Tag: United States

Hulk Hogan, Pro Wrestler and Hollywood actor, Dies at 71: The Man Who Defined ‘Hulkamania’
Hulk Hogan shown flexing in 1994. © British Sky Broadcasting Ltd/Shutterstock
Hulk Hogan, the towering, charismatic figure who revolutionized professional wrestling in the 1980s and became the first true household name in the sport, passed away on Thursday at the age of 71. His death, confirmed by longtime partner Eric Bischoff and other sources close to the wrestling legend, was reportedly due to a cardiac arrest. Hogan’s passing marks the end of an era for both wrestling and popular culture, where his influence transcended the ring.
Hogan — born Terry Gene Bollea on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia — changed the landscape of professional wrestling, helping it become a mainstream entertainment spectacle. In a career that spanned over four decades, Hogan became one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world, known for his larger-than-life persona, trademark yellow trunks, bandana, and his signature move, the leg drop.
A Wrestling Legacy Like No Other
Hogan’s journey to wrestling superstardom began in Florida, where he was first discovered by wrestling scouts while playing in local rock bands and pitching for Little League baseball teams. Trained by Hiro Matsuda and inspired by legends like Dusty Rhodes, Hogan’s early career was marked by several lesser-known ring names, including Super Destroyer and Sterling Golden, before settling on the iconic Hulk Hogan.
Hogan’s WWE debut in the 1980s heralded the beginning of Hulkamania, a cultural phenomenon that spanned beyond the squared circle. He became the face of the WWE, winning the WWE Championship six times and headlining WrestleMania an unprecedented eight times. His most memorable moment came in 1987 when he faced his mentor, Andre the Giant, in a historic match at WrestleMania III, where Hogan body-slammed the 520-pound Giant before a then-record crowd of 93,173 fans in the Pontiac Silverdome.
WrestleMania III event venue: Pontiac Silverdome © WWE
Hogan’s connection with the audience was unparalleled. He embodied the spirit of the American hero, often invoking his “Real American” entrance theme, flexing his 24-inch pythons, and posing with an American flag to the thunderous cheers of his fans. Hogan’s catchphrases, like “Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?” became as famous as his wrestling bouts.
Hollywood and Beyond: The Wrestler Who Became a Pop Culture Icon
Beyond the ring, Hogan’s acting career took off when he starred as Thunderlips in Rocky III (1982), marking his big-screen debut opposite Sylvester Stallone. His larger-than-life personality translated to Hollywood, where he appeared in films like No Holds Barred (1989), Suburban Commando (1991), Mr. Nanny (1993), and Santa With Muscles (1996). He also starred in the syndicated TV series Thunder in Paradise (1994).
Hulk Hogan and Sylvester Stallone in ‘Rocky III’ . © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Hogan became a fixture in popular culture, appearing in iconic TV shows such as The A-Team, Baywatch, Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), and even voicing characters in Robot Chicken and American Dad! He co-hosted Saturday Night Live with Mr. T in 1985, solidifying his place in the mainstream entertainment world.
“Mr. Nanny 1993”. © New Line Cinema
But it wasn’t just acting that defined Hogan’s legacy. He became a beloved figure, especially for charity work — notably for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, where he was one of the most requested celebrities for children facing life-threatening illnesses.
Hogan’s personal life was as tumultuous as his wrestling career. In 1994, he admitted to using steroids for 13 years, a moment that would mark one of the first of many controversies in his life. Twelve years later, he was embroiled in scandal after a sex tape was leaked, containing racial slurs that led to his removal from the WWE Hall of Fame. However, Hogan made a dramatic comeback in 2016, when he won a $140 million lawsuit against Gawker after the website released the tape. The legal victory sent shockwaves through the media world, leading to Gawker’s bankruptcy and eventual sale to Univision.
Terry Bollea, aka Hulk Hogan, testifies in court during his trial against Gawker Media at the Pinellas County Courthouse on March 8, 2016 in St Petersburg, Florida. © John Pendygraft-Pool/Getty Images
Hogan was reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018, cementing his status as one of the most influential figures in wrestling history.
In recent years, Hogan stayed active in the wrestling world. In April 2025, he and longtime partner Eric Bischoff launched the Real America Freestyle Wrestling League, securing a TV rights deal with Fox Nation. Despite his age, Hogan remained passionate about promoting wrestling to new generations, never straying far from his roots.
Hogan’s Impact on the Wrestling and Entertainment Industry
The impact of Hulk Hogan’s death reverberates across both the wrestling industry and entertainment. His transformation from a regional wrestler to a global sensation helped propel WWE into the mainstream, and his legendary rivalries with wrestlers like Roddy Piper, Andre the Giant, Ric Flair, and Macho Man Randy Savagebecame the stuff of legend. His heel turn in 1996, as the leader of the New World Order (NWO) in WCW, remains one of the most shocking moments in wrestling history.
In 1996, wrestling entertainment got a new trio of bad guys who ended up winning over the crowd and dominating the WWE for years. © WWE
Hogan’s influence on professional wrestling is immeasurable — he helped shape the modern spectacle of wrestling, where entertainment and athleticism go hand in hand. His “Hulkamania” became a symbol not only of pro wrestling but of the broader entertainment culture that exploded in the 1980s and 1990s.
Hogan is survived by his wife, Sky, whom he married in 2023, and his two children, Nick and Brooke, from his first marriage to Linda Claridge. He was also married to Jennifer McDaniel from 2009 until their separation in 2021.
