Texas Tech wants permission to pay college athletes as a part of its recruitment efforts
State law prohibits schools from making direct name, image and likeness deals with athletes. Texas Tech says it puts them at a disadvantage as the university recruits athletes for fall 2025.
‘Common sense’: Red state governor makes crucial move to boost Trump’s deportation push
Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt says his state is creating a plan to deport criminal illegal immigrants who are in custody in state prisons, in a boost to President-elect Trump’s proposal to conduct a mass deportation operation next year. Stitt announced that he is directing the state’s commissioner of public safety to lead the effort to expel inmates in Oklahoma prisons who are in the country illegally, by creating a plan to deal with them. That plan will be delivered by January, and the state says it will consult with the Trump transition team and incoming administration to implement it. Stitt downplayed the complexity of the effort, saying it was “common sense and restoring Oklahoma to the rule of law,” while speaking to Fox News Digital. ‘100% ON BOARD:’ BORDER STATE OFFERS TRUMP MASSIVE PLOT OF LAND TO AID MASS DEPORTATION OPERATION “So these are people that are here illegally, that have committed crimes, and we want to make sure that they’re not burdensome to the taxpayers of the state of Oklahoma,” he said. The state says there are more than 500 criminal illegal immigrants in Oklahoma’s correctional facilities, and it costs taxpayers $36,000 a day to house them. Trump has promised to launch the operation next year, sparking opposition from some Democrats in “sanctuary” jurisdictions and elsewhere. His incoming border czar, Tom Homan, has said the priority will be public safety and national security threats, but no one is off the table. Stitt said he is surprised by the opposition from some Democrats, given the focus is on removing criminals from the country. “What’s amazing to me is you have some Democrat governors that are now talking about not supporting President Trump, and I don’t think they learned anything from the election, that the American people want safe communities, and we want to have strong borders,” he said. ‘SANCTUARY’ CITY MAYOR VOWS SHE WILL DEFY TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘CAUSING WIDESPREAD FEAR’ “When you think about someone that’s here illegally, that’s breaking the law, that’s pushing fentanyl, or they have been convicted of rape or burglary, and they’re not U.S. citizens, and they’re here illegally. I don’t know who could argue with me on ‘We want to make sure that those people are out of our country and not allowed to return,’” he said. Oklahoma isn’t a border state, but Stitt says it has still been affected like every other state by the historic crisis at the southern border. He said fentanyl deaths are up 500% since he took office. He also noted the recent foiled Election Day terror plot; the suspect was living in Oklahoma. Stitt stressed that he isn’t against immigration more broadly. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS “If you’re at the University of Oklahoma on a education visa, we certainly want to be able to convert that to a workforce visa if we have an employer that needs that job, and if you want to chase the American dream, if you want to be part of paying taxes, part of our society, then we absolutely want to work that angle as well,” he said. He said there is now optimism in the U.S., and he believes there is enthusiasm about the prospect of being able to make communities safer across the U.S. “I think the American people have spoken loud and clear with Trump’s victory that they believe in safe communities. And so I think it’s, I think it’s just the right thing to do, and I’m excited about some of the Cabinet picks that President Trump has put in place, and it’s going to be, it’s going to be a fresh day for America,” he said.
