdA, told Fox News Digital that Trump’s latest moves are “tremendously significant” that shows that there is a “new attitude” against TdA in the U.S.

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“That’s what’s needed to be able to dismantle them and eventually deport them from the United States,” he said. “This is a foreign terrorist organization that has been spreading throughout the United States for the last couple of years and doing it so very rapidly, so I think the impetus is on the United States to use all the elements of our national security to be able to dismantle them from within.”

February 6, 2025
Trump official travels to Venezuela in push for Maduro regime to take back Tren de Aragua gang members

President Donald Trump’s envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, has traveled to Venezuela to deliver an in-person message to socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro about accepting violent criminals deported from the United States.

On a call with reporters Friday, Mauricio Claver-Carone, the U.S. special envoy to Latin America, said Grenell will tell Maduro to take back all the Venezuelan criminals and Tren de Aragua gang members that have been “exported to the United States, and to do so unequivocally and without condition.”

Grenell will also demand that Venezuela immediately release American hostages being held in that country, Claver-Carone said.

TRUMP TAPS RICHARD GRENELL AS PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR SPECIAL MISSIONS, EDWARD S. WALSH AS IRELAND AMBASSADOR

Ric Grenell, former Acting Director of National Intelligence speaks on Day 3 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 17, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

The trip “focuses on two very specific issues. That we expect that Venezuelan criminals and gangs will be returned, as they are, to every country in the world, without conditions, and two, that American hostages need to be released immediately, unequivocally,” he explained.

“This is not a quid pro quo. It’s not a negotiation in exchange for anything. President Trump himself has made that very clear.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Friday that Grenell had arrived in Venezuela on orders from the president.

‘WEAPONIZED MIGRATION’: US FACES DEADLY CONSEQUENCES WITH MADURO IN POWER, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION WARNS

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds a news conference at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, July 31, 2024, three days after his disputed reelection. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Despite widespread belief among Venezuelans and much of the international community that Maduro lost the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election to opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, he was sworn into his third six-year term earlier this month.

The U.S. does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate head of state of Venezuela.

Opposition leader María Corina Machado has called on Venezuelan citizens to protest the Maduro regime and demand that González be installed as the rightful president of Venezuela.

DETAILS OF VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER’S POSSIBLE ARREST REMAIN UNCLEAR AMID MADURO INAUGURATION RESISTANCE

Still image from social media video shows suspected juvenile Tren de Aragua members based out of the Roosevelt Hotel, who have allegedly been attacking nearby Times Square in a string of robberies. (Obtained by New York Post)

As many as 10 Americans are currently detained in Venezuela, although the State Department has not declared them wrongfully detained. Three are U.S. citizens who allegedly participated in a plot to destabilize the country, according to Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

The State Department has denied any U.S. involvement with a plot to overthrow Maduro.

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It remains unclear how many Americans are currently held in Venezuela following the significant prisoner swap in 2023 when Washington and Caracas negotiated the release of dozens of prisoners, including 10 Americans, in exchange for Colombian businessman Alex Saab, a close ally of Maduro.

Saab was arrested during the first Trump administration on charges related to a $350 million bribery scheme.

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

January 31, 2025
Trump official travels to Venezuela to negotiate deal for deporting Tren de Aragua gang members

President Donald Trump’s envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, has traveled to Venezuela to deliver an in-person message to socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro about accepting violent criminals deported from the United States.

On a call with reporters Friday, Mauricio Claver-Carone, the U.S. special envoy to Latin America, said Grenell will tell Maduro to take back all the Venezuelan criminals and Tren de Aragua gang members that have been “exported to the United States, and to do so unequivocally and without condition.”

Grenell will also demand that Veneuzeula immediately release American hostages being held in that country, Claver-Carone said.

TRUMP TAPS RICHARD GRENELL AS PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR SPECIAL MISSIONS, EDWARD S. WALSH AS IRELAND AMBASSADOR

Ric Grenell, former Acting Director of National Intelligence speaks on Day 3 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 17, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

The trip “focuses on two very specific issues. That we expect that Venezuelan criminals and gangs will be returned, as they are, to every country in the world, without conditions, and two, that American hostages need to be released immediately, unequivocally,” he explained.

“This is not a quid pro quo. It’s not a negotiation in exchange for anything. President Trump himself has made that very clear.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Friday that Grenell had arrived in Venezuela on orders from the president.

‘WEAPONIZED MIGRATION’: US FACES DEADLY CONSEQUENCES WITH MADURO IN POWER, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION WARNS

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds a news conference at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, July 31, 2024, three days after his disputed reelection. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Despite widespread belief among Venezuelans and much of the international community that Maduro lost the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election to opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, he was sworn into his third six-year term earlier this month.