For the millions of fans who followed his career, Hulk Hogan was more than a wrestler — he was an icon, an inspiration, and a symbol of perseverance. In his own words, “Hulkamania will live forever.” Now, as the world mourns his passing, it is clear that Hogan’s legacy will continue to endure, immortalized in the hearts of fans and the annals of professional wrestling history.
July 24, 2025
Elon Musk’s ‘retro-futuristic’ Tesla Diner opens in Hollywood, featuring Optimus robots and Cybertruck-themed food boxes
Elon Musk’s Optimus robots greeted hungry fans as the mogul’s long-awaited Tesla Diner finally opened its “retro-futuristic” doors along the famed Hollywood strip.
The all-night drive-in offers “80 V4 Supercharger stalls” and two giant entertainment screens — where Tesla’s humanoid Optimus robots handed out popcorn to customers who showed up for Monday’s debut.
The location opened up for orders at 4:20 p.m. local time Monday – Musk’s favorite marijuana-themed reference.
People wait in line during the opening of the Tesla Diner and Drive-In restaurant and Supercharger on Santa Monica Blvd in the Hollywood neighborhood Los Angeles, California on July 21, 2025. © AFP via Getty Images
The Tesla CEO shared a number of posts touting the Tesla Diner’s features and urged customers to “try it out.”
“Aiming to be a fun experience for all, whether Tesla owners or not. Will keep improving,” Musk wrote on X.
The menu features a number of classic options with locally sourced ingredients, including fried chicken and waffles, a Tesla burger and a Diner club sandwich.
Some diners received their food in “Cybertruck”-themed boxes resembling Tesla’s stainless steel pickup trick. Cups and cartons of fries featured a distinctive Tesla lightning bolt logo.
If the original diner concept is successful, Musk said in separate post that Tesla would “establish these in major cities around the world, as well as Supercharger sites on long distance routes.”
Musk has teased his diner concept online for several years.
Tesla Cybertruck food boxes were given to customers. © AFP via Getty Images
Tesla Cybertruck food boxes were given to customers. © AFP/Getty Images
Tesla’s Optimus robots greeted customers and handed out popcorn. © Tesla Club- SoCal / SWNS
In 2023, Tesla gained approval to move forward with construction on Santa Monica Blvd.
Customers are able to watch movies on the diner’s giant screens or in their own vehicles by accessing the Tesla diner app.
Tesla shares were up about 1% in trading Tuesday.
Musk has refocused his efforts on Tesla after stepping back from President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.
The Tesla Diner was described as a retrofuturistic experience. © ZUMAPRESS.com
The two had a public falling-out over the president’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” with Musk even declaring plans to launch his own political party.
Meanwhile, Tesla is looking to reverse a recent vehicle sales slump.
Musk has touted the long-term prospects of the company’s technology, especially its Optimus robots and self-driving Robotaxi fleet, which recently debuted in Austin, Texas.
July 22, 2025
Why the Federal Reserve’s Building Renovation Is Costing $2.5 Billion
Allies of President Donald Trump are pressing for an investigation into the ongoing restoration of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters, costs for which have ballooned to $2.5 billion.
Any evidence of mismanagement or fraud, as White House officials have suggested, could prove a useful pretext for removing Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whose resistance to cutting interest rates this year has angered the president.
But the price tag has less to do with “ostentatious” features than the challenges of building — particularly underground — in what was once a swamp near the Tidal Basin along the Potomac River.
Foundation work for the Fed expansion was so difficult that contractors responsible for the job received a 2025 award for “excellence in the face of adversity” from the Washington Building Congress, a building trades association.
The Washington Monument behind construction on the Federal Reserve Board East Building, formerly known as the US Public Health Service building. (Al Drago/Bloomberg)
The ongoing renovation and expansion of the historic 1937 building that houses the Fed, plus an adjacent 1931 federal building, has faced setbacks, with costs for the long-overdue rehab climbing more than 30% since 2023.
Officials from the Trump administration blame wasteful spending for the cost overruns. In a July 10 letter to Powell, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought described the project as an “ostentatious overhaul” featuring “rooftop terrace gardens,” “VIP dining rooms and elevators” and other luxury amenities. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, a frequent Powell critic, said he’s confident Congress will open an investigation.
Powell has defended the renovation work as transparent. He responded to Vought’s claims in a letter on July 17, explaining that the gardens are merely green roofs, for example, and the elevator is being extended to accommodate disabled users.
The project was always going to be tricky, with initial cost estimates pinned at $1.9 billion. Construction on the Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve Board Building and the adjacent Federal Reserve East Building involves adding new office space, removing asbestos and lead and replacing antiquated mechanical systems. Neither the Eccles Building — an austere edifice designed by Paul Cret and dedicated by Franklin D. Roosevelt — nor the East Building has ever been fully renovated since they were built nearly a century ago.
A worker at the reconstruction site of Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington, where estimated costs have gone from $1.9 billion to $2.5 billion. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg)
Some of the bigger cost factors for the Fed are largely invisible. The price of structural steel exploded in 2021, just before construction began. Any building project in Washington’s so-called monumental core is covered by a bevy of design oversight boards, which can, and did, slow down the work. And the renovation of structures built during the New Deal has to account for federal security standards adopted after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The most challenging parts of the renovation, however, are underground.
Parts of the job call for deep excavation. Expanding the Fed’s campus involves converting a parking garage underneath the Eccles Building into additional office space. A five-story addition on the north side of the Fed’s East Building also boasts four extra floors below grade — a common trick in Washington, where heights are capped and historic vistas are protected. Below the south lawn of the East Building, a 318-space parking garage is being added. According to an FAQ put out by the Fed, the water table was higher underground than builders had predicted.