Trump’s cut to Biden’s EV tax credit, backed by Musk, may impact auto industry, experts say
President-elect Trump is reportedly considering rolling back the Biden administration’s credit for electric vehicles – a move that experts say would have varying effects across the automotive industry. President Biden implemented a tax credit of up to $7,500 to incentivize the purchase of greener vehicles. However, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Trump plans to ax the tax credit as part of his sweep of Biden’s climate agenda. While the decision remains in debate among oil and energy advocates, one group promoting public policy on behalf of the natural gas industry suggested that behind the scenes, automotive groups and consumers could feel relieved if the EV credit is eliminated. “Losing $70,000 on an EV is not a winning business model and U.S. automakers know that,” said Tim Stewart, president of the U.S. Oil & Gas Association. Stewart said axing the EV tax credit gives members of the auto industry the opportunity to shift back to traditional production lines. HOUSE PASSES BILL TO BOLSTER GEOTHERMAL ENERGY PRODUCTION BY INCREASING LEASE SALE FREQUENCY “If I was a CEO, I would quietly be relieved to have a reason to shift production lines back to traditional models and invest in new hybrid technologies,” Stewart told Fox News Digital. “The EV tax credit was the only way to entice consumers to ‘maybe’ purchase something they really didn’t want, but told by the Biden folks they had to buy.” “With the tax credit gone and the onerous Biden regulatory mandates lifted, the new administration is providing the exit ramp the U.S. producers were really hoping for, and U.S. consumers really want.” HOUSE PASSES BILL BLOCKING BIDEN ADMIN ATTEMPT TO REQUIRE TWO-THIRDS OF NEW CARS TO BE ELECTRIC WITHIN YEARS However, proponents of the tax credit, such as Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm – and those advocating for the switch to EVs – say its elimination would result in the U.S. being less competitive in the industry. “The auto industry is investing billions of dollars in EV battery and EV manufacturing in the United States. Eliminating the tax credit will hurt the U.S. auto industry and make American manufacturers less globally competitive,” said Ingrid Malmgren, senior policy director of Plug In America, a Los-Angeles based nonprofit advocating for the transition to EVs. The elimination of the tax credit could have differing effects across the auto industry, experts say. One of Trump’s strongest allies, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, revealed in July that he supports getting rid of the credit. “Take away the subsidies,” Musk posted to X, saying “it will only help Tesla.” Companies that are financially sound, such as Tesla, could benefit if the playing field for electric vehicles is narrowed, while the smaller companies that rely on the tax credit for consumer affordability could face setbacks, analysts suggest. “Tesla has such a big cost advantage in EVs,” said David Whiston, an analyst at financial services firm Morningstar Inc, according to a report from CPA Practicing Advisor. “Getting rid of that tax credit wouldn’t necessarily hurt them.” Dan Ives, a senior equity research analyst covering the technology sector at Wedbush Securities with a focus on EVs, conducted a review of the market impact on Tesla if the EV credit is removed. “While this is a clear negative for the EV industry at first look and would particularly hurt GM, Ford, Stellantis, and Rivian… on the flip side, we view this as a net bullish move for Tesla and Musk over time,” Ives said in a report on Tesla. “We expect Musk to have a big seat at the table as these EV discussions happen within the Trump transition team.” “In line with our thoughts over the past few weeks, Tesla has a scale and scope that is unmatched and while losing the EV tax credit could also hurt some demand on the margins in the U.S., this will enable Tesla to further fend off competition from Detroit as pricing/scale/scope is apples to oranges when compared to the rest of the auto industry once the EV tax credit disappears,” Ives added. Ives also said that removing the credit could slow down the shift toward EVs in Detroit, specifically. During his campaign, Trump highlighted his intent to target Biden’s clean energy-driven initiatives, such as vowing to “cancel the electric vehicle mandate.”
Speaker Johnson announces new Capitol bathroom policy in response to controversy over trans House member
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced a new bathroom policy for the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in response to controversy related to transgender Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, D-Del. “All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings – such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms – are reserved for individuals of that biological sex,” Johnson, R-La., said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. “It is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol.” “Women deserve women’s only spaces,” Johnson added. “Like all policies, it is enforceable,” Johnson later told reporters. “But we have single-sex facilities for a reason, and women deserve women’s only spaces. And we’re not anti anyone. We’re pro-women, and I think it’s an important policy for us to continue. It’s always been the, I guess, an unwritten policy, but now it’s in writing.” SPEAKER JOHNSON MAKES CLARIFICATION AFTER STATEMENT REGARDING TRANSGENDER HOUSE MEMBER Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., earlier this week introduced a resolution that moves to prohibit members, officers and employees of the House from using “single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.” Mace, who is a rape survivor, was derided by Democrats, including McBride, as a “right-wing extremist” over the resolution, but the South Carolina congresswoman doubled down on Wednesday. She introduced another new bill to “ban biological men from using women’s private, protected facilities – such as bathrooms and locker rooms – on all federal property” across the country. “The radical Left would rather call me an extremist than admit they are wrong. The radical Left says I’m a ‘threat.’ You better believe it,” Mace said in a statement. “And I will shamelessly call you out for putting women and girls in harm’s way. Women fought for these spaces, and I will not let them be erased to score political points with a small but loud activist class.” JOHNSON DECLINES TO SAY IF TRANSGENDER REP-ELECT IS MAN OR WOMAN, SAYS HOUSE TO TREAT EVERYONE WITH ‘RESPECT’ Mace’s office added that “the vast majority of Americans recognize the importance of protecting women’s rights and privacy,” while “the woke mob manufactures outrage.” “Women and girls shouldn’t have to give up their safety or privacy just because the Left wants to win points with their activist base,” Mace continued. “This isn’t controversial – it’s common sense. I’m going to continue defending women and girls from these harmful, out-of-touch, and straight-up weird policies.” Mace had said she received death threats for bringing the first resolution, sharing to X one social media video of a transgender individual threatening to beat and kill her. Johnson, who initially declined to respond to a question Tuesday on whether McBride was a man or a woman, made a definitive clarification later that day, telling reporters, “Let me be unequivocally clear: A man is a man, and a woman is a woman. And a man cannot become a woman.” The speaker added: “I also believe that we treat everybody with dignity, and so we can do and believe all those things at the same time.”
