Happy New Year 2025

Tag: Official

JD Vance to attend AI summit in Paris, French official says
- Vice President JD Vance will attend a two-day summit on artificial intelligence in Paris next week, a French official said Tuesday.
- The AI conference will be Vance’s first scheduled trip abroad since taking office.
- Vance’s trip comes after President Donald Trump last month spoke about Stargate, a joint venture investing up to $500 billion in infrastructure tied to AI.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance will attend a two-day high-level summit focusing on artificial intelligence in Paris next week, his first scheduled trip abroad since taking office, a French diplomatic official said Tuesday.

The AI Action Summit on Feb. 10-11 will gather heads of state and top government officials, CEOs and other actors involved in the tech sector, which has been shaken up by galloping advances.

Vance has not made any official foreign trips since his inauguration last month. The White House had no immediate comment.

VP VANCE CALLS ON US ‘TO DO A BETTER JOB’ WITH AVIATION SAFETY AFTER ‘INCREDIBLY HEARTBREAKING’ DC PLANE CRASH

The French diplomatic official spoke on condition of anonymity as the list of top attendees has not been made official yet.

Vice President JD Vance will attend an AI summit in Paris, France, a French official said anonymously. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang is among those expected to attend the summit, which will be co-presided over by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The summit will take place at the Grand Palais, last year’s Olympic venue for the fencing and taekwondo competitions. A dinner with top officials and CEOs is also scheduled at the Elysee presidential palace.

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Vance’s trip comes after U.S. President Donald Trump last month talked up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership of OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House.

Meanwhile, Chinese AI model DeepSeek’s emergence has shaken up the tech sector, offering companies access to the technology at a fraction of the previous cost and providing the potential to push other AI companies to improve their models and bring down prices.

Vance in the past has acknowledged some harmful AI applications, but said at a July Senate hearing that he worries that concern is justifying “some preemptive overregulation attempts that would frankly entrench the tech incumbents that we already have.”
February 4, 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
Inside the DC plane crash investigation: Air traffic staff a ‘small piece’ of ‘very big puzzle,’ official says

FOX Business’ Grady Trimble speaks with National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman about the ongoing investigation to discover the cause of the tragic D.C. plane crash.

Following a bombshell report over the alleged air traffic control staffing on the night of the tragic American Airlines and Black Hawk helicopter collision in D.C., the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) designated spokesperson for the incident warned that “a lot of questions remain” about the events leading up to the crash.

“Let me say this first: we [have] to remember 67 people lost their lives… Today will be yet another day of the teams going out there,” NTSB member Todd Inman told FOX Business’ Grady Trimble on Friday.

“They’re out in the field. They’re collecting data. They’ve started interviews. We have hundreds of people in this investigation,” he continued. “But the most important thing right now is to obtain and preserve any perishable evidence so that whenever we come off scene, we can start the analyzation of it.”

An internal preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), obtained by the Associated Press, allegedly showed that the number of staff members working at the air control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic.”

EXPERT PUTS ONUS ON F.A.A. FOR AMERICAN AIRLINES, HELICOPTER CRASH: ‘BAD MANAGEMENT’ IS ‘PUTTING US AT RISK’

On Wednesday night, an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport outside of Washington, D.C. All 67 people onboard both aircraft are presumed dead.

NTSB member Todd Inman told FOX Business “we don’t use the word normal per say,” when discussing air traffic control staff. (Getty Images)

“We don’t use the word normal per se,” Inman reacted. “What happens immediately after an accident is a safety review team begins doing just what we said, perishable evidence. And this is a lot of different people from the FAA. Union representatives all immediately start gaining information.

“So what people are talking about is a rough draft of something, but it is a small piece of a very big puzzle. Thousands of data points,” he added. “So ultimately [it led] to our recommendation of how to prevent this tragedy from occurring again.”

The FAA report also claimed that one air traffic controller was working two positions at the time of the crash, when typically, the two assignments are split between two air traffic controllers.

Aviation expert Captain Mike Coffield breaks down the response process and investigation following a midair collision between a regional airline jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter.

“Airports are living, breathing cities. So at any time because of weather, because of traffic, because of any other issue, you could see fluctuations in staff up and down. Now, is that an acceptable standard for safety? We will investigate that, and we’re going to find out. If there was anything that needs to be remediated, [we] will then make recommendations,” Inman responded.

Inman pointed out that the NTSB will be closely evaluating evidence like cockpit communications, unique sound recordings, aileron positions, landing gear, altitude pitch, submerged electronics, debris and even interviewing staff that were working with both aircraft.

President Donald Trump has also chimed in on the investigation, claiming via Truth Social that the Army helicopter may have been flying too high, “far above the 200 foot limit” in the DCA airspace.