Building a new basement below an existing structure is a huge undertaking. Berkel and Company Contractors, a specialty foundation contractor, had to physically lower the slab on which the building stands, supporting the structure while excavating the ground beneath it. The company declined to comment, but a video posted on YouTube explains that Berkel built a bracing system above the slab in order to demolish it and lower the basement level more than 20 feet. The work required 1,000 micropiles — deep foundation steel elements used in ground conditions that don’t allow for traditional piles.
The Federal Reserve Board Building, designed by Paul Philippe Cret, in Washington circa 1935. (Keystone View Company/FPG/Getty Images)
Excavating underneath historic structures is expensive work. A proposal to shore up the Smithsonian Institution’s 19th-century Castle against seismic rumbling with an expansion below ground totaled $2 billion before the plans were shelved. Building along the National Mall is tough as well. Much of the land didn’t exist a century ago.
As landscape architect Phia Sennett wrote on the website of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Tidal Basin and surrounding area were filled from sediment dredged from the Potomac River and built over a series of creeks. To complete the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture — more than 60% of which is below grade on the National Mall — architects had to design an enormous “bathtub” to keep the water table out.
Construction costs for that building, which opened in 2016, reached $540 million, 50% more than an initial estimate. The price tag for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, another project with daunting underground requirements and multiple stakeholders, rose to $1 billion before construction was halted in 2011. Its final costs were reported at $700 million.
In testimony before Congress in June, Powell acknowledged the project was a daunting one.
“No one in office wants to do a major renovation of a historic building during their term in office,” he said. “We decided to take it on because, honestly, when I was the administrative governor, before I became chair, I came to understand how badly the Eccles Building really needed a serious renovation. It never had one. It was not really safe and it was not waterproof.”
An artist’s rendering of the completed Federal Reserve buildings is shown on barriers along Constitution Avenue in Washington. (Al Drago/Bloomberg)
The Fed renovation is being performed by Fortus, a joint venture between the Dutch design consultancy Arcadis and the Washington, DC–based architecture firm Quinn Evans. Arcadis specializes in engineering and resilience, including water infrastructure. Quinn Evans has led complex restoration jobs, among them Michigan Central Station in Detroit and the National Academy of Sciences headquarters. Both firms referred a reporter from Bloomberg to the Fed, which didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Design plans for the Eccles Building changed significantly since they were first introduced. During the first Trump administration, architects at the request of the Fed proposed using more glass, but Trump appointees to the US Commission of Fine Arts asked for more white marble to align with a proposed mandate from the president requiring all new federal buildings to be classical in style. The demand to use more marble was first reported by the Associated Press.
During a 2021 review by the National Capital Planning Commission, a General Services Administration official said that the Fed had withstood a “tumultuous” oversight process.
“They’ve been really put through their paces,” Mina Wright, founding director of the GSA’s Office of Planning and Design Quality, said at the time. “They’ve had some hostile criticism at one point that was unjustified.”
July 19, 2025
CBS canceled ‘The Late Show’ due to tens of millions in annual financial losses — not because of Stephen Colbert’s politics, sources say
CBS brass say they pulled the plug on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” because of its punishing losses — pegged between $40 million and $50 million a year — and claim politics had nothing to do with it, The Post has learned.
The 61-year-old host got canned just days after he took a dig at the Tiffany Network over its $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over a controversial “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris as the network’s parent Paramount negotiates with the Trump administration regulatory approval for its $8 billion sale to independent studio Skydance.
“I am offended, and I don’t know if anything will ever repair my trust in this company,” Colbert said of the truce in his Monday night monologue.
“But just taking a stab at it, I’d say $16 million would help.”
‘Gets no advertising’
But scathing jokes at the expense of CBS brass wasn’t the problem, according to insiders.
Instead, the network’s bosses could no longer stomach the fact that Colbert has been plagued with an increasingly dire shortage of advertisers.
That’s despite Colbert’s No, 1 ratings in his time slot and his status as a key face for the Tiffany Network.
In the end, Paramount’s co-CEO George Cheeks decided to kill the show, sources said.
“Colbert gets no advertising and late night is a tough spot,” said a person with direct knowledge of CBS’s decision.
“Colbert might be No. 1, but who watches late night TV anymore?”
Some Democrats voiced suspicion, citing the host’s left-wing leanings and CBS owner Paramount’s urgent need to gain an OK from the Trump administration for the merger with Skydance, the Hollywood studio behind the “Mission: Impossible” franchise.
People walk past the Ed Sullivan Theater, where “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is taped, in New York. (AP)
“CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump — a deal that looks like bribery,” lefty Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote on X.
“America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.”
Skydance CEO David Ellison is the son of Donald Trump pal and tech billionaire Larry Ellison.
As The Post first reported, CBS just paid $16 million to Trump and has agreed to run millions of dollars more in MAGA-friendly ads to settle the president’s lawsuit alleging that “60 Minutes” deceptively edited its 2024 interview with Kamala Harris to make her look better.
Trump, meanwhile, celebrated Colbert’s canning in a Friday morning post on Truth Social.
“I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,” the president wrote.
“His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!”
Fervent denials
But despite Ellison’s Trump ties, sources said Skydance and its partners at Redbird Capital — the private equity firm that will help run CBS once the deal is cleared — only heard the news of the show’s impending cancellation just before it was announced late Thursday.
“Skydance had nothing to do with this,” one person close to the decision said.
“Colbert loses $40 million to $50 million a year, so George Cheeks just decided to pull the plug.”