The U.S. does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate head of state of Venezuela.

Opposition leader María Corina Machado has called on Venezuelan citizens to protest the Maduro regime and demand that González be installed as the rightful president of Venezuela.

DETAILS OF VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER’S POSSIBLE ARREST REMAIN UNCLEAR AMID MADURO INAUGURATION RESISTANCE

Still image from social media video shows suspected juvenile Tren de Aragua members based out of the Roosevelt Hotel, who have allegedly been attacking nearby Times Square in a string of robberies. (Obtained by New York Post)

As many as 10 Americans are currently detained in Venezuela, although the State Department has not declared them wrongfully detained. Three are U.S. citizens who allegedly participated in a plot to destabilize the country, according to Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

The State Department has denied any U.S. involvement with a plot to overthrow Maduro.

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It remains unclear how many Americans are currently held in Venezuela following the significant prisoner swap in 2023 when Washington and Caracas negotiated the release of dozens of prisoners, including 10 Americans, in exchange for Colombian businessman Alex Saab, a close ally of Maduro.

Saab was arrested during the first Trump administration on charges related to a $350 million bribery scheme.

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

January 31, 2025
American figure skating members, Russian Olympians aboard plane in Reagan National Airport crash

U.S. and Russian figure skaters were on board an American Airlines flight that collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night.

U.S. Figure Skating said athletes, coaches and family members were returning home from a camp held in Wichita, Kansas.

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Bodies lie on the ground next to emergency vehicles, near the site of the crash after American Eagle Flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Reagan Washington National Airport and crashed into the Potomac River, outside Washington, D.C., on Jan. 30, 2025. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

“U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C.,” the organization said. “These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas

“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”

LIVE UPDATES: MILITARY HELICOPTER COLLIDES WITH AIRCRAFT NEAR REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT

Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won a pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed at the Winter Olympics twice, were on board the plane as well, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.

“Unfortunately, we see that this sad information is being confirmed. There were other fellow citizens there. Bad news today from Washington. We are sorry and send condolences to the families and friends who lost those of our fellow citizens who died in the plane crash,” he said.

The International Skating Union said it was “deeply shocked” over the incident.

Emergency vehicles stage at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, Jan. 29, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia. (Kevin Wolf/AP)

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“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is more than a sport — it’s a close-knit family — and we stand together,” the organization said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 30, 2025
Costco board members donated hundreds of thousands to Democrats in 2024 cycle

Storch Advisors CEO and former Toys”R”Us and Target executive Gerald Storch reacts to a strong November retail report and explains how industry winners are ‘value-based’ players.

Costco’s chairman of the board donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democrats in the last election cycle, and multiple other board members heavily donated to Democrats as well, according to data from the Federal Elections Commission.

The grocery wholesaler is grappling with a public backlash after the board overwhelmingly came out in favor of the company’s controversial DEI policies.

Chairman of the Board Hamilton E. James gave $100,000 to the Harris Action Fund in May 2023. Hamilton, who was formerly with the Blackstone group, donated $150,000 to the Harris Victory Fund in Oct. 2024, FEC data reveals.

The Costco chairman donated $250,000 to the Senate Majority PAC, a political action committee dedicated to electing Democrats to the Senate, and gave $100,000 to the House Majority Pac, which works to elect Democratic candidates to the House of Representatives, between Sept. and Oct. 2024.

COSTCO BOARD MEMBER DEFENDS DEI PRACTICES, REBUKES COMPANIES SCRAPPING POLICIES

Costco board members donated heavily to Democrats in the 2023-24 election cycle. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Hamilton, 73, donated $41,000 to the PAC for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called the Jeffries Victory Fund in Sept. 2024, among numerous other Democratic PACs, federal data reveals, and made donations to numerous state Democratic parties and committees.

Costco board member and former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Jeff Raikes, appears to be one of the more prolific donors among the board, giving over $400,000 to Democratic candidates and causes in the last two years. On October 28, 2024, Raikes gave $25,000 to the Harris Victory Fund, just days before the presidential election. A month earlier, he gave $25,000 to the House Majority PAC.

Costco board member Kenneth Denman made numerous donations to left-wing candidates and groups as well. In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Denman made two $2,500 donations to Harris for President in one week, on Oct. 20 and Oct. 26.

Sally Jewell, who has sat on Costco’s board since 2020 and served in the Obama administration as secretary of the interior, made 49 contributions in support of Democratic candidates between January 2023 and December 2024. She gave thousands to groups supporting the campaigns of Democrats across the country, including former Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey and former Montana Sen. Jon Tester.