Victims identified in DC plane crash involving American Airlines jet and military helicopter (Getty Images / Getty Images)

“I would be very careful to anyone who’s listening to this to rely upon off-the-shelf software speculation they’re seeing online,” Inman noted. “Our job is to get the absolute facts as we get these [black] boxes in and get them analyzed, and we look at more granular data, [we’ll] be able to give a much better picture on that.

“In fact, I would just make sure you remember there can be a 50-foot difference in some cases and up to 100 yards for radar versus Ads-b, which is more GPS based. But it’s still not as accurate as what’s in the plane itself.”

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Helicopter pilot Dean Wegner argues there’s ‘a longer story’ behind the tragic American Airlines and helicopter aircraft collision and shares his condolences.

The NTSB plans to “take [their] time” on the investigation, pledging to follow through all evidence “as long as it takes” to get to the root of what happened Wednesday night.

“We’ve done over 100,000 aviation accident investigations, made 15,000 recommendations,” Inman said. “Right now, we’ve not found anything. But if we do, we will immediately tell the public. Our job is to prevent this tragedy from happening again.”

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Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

January 31, 2025
6 with ties to Boston figure skating club killed in midair collision, official says

The American figure skating community suffered severe losses on Wednesday night as six people with ties to the Skating Club of Boston were on board a passenger plane when it collided with a U.S. Army helicopter.

Officials said Thursday there were no survivors of the crash and that the mission went from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. Nearly 30 bodies were pulled from the Potomac River.

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A U.S. Park Police helicopter flies over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)

The Skating Club of Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe identified those with ties to the club as athletes, Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, two coaches, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, and Jin Han, the mother of Jinna, and Molly Lane, the mother of Spencer, were identified as the victims with ties to the skate club.

“Our sport and this Club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy,” Zeghibe said in a statement posted to social media. “Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together 6 of 7 days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family. Of the skaters, coaches and parents on the plane, we believe six were from The Skating Club of Boston. We are devastated and completely at a loss for words.

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

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

“These athletes, coaches, parents were returning from U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Camp, following last week’s U.S. Championships in Wichita. This camp is for young competitive skaters of tomorrow with the promise to be a champion of tomorrow. The club sent 18 athletes to compete at the U.S. Championships. It sent 12 athletes to the National Development Camp.”

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, confirmed earlier Thursday that Naumov and Shishkova were among those on board the plane.

Naumov and Shishkova competed in pairs during their careers. They won a pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed at the Winter Olympics twice.

U.S. Figure Skating said there were members of its organization on board as well.

“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 earlier Thursday. “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.”

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

Rescuers on boats work as the sun rises at the site of the crash after a Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Eagle Flight 5342, which was approaching Reagan Washington National Airport, and crashed into the Potomac River, outside Washington, D.C., on Jan. 30, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

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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.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 30, 2025
School reacts to video of official telling parents to alter trans kid’s birth certificate to play girls sports

A Texas school district has acknowledged footage of one of its administrators telling an undercover journalist posing as a parent to change a transgender child’s birth certificate to compete in girls sports.

The Irving Independent School District in Irving, Texas, has provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the recent video of Reny Lizardo, the executive director of campus operations, giving this guidance, which was obtained by Accuracy in Media.

The statement indicates Lizardo has resigned from his position.

“In Irving ISD, we are committed to upholding the requirements of state and federal laws, especially as it pertains to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, and we will cooperate with any investigation initiated by relevant authorities,” the statement said.

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“We are aware of the unauthorized video footage circulating on social media of an individual connected with Irving ISD. The videos were obtained under false pretenses by an individual who posed as a concerned parent and additional individuals who posed as family friends of the employee pictured.

“The individuals also held themselves out as members of the media, but were not credentialed as such, constituting a breach of security. In addition, the footage has been edited and is an incomplete representation of the entire conversation, making it difficult to properly assess its probative value.”

In the footage, Lizardo said, “It’s not illegal if you don’t get caught,” with regard to changing the gender on a child’s birth certificate, and “if you can get that done, and you turn us a birth certificate that says ‘this gender,’ that’s the gender we go with.”

While discussing potential repercussions of the discussion, Lizardo suggested pleading plausible deniability.

The district insists Lizardo’s handling of the situation does not reflect the values and protocols of the school district.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Lizardo for comment.

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

“We want to reiterate that Irving ISD complies with all state and federal laws, and all employees are expected to adhere to any and all legal and ethical standards. The message conveyed in the video, as presented, does not reflect the views nor policies of the district,” the statement said.

“Individual employees do not speak on behalf of the district. The individual identified was acting outside of his role as it relates to legal and regulatory expertise. While the matter continues to be under investigation, the individual identified in the video has tendered his resignation.”

The district’s statement concludes by claiming all of its athletes participate in the proper gender category.