The show’s dominance in its time slot belies sharp declines in viewership as younger viewers move away from traditional TV.
“The Late Show” boasts nearly 2 million total viewers and 200,000 viewers in the key 25-24 “demo” — making it No. 1 in its time slot.
Nevertheless, that’s a sharp decline versus the numbers it racked up in its heyday.
The ad data firm Guideline estimates that CBS’s late-night shows together drew $220 million in ad revenue in 2024 — just half the $439 million they drew in 2018.
RedBird’s Jeff Shell, the former head of NBCUniversal who will run the network once the deal is done, has been crunching the numbers and finding that CBS is a “melting ice cube” with its losses and cost overruns, a source said.
‘Truth-based’ turn
The plan is to enhance CBS Sports and invest in “truth-based” news at a network that conservatives have long ripped for its alleged liberal bias.
A Paramount spokesman declined to comment and would not deny that massive losses were tied to the show’s cancellation.
Trump’s lawsuit was impeding the approval of the deal by the Trump Federal Communications Commission.
The Post has learned that Ellison is now telling people that with the lawsuit settled the Skydance-Paramount deal will get FCC approval by mid-August.
While Ellison is predicting imminent regulatory approval, it will come at a cost: FCC chairman Brendan Carr is likely to demand conditions to remedy what he believes is left-wing news bias in programming that violates agency “public interest” rules that govern local broadcasting as opposed to cable.
July 18, 2025
Grocery Chain CEO and Real Estate Titan Warn Socialist Mayoral Frontrunner Could ‘Destroy’ New York

Former Douglas Elliman CEO Dottie Herman and Stew Leonard’s President and CEO Stew Leonard Jr. speak with Fox News Digital about their opposition to NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s policies. (Fox Business)
NEW YORK CITY — As Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani surges to the front of New York City’s mayoral race following his historic primary victory, prominent figures in business and real estate are sounding the alarm, warning that his radical proposals could cripple the city’s economy and chase away its wealth base.
From government-run grocery stores to punitive housing regulations and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, Mamdani’s progressive platform is drawing fierce criticism from two of New York’s most recognizable business leaders: Stew Leonard Jr., CEO of the regional grocery empire Stew Leonard’s, and Dottie Herman, Vice Chair of Douglas Elliman and one of Forbes’ wealthiest self-made women in real estate.
“You’re in a street fight if you get into the food business,” said Leonard in an interview with Fox News Digital. “You gotta be in there with sharp prices, fresher product, friendlier people… Can the government do that? I don’t know.”
Leonard, who operates eight food stores and eight wine and spirit outlets across the Tri-State area, questioned the feasibility of Mamdani’s city-run supermarket proposal, which aims to sell food at wholesale prices. The idea is part of a broader vision that includes a citywide rent freeze, construction of 200,000 affordable units over ten years, and tighter enforcement on “bad landlords.”
“It’s seven days a week. Weekends are the busiest. If you’re paying $200 to $300 per square foot along Second Avenue, you need serious volume to make it work,” Leonard added. “Margins in food are razor-thin. Everyone eats, yes, but it’s still one of the toughest industries in the country.”
For Dottie Herman, the implications go beyond groceries—she sees Mamdani’s economic approach as an existential threat to the city’s future.
“I never talk about politics, but I am talking now because I really don’t want to see New York destroyed,” Herman said. “I believe with every breath of me, that if he gets in, we will be in a socialized country.”
Citing rising fear among developers and property investors, Herman shared that some clients are already reconsidering multimillion-dollar deals out of concern for punitive taxes and hostile business conditions.
“I’ve had people call me asking if they should cancel contracts on development sites in New York City,” she said. “People are scared. You’re going to discourage anyone from investing in rental property, and values will fall. That’s what happens when you tell people, ‘We’ll just take it from the rich.’”
Mamdani, who currently represents Astoria and Long Island City in the State Assembly, gained national attention after winning more votes in the primary than any candidate in the city’s history. His campaign site outlines a platform that includes raising the corporate tax rate to 11.5% and implementing a 2% flat tax on the city’s wealthiest residents—moves that would require state legislative approval and signoff from Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has expressed concern about affordability and capital flight.
Mamdani’s platform also pushes for public control of grocery access, rent freezes, and an aggressive reworking of landlord-tenant laws—all in the name of housing and food equity.
While progressive circles and some younger millionaires have cheered his vision, established business figures worry his policies will bring economic instability, capital outflow, and unintended market disruption.
“The key to this business is freshness,” Leonard added. “Are you going to eliminate dyes, hormones, sugar, and antibiotics from your entire government inventory? That’s what I’ve done. But that drives up costs.”
With New York’s real estate market already facing tight inventory and slowing sales volumes, Herman warned that Mamdani’s proposed crackdown on landlords and tax hikes could lead to a broader investment freeze.
“If people can’t make money here, what business will come to New York?” she asked. “America is about the ability to grow and succeed, no matter where you start. That dream dies if the rules become punish-the-successful.”
Herman also revealed that a number of business owners are organizing political fundraisers to counter Mamdani’s momentum, signaling growing concern in the city’s economic elite.
The crowded mayoral race now pits Mamdani against rivals like former Governor Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, raising speculation about whether the two centrist contenders might team up to create a unified front against the socialist frontrunner.
“I think one of them has to step aside for the other,” Herman said. “Because if not, the vote splits, and we hand this city to someone who doesn’t understand how it actually runs.”
Leonard, for his part, said that Mamdani’s victory would make him rethink expanding in New York City.
“I’d struggle to open five new stores here right now,” he said. “It’s a real challenge—and this would only make it harder.”