Director Helena Buonanno Foulkes gave $3,300 to Harris for President and $3,500 to the Harris Victory Fund in August, and donated in support of Democratic Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tammy Baldwin, and Bob Casey. Foulkes is the niece of former Democratic Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd, and she made an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination for governor of Rhode Island in 2022.

Of the Costco board members that Fox News Digital could independently verify, only John Stanton gave to Republican-aligned PACs. Stanton donated to PACs supporting Republican Sens. John Thune of South Dakota and Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, and he also contributed to Michigan Rep. John James. He also donated to a Washington Democrat, Rep. Adam Smith, last cycle.

None of the other board members appeared to have donated to Republicans or right-wing PACs. According to their website, Costco’s board currently consists of 11 members. The remaining members did not appear to make individual political donations in the 2024 cycle, or could not be verified to have done so, according to the FEC’s website.

COSTCO SHAREHOLDERS REJECT ANTI-DEI MEASURE

Costco board member Jeff Raikes has been an outspoken advocate for DEI. (Getty Images)

The significant left-wing political contributions among Costco’s board members come in light of a raging controversy over the wholesale grocer’s DEI policies. Nineteen state attorneys general urged the grocery wholesaler to drop DEI on Monday in light of President Donald Trump’s executive orders purging it from the federal government.

Raikes has been an outspoken supporter of DEI. In November 2024 he wrote, “Attacks on DEI aren’t just bad for business—they hurt our economy. A diverse workforce drives innovation, expands markets, and fuels growth. Let’s focus on building a future where all talent thrives,” in a post on X.

Larry Ellison, Executive Charmain Oracle listens to US President Donald Trump speak in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on January 21, 2025, in Washington, DC. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Denman frequently reposts criticisms of Trump and praise for Democrats on his X and Bluesky accounts.

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The company’s founder, James Sinegal, who retired from his executive position in 2012, was a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party. He spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2012 as a backer of President Barack Obama.

Fox News Digital reached out to the board members who donated in the 2024 election cycle and have yet to receive a response. Jewell, James, Stanton was unable to be reached.

January 29, 2025
Former Trump Cabinet members launch group to promote president’s energy agenda

FIRST ON FOX: Two former Trump administration Cabinet secretaries are launching a nationwide coalition to back the president’s “energy dominance” agenda, which aims to boost oil and gas production and scale back climate change policies.

Former U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt are launching the Restoring Energy Dominance Coalition on Wednesday, which will rally conservatives behind President Donald Trump’s broad energy approach, a central theme of his 2024 campaign.

According to the nonprofit’s website, the organization is made up of “a group of concerned citizens and policy experts who understand that American energy production — of all kinds — is essential for unleashing domestic energy dominance.”

EXPERTS SAY FIRST WEEK OF ‘TRUMP EFFECT’ IS DERAILING GLOBAL CLIMATE MOVEMENT’S ‘HOUSE OF CARDS’

Former Trump Cabinet members are forming a new group to support President Donald Trump’s energy agenda and roll back the Biden administration’s focus on climate change. (Getty Images)

Brouillette said the coalition will ensure Trump garners the support he needs for his all-of-the-above energy agenda, which is “essential to lowering costs, creating good-paying jobs, and bolstering America’s national security.”

All of the above energy involves a mix of energy sources, like fossil fuels, nuclear energy and renewable energy, to promote energy independence.

“The first step to improving our economy and lowering the cost of living for American families is to restore our energy dominance,” Bernhadt said in a statement. “President Trump is spot on about needing all forms of energy to meet our current challenges and America’s new golden age will only be possible if we make the president’s energy platform from his 2024 campaign a reality.”

Following Trump’s campaign promise to “drill, baby drill,” Trump issued an executive order on Inauguration Day declaring a national energy emergency, invoking the National Emergencies Act, to bolster domestic energy production and reduce reliance on foreign energy sources. The Trump White House argues it will lower energy costs.

ENERGY EXPERTS WEIGH IN AFTER CANADIAN PREMIER SAYS SHE WANTS TO DISCUSS KEYSTONE PIPELINE 2.0 WITH TRUMP

President Donald Trump has vowed to unleash American energy. (Getty Images)

The order directs federal agencies to “expedite the leasing, siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation of domestic energy resources,” including on federal lands.

“The policies of the previous administration have driven our Nation into a national emergency, where a precariously inadequate and intermittent energy supply, and an increasingly unreliable grid, require swift and decisive action,” the executive order reads. “Without immediate remedy, this situation will dramatically deteriorate in the near future due to a high demand for energy and natural resources to power the next generation of technology.”