“We can also confirm that all Irving ISD student-athletes are participating in their sport in accordance with the sex they were assigned at birth,” the district said. “Irving ISD is unwavering in our commitment to the safety and well-being of all of our students and staff. We remain focused on our primary function to maintain educational excellence and foster the full potential of our students.”

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Texas is one of 25 states in the U.S. with a law that prevents or restricts transgender athletes from competing against girls and women. In June 2023, the state passed the Save Women’s Sports Act that prohibits transgender athletes from competing in girls and women’s sports and only allows students to compete in the gender category listed on their birth certificate.

The law only allows schools to recognize changes made to birth certificates that were made to correct a clerical error.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott addressed the footage involving Lizardo in a post on X and called for him to be fired and investigated.

“This Irving ISD Administrator should be fired on the spot. Both criminal & civil investigations must be taken against both the Administrator & Irving ISD,” Abbott wrote. “Has Irving ISD and its employees been involved in a fraudulent breach of state laws & a cover up? We must get the facts.”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

January 30, 2025
School official appears to advise parents of trans athletes to change birth certificate to play girls sports

A school district administrator in Texas was seen encouraging parents to make false changes to their child’s birth certificate so they would qualify to play in girls’ sports as a biological male, according to a recently released video.

The footage shows a man, allegedly Reny Lizardo, who serves as the executive director of campus operations for the Irving Independent School District, telling an undercover journalist that “It’s not illegal if you don’t get caught” in regard to doctoring a child’s birth certificate to undermine Texas state law that prevents trans athletes from competing in girls’ sports.

“Could you legally change the gender on a birth certificate? I don’t know enough about that subject,” he says, according to video obtained by Accuracy in Media. “If you can get that done, and you turn us a birth certificate that says ‘this gender,’ that’s the gender we go with.”

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When asked if a hypothetical trans athlete had the gender on a birth certificate changed to female and would be able to then play on the girls’ soccer team, the man allegedly identified as Lizardo responds, “Yeah.” He also says the school district could plead plausible deniability if the athlete’s birth gender was uncovered and prompted a lawsuit.

“If a parent found out or a student found out and said, ‘Wait a second. This person isn’t this gender,’ and they, like, sued the district, we’d be in trouble. But, we can also say, ‘We didn’t know’ … So, there’s a plausible deniability, I guess,” he is seen saying before suggesting their conversation not be spoken about again.

“Me and you never had this conversation.”

In June 2023, Texas passed the Save Women’s Sports Act that bans trans athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports, and only allows students to compete in the gender category listed on their birth certificate. The law only allows schools to recognize changes made to birth certificates that were made to correct a clerical error.

Texas is one of 25 states in the U.S. to have a law in place to prevent or restrict trans athletes from competing against girls and women, and a national bill is currently making its way through Congress.

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott addressed the footage involving Lizardo in a post on X, and called for him to be fired and criminally investigated.

“This Irving ISD Administrator should be fired on the spot. Both criminal & civil investigations must be taken against both the Administrator & Irving ISD,” Abbott wrote. “Has Irving ISD and its employees been involved in a fraudulent breach of state laws & a cover up? We must get the facts.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Irving Independent School District for comment.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act on Jan. 14, which would cut federal funding for any public educational institution that allows trans athletes to compete against girls and women in sports.

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Every Republican representative voted in favor of the bill, but only two Democrats, Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and Vicente Gonzales, D-Texas, voted to pass it. The remaining 206 House Democrats all voted against. Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., voted “present.”

A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don’t think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women’s sports. Of the 2,128 people polled, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports. Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrat or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

January 29, 2025
Top Texas GOP official rallies around Trump’s AI, crypto plans amid state’s crucial investments

One of the top officials in Texas says he is on board with President Donald Trump’s aggressive plan to expand the AI and crypto capabilities of the United States.

“There’s no daylight between President Trump and I on this issue,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told Fox News Digital this week. “

“I totally support the president and his Stargate Plan. We are completely aligned in our desire to see Texas and America lead in AI, data centers and crypto. These industries understand they will have to supply their own power needs and are diligently working toward that goal so costs are not disproportionally shifted onto residential and small businesses customers.”

Patrick, long considered a loyal ally of Trump, raised eyebrows last year when he warned of the burden that crypto mining and data centers could put on the state’s electrical grid. However, he repeatedly emphasized that there is “no daylight” between him and Trump on these issues.

TRUMP CRYPTO CZAR DAVID SACKS TOUTS PRESIDENT’S EXECUTIVE ORDER, SAYS BIDEN DROVE INDUSTRY OFFSHORE

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told Fox News Digital he backs President Donald Trump’s AI infrastructure plan. (Getty)

“We need to take a close look at those two industries,” Patrick posted on X in June 2024 while expressing concerns that data centers and crypto mining expansion add more to the grid than they pay off in jobs.