Despite the controversy, Mamdani’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
July 18, 2025
Labor Secretary Says H-2A Visa Program Improvements Will Benefit Farmers Without Displacing American Workers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer says that long-awaited changes to the H-2A agricultural visa program will make the system faster, more affordable, and more efficient, offering crucial relief to American farmers and ranchers struggling to meet labor demands—without threatening American jobs.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Edward Lawrence, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer emphasized that the reforms do not expand the existing program or provide amnesty to illegal migrants, but instead consolidate its management and streamline operations under the Department of Labor.
“The program is already in play, and it’s already in law,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “This isn’t a new initiative—it’s a modernization of a system that’s essential to America’s food supply chain.”
The H-2A visa program, which allows U.S. agricultural employers to temporarily hire foreign workers when domestic labor is unavailable, has historically been managed across three departments—Labor, Homeland Security, and State. That decentralized model created delays and confusion for farmers, many of whom operate under tight seasonal timelines.
To resolve that, the Biden-era model is being replaced by a new system where the Office of Immigration Policy will be housed within the Department of Labor, directly under the Secretary’s purview.
“This is going to be the one-stop shop,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “Farmers and ranchers will now get concierge service—clear guidance, streamlined processing, and transparent communication. No more wondering where your workers are or when they’ll arrive.”
The reforms aim to reduce bottlenecks in visa approvals, provide timelier worker deployment, and cut administrative costs—an upgrade many farmers have called for over the last decade.
The Labor Secretary pushed back on claims that the changes could open the door to illegal immigration or displace native-born workers.
“This is not an amnesty program. And it’s not an expansion of anything,” she clarified. “It’s simply an upgrade to the existing law that ensures American farmers have legal, timely access to labor—only when American workers aren’t available.”
While concerns over job displacement persist, Chavez-DeRemer was firm: “We’re never going to displace the American worker.” She noted that the number of native-born workers has risen by 2 million since former President Donald Trump’s return to office, while foreign-born workers have decreased by 543,000—a trend she attributes to America-first economic policies.
“This is exactly what the president promised—focusing on the American worker,” she said. “And our department is here to support that.”
The H-2A program plays a vital role in the $1.3 trillion U.S. agriculture sector, particularly in regions where labor shortages have disrupted crop production and increased costs. Farmers have long argued that delays in hiring seasonal workers lead to reduced yields, higher food prices, and supply chain disruptions—especially during harvest season.
The updated system is expected to improve market predictability, which could benefit commodity prices and stabilize operational costs. Analysts also note that consolidating the visa process could help reduce legal and compliance risksfor employers, while increasing accountability in how migrant labor is managed.
Though the Department of Labor will administer the program more efficiently, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer reminded stakeholders that visa caps and quotas remain in the hands of Congress.
“If Congress wants to change the numbers, that’s their decision. Our role is to provide them with accurate data and ensure that the system works as intended,” she said.
In a separate part of the interview, Chavez-DeRemer addressed her role in a forthcoming executive order expected to provide clarity around 401(k) investment rules, particularly in light of recent regulatory back-and-forth over what investment types fiduciaries can offer.
She criticized the Biden administration’s 2022 rule for “putting their thumb on the scale,” suggesting it inappropriately limited investor choice by curbing access to private assets like cryptocurrency.
“It’s not the federal government’s job to decide where people put their retirement savings,” she said. “We rolled that back. Fiduciaries can now decide what’s best for their clients—whether it’s real estate, crypto, or other private assets.”
July 18, 2025
Trump directs Bondi to pursue release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein
President Donald Trump on Thursday directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to try and unseal grand testimony records related to Jeffrey Epstein. (Yuri Gripas/UP)
Washington — President Trump late Thursday ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein as his administration faces pressure to disclose more details on the late sex offender.
“Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,” Mr. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!”
Bondi wrote in a post on X minutes later, “we are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts.”
A judge will need to make the final decision on whether material can be released, which could take some time and is unlikely to be immediate.
It’s unclear what material the Trump administration will ask to be released. It’s not clear how much of the Epstein-related material in the government’s possession is grand jury testimony.
Epstein was investigated by federal authorities in Florida in the 2000s, which ended in a non-prosecution agreement and a guilty plea on state prostitution charges, and he was later charged with child sex trafficking in Manhattan in 2019. The government also secured a conviction against Epstein’s co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell. It investigated the circumstances of Epstein’s death in federal custody, which was deemed a suicide.
The order from Mr. Trump comes after the Justice Department and FBI released a memo stating that Epstein did not have an incriminating “client list,” did not try to blackmail any prominent figures, and died by suicide. The memo drew backlash from across the political spectrum, including from some fervent Trump backers, in part because Bondi and other administration figures had promised to release information on Epstein.
The government is generally required to keep grand jury materials secret, and it’s common for not all material that is shown to a grand jury — which meets before a person is criminally indicted — to emerge during a criminal case.
A request of this kind by the government is unusual, says Mitchell Epner, a partner at the New York law firm Kudman Trachten Aloe Posner, and a former federal prosecutor.
“I’ve been in and around federal criminal cases for over 30 years. I’ve never heard of this before,” he told CBS News.
While the scope of the government’s request is still unknown, Epner says it could encompass an “enormous quantity of data.” Mr. Trump said the government would seek the release of grand jury testimony, which Epner noted may include exhibits that witnesses testified about before a grand jury.
“I would not bet against there being anything, from the most interesting thing in the world to the least interesting thing in the world, in that material,” said Epner, who told CBS News he believes calls for more information to be disclosed in the Epstein case are warranted.