Lindsey Graham urges GOP not to form ‘lynch mob’ ahead of Gaetz confirmation
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C, on Wednesday urged his Republican colleagues not to form a “lynch mob” to block President-elect Trump’s controversial choice of Matt Gaetz to be U.S. attorney general. Neither should the GOP-controlled Senate give Gaetz a “rubber stamp,” Graham said in a statement that called for a fair process after he met with the prospective nominee and Vice President-elect JD Vance. “My record is clear. I tend to defer to presidential cabinet choices unless the evidence suggests disqualification,” said the South Carolina senator. “I fear the process surrounding the Gaetz nomination is turning into an angry mob, and unverified allegations are being treated as if they are true. I have seen this movie before.” VP-ELECT JD VANCE TO HOLD MEETINGS BETWEEN GAETZ, HEGSETH AND ‘KEY’ GOP SENATORS Graham appears to be alluding to the 2018 confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, which was rocked by unproven allegations of sexual assault made by Christine Blasey Ford. Kavanaugh emphatically denied Ford’s claims, and she was never able to identify the time and place of the alleged assault or provide corroborating witnesses to support her account. Kavanaugh was narrowly confirmed, mostly along party lines, after Ford provided emotional testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which Graham served as chairman. Trump’s selection of his close ally Gaetz to lead the Justice Department caught many Republicans by surprise since he does not have prior law enforcement experience and also faces misconduct allegations. Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after Trump made the announcement. Gaetz was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which subpoenaed him as recently as September for an ongoing investigation into alleged sexual misconduct with a minor. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and had told the panel he would “no longer voluntarily participate” in its probe. MATT GAETZ ‘WORKING THE PHONES,’ SPEAKING TO GOP SENATORS DESPITE DIFFICULT CONFIRMATION ODDS The firebrand ex-Florida lawmaker has not been convicted of any charges related to these allegations. He was previously under a yearlong investigation by the DOJ, but federal prosecutors ultimately decided against an indictment. Still, the allegations could make Gaetz’s confirmation more difficult even in the Republican-controlled Senate. A source familiar has told Fox News Digital that Gaetz is “working the phones” to address concerns from GOP senators ahead of his confirmation hearings next year. He is also making the rounds with Vance on Capitol Hill to meet with senators directly. “The meetings have been productive with AG nominee Gaetz listening to senators’ thoughts on the role of the DOJ and the confirmation process. Gaetz is looking forward to meeting with more senators throughout this process on the Hill,” a Trump transition official told Fox News Digital. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said earlier this week that he had a “nice chat” with Gaetz and that the congressman “wants to have the chance to clear his name in a hearing.” TRUMP NOMINEE FOR FCC CHAIR SAYS LEGACY MEDIA ‘STATUS QUO’ NEEDS TO CHANGE Graham urged his colleagues to give Gaetz that chance. “I would urge all of my Senate colleagues, particularly Republicans, not to join the lynch mob and give the process a chance to move forward. After years of being investigated by the Department of Justice, no charges were brought against Matt Gaetz. This is something we should all remember,” he said Wednesday. “I would also urge my colleagues to go back to a time-tested process, receive relevant information, and give the nominee a chance to make their case as to why they should be confirmed. This standard – which I have long adhered to – has served the Senate and country well.” Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
Elon Musk wants to meet Alex Soros — and Soros says he’s open to it
Business magnate Elon Musk expressed interest in meeting Alex Soros, who replied that he would be open to it. Alex Soros is a son of nonagenarian liberal megadonor George Soros. “I would be curious to meet and understand your goals better,” Musk wrote to Alex Soros on X. “I often learn most from people whose views are different than my own. Open to meeting,” Soros replied. ELON MUSK BLASTS JOHN BOLTON AS ‘STAGGERINGLY DUMB WARMONGER’ AFTER CRITICISM OF TRUMP AG PICK MATT GAETZ A video that recently circulated online showed Musk raising his hand after someone asked where there was a “George Soros of the right.” Musk, who strongly supported President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 White House bid, has likened himself to a centrist version of Soros. “More accurate would be that I’m ‘George Soros’ of the middle. I don’t want the pendulum to swing too far right, but right now it’s just too far left,” he posted. ELON MUSK DUBS HIMSELF THE ‘’GEORGE SOROS’ OF THE MIDDLE’ During a 2023 appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Musk said that in his view, George Soros “fundamentally hates humanity.” Alex Soros is chair of the board of directors of the Open Society Foundations, which was founded by his father. “The Open Society Foundations, founded by George Soros, are the world’s largest private funder of independent groups working for justice, democratic governance, and human rights,” according to opensocietyfoundations.org. ELON MUSK AND VIVEK RAMASWAMY APPROVE THE ‘VERY REASONABLE PROPOSAL’ TO ABOLISH DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump has tapped Musk and former GOP presidential primary candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to work for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The president-elect said in a statement that DOGE “will provide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.”