“They produce very few jobs compared to the incredible demands they place on our grid. Crypto mining may actually make more money selling electricity back to the grid than from their crypto mining operations… Texans will ultimately pay the price. I’m more interested in building the grid to service customers in their homes, apartments, and normal businesses and keeping costs as low as possible for them instead of for very niche industries that have massive power demands and produce few jobs.”

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

Republican Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at a news conference. (Reuters/Jon Herskovitz)

Crypto mining and data center expansion have been dominant themes of the Presidential Transition’s economic messaging, including earlier this month when Trump announced a new $20 billion foreign investment for the expansion of data centers across several U.S. states, including Texas. The announcement drew praise from many conservatives, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

Trump has also garnered significant support from the crypto community and raised large chunks of money from the industry along with his promotion of a message emphasizing energy independence, economic growth and framing the expansion of crypto mining as an essential tool toward ensuring the U.S. leads the industry.

“The need to quickly scale data center capacity to support the 21st-century economy continues to increase, given the growing demand for AI and other digital services by individuals, households, businesses, government, and organizations of all sizes,” Dan Diorio, senior director of state policy at the Data Center Coalition, told Fox News Digital.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wave as they board Air Force One, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, for a trip to North Carolina and California. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

“The data center industry appreciates President Trump highlighting the essential role of the data center industry in advancing America’s national security and global economic competitiveness. We also appreciate his commitment to promoting the rapid development of additional data center and energy capacity to support the nation’s leadership in AI,” Diorio continued. “Texas is uniquely poised to benefit from this. With continued support for data centers, Texas can continue to drive innovation and investment while promoting American economic leadership and national security today and into the future.”

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Last week, Trump announced Stargate, a joint venture of OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle that will invest up to $500 billion in AI-related infrastructure.

Texas will serve as ground zero, with 10 data centers by the venture already under construction in the state, 10 more on the way and the first project based in Abilene, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison said. Each building will occupy half a million square feet.

Patrick said in a statement last week to The Texas Tribune that he believes Texas should be the “world leader in AI, data center and crypto. The key is to ensure they have the power they need without a major impact to our electrical grid. The industries understand that and they are working on solutions.”

Texas’ main grid operator predicts power demand will nearly double by 2030, in part due to more requests to plug into the grid from large users like data centers, crypto mining facilities, hydrogen production plants, and oil and gas companies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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

January 28, 2025
Melania Trump’s official White House portrait revealed

Strike a pose.

That’s exactly what first lady Melania Trump is doing in her new official White House portrait that was released Monday afternoon.

The first lady is seen in a striking power pose – leaning slightly forward with her hands resting on a table.

First lady Melania Trump’s new official White House portrait was released on Monday. (White House)

The black and white portrait was captured by esteemed photographer Régine Mahaux. It was taken on January 21, 2024, in the Yellow Oval Room of the White House, according to the office of the first lady.

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Trump, a former fashion model, is seen posing in business attire – opting for a dark-colored suit with a crisp white shirt underneath.

January 27, 2025
Pentagon sending additional 1,500 troops to southern border: US official

The U.S. Pentagon is sending an additional 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border by the end of the month, a U.S. official told Fox News on Wednesday.

It was not immediately clear what specific units would be sent, though the Trump administration is expected to make a formal announcement later Wednesday.

There are already 2,500 U.S. service members stationed at the southern border. The troops were ordered there in May 2023 during the Biden administration under title 10 authorities, were approved by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and are planned to be in place until the end of FY2025, according to a U.S. Northern Command spokesperson.

The 1,500 additional service members will deploy to different locations along the southern border by the end of the month, the U.S. official said.

BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN SENDS MESSAGE TO FAR-LEFT OFFICIALS PUSHING BACK AGAINST MASS DEPORTATIONS: ‘GAME ON’

The U.S. Pentagon is sending an additional 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border by the end of the month, a U.S. official told Fox News on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

The added troops will act in the same roles as the service members already there, providing aerial reconnaissance, data entry, training, vehicle maintenance, detection and monitoring, and some other logistical support roles.

Migrants walk along the US-Mexico border fence in Lukeville, Arizona, on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. An influx of migrants crossing the border unlawfully has overwhelmed U.S. border officials. (Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The announcement will mark the third time that U.S. troops have been sent to the southern border in the last two years.

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In May 2023, former President Joe Biden and Austin approved a request from former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to send an additional 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border for 90 days to assist with the influx of migrants after pandemic era health restrictions ended in May 2023.

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In March 2024, Austin approved another DHS request for 2,500 service members, including national guardsmen under Title 10 duty status.

Liz Friden is a Pentagon producer based in Washington, D.C.

January 23, 2025