Epner joked: “If we were to find out the location of the corpse of Jimmy Hoffa, I would not be surprised.”
Material likely will not be released immediately, according to Epner, who said, “weeks would be moving very quickly, months is likely.” Under court rules, grand jury material is typically only released under certain circumstances, often when it’s needed for some other investigation. The government’s grounds for release in this case aren’t clear.
In this case, both associates and alleged victims of Epstein’s may oppose some disclosures.
“I would not be surprised if a number of people came forward under pseudonyms to object to the release of grand jury material related to them,” Epner said. “I also would not be surprised if some of the victims…came forward and said, ‘Yes, we do want things to be revealed.’”
Trump administration faces Epstein fallout
Last week’s memo on Epstein reignited years of questions — and conspiracy theories — on the disgraced financier, including speculation about the circumstances of Epstein’s death in custody, and about whether the federal government was concealing information to shield some of Epstein’s famous friends.
Bondi had pledged to release files related to Epstein, and suggested in a Fox News interview in February a “client list” was “sitting on my desk right now to review.” (She later said she meant generally that material on Epstein was sitting on her desk.)
In late February, the Justice Department distributed binders to over a dozen right-wing social media influencers labeled “The Epstein Files: Phase 1,” though the influencers later said many of the materials were already in the public domain.
Some Republicans and vocal Trump supporters were dissatisfied with last week’s memo, in some cases calling for more disclosures or the appointment of a special prosecutor to look into the Epstein case — which White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president does not support.
Mr. Trump, for his part, has scolded some Republicans for buying into what he called the “the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax,” calling them “stupid people” and “weaklings” who are “do[ing] the Democrats work.”
Shortly before pushing for the release of grand jury testimony, the president on Thursday denied a Wall Street Journal report on what the newspaper described as a “bawdy” birthday letter to Epstein — featuring a drawing of a nude woman — that the paper claimed was signed by Mr. Trump in the early 2000s. Mr. Trump and Epstein had crossed paths for years, though Mr. Trump says they had a “falling out.”
Mr. Trump called the letter a “FAKE” and threatened to sue the Journal, as well as its parent company News Corp and leader Rupert Murdoch.
“These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures,” he said.
NY Budgets has not independently verified or seen the letter. Dow Jones — the News Corp division that includes the Journal — declined to comment on Mr. Trump’s threats.
July 18, 2025
Wyoming’s Secret Weapon in the Battle for Wealthy Homebuyers Is Working
In the ever-intensifying race among U.S. states to attract wealthy homebuyers, Wyoming has quietly emerged as a powerful player—and its strategic edge is paying off.
Thanks to a combination of ultra-friendly tax policies, flexible estate planning laws, and jaw-dropping real estate offerings, Wyoming has become a magnet for high-net-worth individuals looking for more than just mountain views and fresh air. According to data from Realtor.com, the state’s lack of income tax, its embrace of “dynasty trusts,” and its business-friendly stance are helping reshape its luxury real estate market—and its long-term economic trajectory.
The Tax Strategy Behind Wyoming’s Boom
Wyoming’s fiscal policies have long made it an appealing destination for the ultra-wealthy. The absence of a state income tax means residents can protect more of their income—whether from capital gains, business ownership, or retirement benefits.
But the real kicker is the dynasty trust, a powerful financial tool that allows the transfer of wealth from one generation to the next while minimizing estate and gift taxes. According to U.S. Bank, these trusts “facilitate the transfer of wealth to future generations while minimizing taxes,” enabling families to build generational wealth with minimal government interference.
“Wyoming is the most tax-friendly state,” said Latham Jenkins, a real estate expert at Live Water Jackson Hole, speaking to Realtor.com. “Retirement benefits are not taxed at the state level, and it’s one of the most business-friendly states in the nation.”
Other states like South Dakota, Nevada, and Delaware also allow dynasty trusts, but few combine that benefit with Wyoming’s overall tax neutrality and lifestyle appeal.
While the median home price in Wyoming was $495,000 in May 2025, according to Realtor.com, luxury listings are soaring well above that mark—particularly in Teton County, home to the coveted Jackson Hole area and portions of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.
The median listing price in Teton County hit $2.95 million, and of the nearly 70 properties for sale in the area in May, 57 were listed above $5 million. The state had a higher proportion of $5 million-plus listings than neighboring Idaho and Montana, with roughly 3% of its 2,200 total listings falling into that ultra-luxury category.
And it’s not just listings—it’s movement. Jackson Hole recorded 15 sales of homes above $10 million in 2024, per a Compass report.
Luxury buyers in Wyoming are not your typical mortgage-dependent purchasers. Those shopping at the $10 million-plus level are often paying in cash and planning to hold their properties long-term—drawn by the state’s tax advantages. These buyers tend to be strategic, not speculative.
Sellers in this tier are also a different breed. Without mortgages, they’re not pressured to sell quickly and can afford to wait for the right offer. This explains the patience visible in the market: homes asking $5 million or more stayed on the market for a median of 187 days—a longer duration than in Idaho or Montana.
“People are more bullish in their prices and more confident,” said Margi Barrie, a broker at Prugh Real Estate, in an interview with Realtor.com. “A lot of people aren’t leveraged on their property so they can sell them—or not.”
As of July 2024, Wyoming’s population stood at 587,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While modest in size, the state’s wealth per capita is climbing as affluent buyers move in and make long-term investments—both financial and personal.
With its pristine natural beauty, elite outdoor lifestyle, and forward-thinking tax structure, Wyoming isn’t just attracting vacationers—it’s drawing America’s wealth builders. And if the current momentum continues, it might become the go-to tax haven in the American West, outpacing better-known alternatives like Florida or Nevada.