Democratic Ohio Rep. Kaptur narrowly wins re-election, keeping Republican majority at 218 seats
Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur has won her 22nd term in Congress in northwest Ohio, defeating her Republican challenger and holding on to her seat in one of the most closely watched races in the country. Kaptur defeated Ohio state Rep. Derek Merrin, according to the Associated Press, which called the race Wednesday at 1:02 p.m. Though the race was not called on election night, Kaptur had declared victory early on Nov. 6. “Tonight, the people of Ohio’s 9th District have spoken, and I am deeply grateful for the trust they have placed in me to continue fighting for working families, creating good-paying jobs, protecting healthcare for everyone, and securing Social Security and Medicare so Ohioans can retire with dignity,” her campaign said in a statement. “This campaign has always been about the strength and resilience of our communities, and tonight we celebrate not just a victory but a renewed commitment to the belief that what America makes and grows, makes and grows America.” WATCH: DEM. REP. SNATCHES PHONE IN TESTY AIRPORT EXCHANGE OVER BIDEN’S MENTAL CLARITY: ‘WHO OWNS YOU?’ Kaptur was one of eight Democrats running in 2024 in a district that voted for Trump in 2020. Trump won the state of Ohio by 8 points in 2020. Heading into the election, Republicans were optimistic they could flip the seat after redistricting following the 2020 census brought more Trump-friendly areas into the district. Merrin took aim at Kaptur’s long tenure in Congress by pushing for term limits and criticizing the congresswoman for sponsoring only five bills on her own that became law in 41 years. “Marcy Kaptur hasn’t done squat for the four decades she has served in Congress,” Merrin told Fox News Digital earlier this year, arguing that Kaptur will “continue the ineffective status quo.” ‘MUST APOLOGIZE’: VULNERABLE HOUSE DEM FACES RENEWED BACKLASH OVER COMPARISON INVOLVING 9/11 TERRORIST Merrin’s campaign also focused on Kaptur’s voting in line with the Biden administration 100% of the time. Pro-Kaptur ads running on radio and television in Toledo focused on Merrin’s past support for convicted politician Larry Householder, attempted to paint him as a radical on the abortion issue and called him a “corporate puppet.” “I would put my record up against any person in the current Congress and even some who have preceded me,” Kaptur said in a recent interview. “And I defy my opponents to even show anything they’ve done that comes close to what we have been able to accomplish because of that seniority.” Kaptur was viewed as one of the most vulnerable members of the House heading into the 2024 election. “This is seen by everybody around the country as what may be the best pickup opportunity we have to flip a blue seat to red,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said while rallying for Merrin in October.