TRUMP ELIMINATING LNG PAUSE TO HAVE ‘QUICKEST EFFECT’ ON ENERGY INDUSTRY: RICK PERRY

Trump also issued a sweeping executive order rolling back environmental regulations – which sought to reduce emissions 61-66% by 2035 – that the Biden administration created in December. The order reverses several climate-focused policies and prioritizes fossil fuel expansion, mineral extraction and deregulation.

The directive calls for increased oil, gas and coal production on federal lands and waters, while revoking multiple executive orders that supported renewable energy initiatives. It also eliminates the federal electric vehicle (EV) mandate, removes subsidies favoring EVs, and prevents states from imposing stricter emissions standards.

President Donald Trump after signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.

January 29, 2025
Six military members sue Trump admin over transgender military order

Six transgender members of the military are suing the Trump administration over an executive order pertaining to trans troops.

The lawsuit was filed by six current military servicemembers and two people who want to enlist. On Monday, President Trump signed an order stating the “adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life.”

“A man’s assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member,” it states.

Trump states in the order that the mission cannot be met if the military is accommodating “political agendas or other ideologies harmful to unit cohesion.” He also said longstanding Defense Department policy says service members must be free of medical conditions and physical defects that would require excessive treatment or hospitalization.

The “hormonal and surgical medical interventions” involved when an individual claims to be a gender differing from their sex do not meet the “rigorous standards” required of service members, including the commitment to being honorable, truthful and disciplined, the order states.

CRACKING DOWN ON TRANS TROOPS: TRUMP ORDER NIXES PREFERRED PRONOUNS, RESTRICTS FACILITY USE

The American flag on a U.S. Army uniform. (iStock)

Progress related to this order must be submitted by Defense Department Secretary Pete Hegseth and the homeland security secretary to the deputy chief of staff for policy to track implementation and to find recommendations, if any, to fulfill the order’s objective.

The lawsuit argues the order is unconstitutional and violates the Equal Protection component of the Fifth Amendment. The plaintiffs are asking a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to block it from being enforced. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House.

“Rather than being based on any legitimate governmental purpose, the ban reflects animosity toward transgender people because of their transgender status,” the suit claims.

The plaintiffs include a Sailor of the Year honoree, a Bronze Star recipient and several who were awarded meritorious service medals. They were identified as U.S. Army Reserves Lt. Nicolas Talbott, Army Maj. Erica Vandal, Army Sgt. First Class Kate Cole, Army Capt. Gordon Herrero, Navy Ensign Dany Danridge, Air Force Master Sgt. Jamie Hash, Koda Nature and Cael Neary.

The lawsuit charges that Trump’s order will unfairly halt their military aspirations and careers, including for Cole who’s been in the Army for 17 years.

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH SAYS ‘NO MORE DEI AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE’: ‘NO EXCEPTIONS’

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, and President Donald Trump have both vowed to eradicate “woke” policies within the armed forces. (Getty)

“Removing qualified transgender soldiers like me means an exodus of experienced personnel who fill key positions and can’t be easily replaced, putting the burden on our fellow soldiers left behind,” Cole said in a statement released by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law). “That’s just wrong — and it destabilizes our armed forces.”

Cole noted that she had served in combat in Afghanistan.

Herrero said his family has a long history of military service and that “it’s the only career I’ve pursued.”

“There’s nothing about being transgender that makes me better or worse than any other soldier I serve alongside,” Herrero said in a statement accompanying the lawsuit. “We are all here because we are committed to our country, and we are passionate, willing, and able to serve effectively.”

The suit was brought by attorneys from the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law).

“The law is very clear that the government can’t base policies on disapproval of particular groups of people,” Shannon Minter, of the NCLR, said. “That’s animus. And animus-based laws are presumed to be invalid and unconstitutional.”

Trump and Hegseth have vowed to crackdown on “woke” initiatives in the military and focus on developing a lethal, effective fighting force without political agendas or various ideologies harmful to unit cohesion.

“Recently, however, the Armed Forces have been afflicted with radical gender ideology to appease activists unconcerned with the requirements of military service like physical and mental health, selflessness, and unit cohesion,” the order states.

American soldiers and the U.S. flag are pictured. Six transgender military service members are suing the Trump administration over an executive order banning them from serving openly. (iStock)

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The Pentagon told The Associated Press that it doesn’t comment on pending or ongoing litigation but “will fully execute and implement all directives outlined in the Executive Orders issued by the President, ensuring that they are carried out with utmost professionalism, efficiency, and in alignment with national security objectives.”

The Pentagon referred questions by Fox News Digital about the lawsuit to the Justice Department.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.

January 29, 2025