With inflation easing and high-net-worth individuals seeking stability amid economic uncertainty, Wyoming’s luxury market is positioned for continued strength into 2025 and beyond. The combination of low taxation, strong legal frameworks, and high-end inventory makes the state a rare trifecta for real estate investors.
For the ultra-wealthy looking for a place to park their millions—or even billions—Wyoming might just be America’s best-kept open secret. But it’s working—and the market is responding.
July 17, 2025
Mamdani’s anti-police stance spells crime and chaos for NYC — it’s part of his agenda
Zohran Mamdani claims he “no longer believes,” as he did just five years ago, that the New York City Police Department is a “wicked and corrupt” institution that must be “defunded” and “dismantled.”
He says he really didn’t mean it when he blamed “the police themselves” for “perpetrating an enormous amount” of violent crime, “especially with regard to sexual violence.”
He insists he was misunderstood when he tweeted, “The NYPD is racist, anti-queer and a major threat to public safety.”
Bull. Mamdani will be a disaster for public safety in New York City if he becomes our mayor.
A look at his agenda makes it crystal clear.
First and worst of all, he’ll add no police officers to the force — and will cut the hours of those who remain.
The NYPD’s 32,000-officer headcount is well below the 34,300 force of 2019, the safest year in more than 40 years. Index felony crimes are 26% higher today.
The city has compensated for the reduced patrol strength via overtime, which pays for extra subway police patrols, arrest processing and investigations and keeping order at protests and public events.
Yet Mamdani has long railed against police overtime and plans to eliminate it to fund his other programs — notably his Department of Community Safety.
Reducing overtime without expanding the force means fewer police on the street, making the city less safe and more chaotic.
Mamdani also remains full-steam-ahead on closing Rikers Island, which currently houses some 7,600 inmates — and replacing it with new borough-based jails containing room for just 4,100. (As a candidate for Assembly in 2020, he advocated building no Rikers replacement at all.)
That will put thousands of the most dangerous repeat offenders in the city on the street, with 2,500 of them lodged in “supportive housing” in a neighborhood near you, under the aegis of Mamdani’s DCS.
Mamdani has signed on to the Democratic Socialists of America’s “Agenda for Decarceration,” which calls for fully eliminating cash bail, repealing all mandatory minimum sentences, decriminalizing sex work and more. He has not repudiated those principles.
We’ve seen this movie before: When the city released 2,000 Rikers inmates under “bail reform” in 2020, crime shot up by 20%. When we released another 2,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic, shootings and murders doubled.
Now the city’s jail population stands at about 7,600, and crime has begun to slowly decrease.
Mamdani’s decarceration agenda will reverse that progress, as he pressures DAs to release defendants and drop prosecution of minor crimes.
His enforcement policies, too, will handcuff police instead of wrongdoers.
Incredibly, Mamdani would halt NYPD response to domestic-violence calls, claiming that poor police training escalates such situations. He’d have social workers respond instead.
He opposes any consequences for turnstile jumpers, thereby making farebeating legal. Why pay?
Mamdani opposes involuntary commitment of those with mental illness — you know, the guy sleeping in the subway or ranting at imaginary demons on the street.
“People should be allowed to make their own mental health care decisions,” no matter how delusional they are, he told The City.
He’d further restrict City Hall’s limited cooperation with federal immigration enforcement — meaning that he would release illegal aliens convicted of violent crimes onto our streets without informing ICE.
And a Mayor Mamdani would do lasting damage to public safety via the judges he appoints to the Criminal Court bench.
These judges, who set bail on criminal cases, will be taking their cues from the mayor — and will presumably be on board with his desire to basically do away with incarceration.
Under state law, judges decide whether to set bail, and in what amount. What do you think Mamdani’s judges will do?
And all of this is to say nothing about NYPD morale under a mayor who sees its officers as racist, homophobic sexual predators.
Recruitment and retention are difficult now; just wait until Mamdani takes office.
Politicians can normally be forgiven some of the stupid statements they’ve made in the past, when they were pandering to the public will (or their perception of it).
But Mamdani is no politician. He is a radical socialist and an anti-police ideologue.
He truly believes what he said in 2020: When it comes to crime, he cares more about the 7,600 people in city jails — victims, he believes, of an evil capitalist system — than about the city’s 8.5 million law-abiding citizens.
Under his watch, Rikers will close, jails will empty, criminals will walk free, police officers will be second-guessed and police patrols will decline.
We’ll see fewer arrests made, fewer crimes solved and far more dangerous streets.
But we’ll all be comrades in the glorious Democratic People’s Republic of New York City.
Jim Quinn was executive district attorney in the Queens District Attorney’s Office, where he served for 42 years.
July 17, 2025
Biden administration spent over $1 million on swimming pool upgrades in war-torn countries, analysis shows
Taxpayer dollars went for a dip overseas.
The Biden administration’s State Department approved more than $1.2 million to help upgrade swimming pools in war-torn and poverty-stricken countries, a new analysis found.
During the 46th president’s term, the feds placed at least 14 orders related to swimming pools at embassies or mission residences in seven countries, including Russia — after its brutal invasion of Ukraine began, according to an analysis from Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) office.
“Bureaucrats might think wasting millions is a drop in the bucket, but I am sick and tired of taxpayers getting tossed in the deep end by Washington,” Ernst told The Post.
The US Embassy in Baghdad spent six figures on upgrades to its lavish indoor pool. (REUTERS)
“I will continue working with the Trump administration to put a stop to the splashy spending of the Biden years.”