Iran vastly increased nuclear fuel stockpile ahead of Trump return, UN agency finds
Iran has increased its nearly weapons-grade uranium, a United Nations watchdog found, defying international demands to rein in its nuclear program. Iran now has enough uranium at 60% purity, just below the 90% purity needed for a weapon, to produce about four nuclear bombs, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report said. The report found Iran had about 400 pounds of uranium enriched to 60% as of Oct. 26, up 40 pounds from August. Around 92 pounds of uranium, enriched at 90%, is needed to make an atomic weapon. Iran’s overall stockpile of uranium enriched at any level reached about 14,560 pounds, up 1,880 pounds from August. It comes as Iran has offered to cease enriching uranium beyond 60% – but only if the European Union and the United Kingdom cease their efforts to slap new sanctions on Iran and the IAEA drops a censure resolution it is pursuing. During a meeting between IAEA general director Rafael Grossi and high-level Iranian diplomats, “the possibility of Iran not further expanding its stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% U-235 was discussed, including technical verification measures necessary for the Agency to confirm this, if implemented,” Grossi said. NETANYAHU CONFIRMS ISRAEL STRIKE AGAINST IRAN HIT NUKE PROGRAM DURING OCTOBER RETALIATORY STRIKES He added that Iran said it would consider accepting agency inspectors to conduct oversight of its nuclear materials. Experts say there is no credible use of 60% uranium at the civilian level. Concerns have swelled among Western nations that Iran could decide pursuing a nuclear bomb is its best deterrent, after Israel hollowed out Hamas and Hezbollah, Iran’s biggest proxies. U.S. intelligence suggests they’ve improved their manufacturing capabilities for doing so over the past year. It’s not yet clear whether President-elect Trump will come in with a combative or diplomatic tone toward Iran, but he’s promised to crack down on sanctions on the regime that he claims President Biden failed to enforce. The European Union on Monday widened sanctions against Iran for its alleged support for Russia in the war in Ukraine, including targeting the national seafaring company and ships used to transfer drones and missiles. Acting in tandem, the U.K. froze the assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied that Iran was aiding Russia and warned the sanctions would prompt Iran to retaliate. “There is no legal, logical or moral basis for such behavior. If anything, it will only compel what it ostensibly seeks to prevent,” Araghchi wrote on X. IRAN MILITARY HEADS VOW ‘CRUSHING’ RESPONSE TO ISRAEL AS UN ATOMIC CHIEF SAYS NUKE SITES SHOULDN’T BE ATTACKED “Freedom of navigation is a basic principle of the law of the sea. When selectively applied by some, such shortsightedness usually tends to boomerang,” Araghchi wrote. The IAEA board is expected to move forward with a European-backed censure resolution, which could lead to the issue being escalated to the U.N. Security Council for possible measures against Tehran. That resolution would condemn Tehran’s lack of responsiveness and call for creating a comprehensive report of all open questions about Iran’s nuclear work. Iran has not formally decided whether to build a nuclear bomb, according to the latest available U.S. intelligence. But as of September 2024, Iran could produce weapons-grade uranium in about seven days and have enough for six to nine nuclear bombs within a month if it wanted to, according to David Albright at the Institute for Science and International Security.
Biden admin Commerce Dept seeks to exhaust CHIPS Act funding before Biden leaves office
The Commerce Department is pushing to spend every dollar allocated under President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act before President-elect Donald Trump enters the White House, the agency’s Secretary Gina Raimondo said during an interview this week. Speaking to Politico, Raimondo said that it is the agency’s goal “to have really almost all of the money obligated” by the end of Biden’s term and that the upcoming transition to a Trump administration represents “a clear deadline.” “That’s the goal. And I certainly want to have all the major announcements done as it relates to the big leading edge companies,” Raimondo said. “I also would like to have all of that research and development money out the door by the time we leave as well.” BIDEN’S MAJOR SEMICONDUCTOR PUSH IS QUIETLY RIDDLED WITH DEI INITIATIVES Raimondo told Politico that she has been pushing her staff at the department hard to make these goals a reality, noting they worked all last weekend to shore up the spending. In total, the CHIPS and Science Act allocated roughly $53 billion to help try to bring semiconductor supply chains back to the U.S. and to invest in research and development initiatives, among other programs aimed at boosting domestic chip manufacturing. Thus far, only two companies have formalized binding awards to receive funding, according to Politico, and in order to get all the CHIPS Act’s funding out the door before Trump’s arrival, the agency must shore up multiple multibillion-dollar deals. The department has provisionally awarded much of the grant money so far, but much of it is tied up in complex negotiations, the Wall Street Journal reported. US WILL FALL BEHIND IN AI RACE WITHOUT ONSHORING CHIP PRODUCTION: ‘CAN’T JUST DESIGN,’ EXPERT SAYS Meanwhile, Trump has publicly shared his plans to claw back much of Biden’s spending from the last four years and has derided Biden’s CHIPS Act as “so bad.” He has also expressed fervent support for trade tariffs, which Trump could use in an attempt to spur domestic manufacturing as opposed to spending more money. On Tuesday, Trump announced Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as his choice to replace Raimondo. Lutnick has expressed support for Trump’s trade tariffs and cutting government spending. The Department of Commerce did not provide Fox News Digital with any on-the-record comments prior to publication of this story.
Feds approve Texas’ plan for $3 billion to expand broadband access
The federal investment follows the $1 billion approved by Texas taxpayers to help connect the state.