Most of the orders appear to be for upgrades to pools rather than installations of brand new ones, despite some of the costs running into six figures.
In Zimbabwe, for example, the State Department approved an upgrade to US mission residences in Harare to include pool covers — costing more than $130,000, according to USASpending.gov, which Ernst’s team used to compile the data.
Sen. Joni Ernst blasted the spending as a waste of taxpayer dollars. (Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Uncle Sam spent some $40,000 in 2022 for a “swimming pool sewer pump replacement” in its Moscow Embassy. Records indicate that the contract was issued almost three months after Russia’s bloody onslaught against Ukraine began that February.
In Iraq, officials billed taxpayers for a roughly $444,000 upgrade to the indoor dehumidification system in the lavish Baghdad Embassy — a facility that had cost over $750 million.
In all, the analysis found that there were two upgrades for pools in Haiti, one in Russia, five in Iraq, three in Sudan, one in Zimbabwe, one in Ghana and one in Indonesia.
Some of the contracts flagged have not been fully paid. For example, a $173,000 contract awarded for a “prapatan swimming pool project” has not been paid out, according to USASpending.gov records.
The pool spending report comes as Ernst, who leads the Senate DOGE Caucus, has been probing the vast federal government for waste and bloat.
July 17, 2025
Harvard Explores New Center for Conservative Scholarship Amid Trump Attacks
Harvard University is considering launching a major Center for Conservative Scholarship, a move many see as a strategic effort to counter escalating pressure from the Trump administration over allegations of liberal bias and campus antisemitism. The proposal, under discussion among top university leadership and potential donors, aims to bolster “viewpoint diversity” without becoming overtly partisan.
What’s Being Proposed
The envisioned center, modeled on Stanford’s Hoover Institution, could cost between $500 million and $1 billion. Harvard officials—including President Alan Garber and Provost John Manning—have discussed the initiative with major donors, emphasizing that it would prioritize evidence-based, rigorous debate and showcase a spectrum of perspectives. The center is intended to address growing concerns that students and faculty are self-censoring; a 2024 Harvard survey revealed just one-third of graduates felt comfortable engaging controversial topics, and a separate poll showed only 3% of professors identified as conservative.
The move comes amid rising tensions with the Trump administration, which has frozen over $2.2 billion in federal research grants and threatened to revoke tax-exempt status, citing alleged antisemitism and discriminatory institutional practices. Harvard is suing the government to contest funding freezes; a court hearing is set for later this month. White House officials contend that a conservative center represents little more than symbolic appeasement and not a solution to deeper ideological concerns .
The dispute has drawn national attention to academic stewardship and ideological balance in elite institutions.
While there’s no direct market reaction, the freeze on federal funding may affect Harvard’s capacity to finance research and student aid.
If established, Harvard’s center would mark a notable expansion in conservative academic infrastructure, potentially influencing curricula and hiring patterns—not unlike Stanford’s Hoover Institution, but distinct in its explicitly nonpartisan intent .
Policy analysts and scholars view Harvard’s effort as part of a broader movement to institutionalize intellectual pluralism on campuses:
“This is a national reform movement,” noted Paul Carrese of Arizona State University, speaking on similar programs at public universities.
However, critics warn that such initiatives risk tokenism, unless they’re accompanied by measurable shifts in faculty diversity and academic culture .
Harvard’s exploration of a Conservative Scholarship Center reflects mounting pressures at the intersection of education, politics, and funding. As it braces for federal scrutiny and internal debate, the university may redefine how academic openness is operationalized—not through compliance alone, but via concrete institutional commitments to viewpoint diversity.
July 11, 2025
Trump Threatens 35% Tariff on Some Canadian Goods
In a sharp escalation of trade tensions, President Donald Trump has announced a 35% tariff on select Canadian imports, effective August 1, tightening pressure on Canada over issues ranging from fentanyl trafficking to retaliatory trade measures. Crucially, goods compliant with the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) are exempted—at least for now.
Trump’s move targets products he claims are part of Canada’s inadequate response to the fentanyl crisis flooding into the U.S. He also cites longstanding Canadian barriers, particularly in dairy and agricultural sectors—some carrying “400%” duties as he alleged, hurting U.S. producers.
In a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney shared publicly on Truth Social, Trump warned that tariff rates could rise further or be adjusted downward depending on Ottawa’s actions. He also pledged to penalize any “transshipment” efforts intended to avoid the new levies.
U.S. officials clarified that the 35% tariff applies only to non-USMCA-compliant goods, preserving preferential treatment for those that adhere to the trilateral agreement. This means most automotive parts and other USMCA-certified items remain tariff-free—but non-compliant sectors such as certain foods, potash, and energy may face the full burden.
The distinction provides Canada’s businesses with a temporary buffer, but uncertainty looms—particularly around goods whose compliance status is under review.
Financial markets responded swiftly: U.S. stock futures and Treasury yields slipped on worries over trade escalation. The Canadian dollar also dropped to a two-week low, reflecting investor anxiety .
Canadian exporters in non-USMCA sectors are bracing for disruption. Ottawa is considering retaliatory measures and invoking rule-based solutions under WTO frameworks and NAFTA-era mechanisms. Prime Minister Carney has indicated ongoing efforts to mitigate both the fentanyl flow and tariff fallout before the July 21 economic and security pact deadline.
The tariff threats form part of a broader U.S. strategy: Trump has issued similar warnings to over 20 countries, with proposals ranging from 15%–20% tariffs, including a temporary 50% levy on Brazilian goods. Several countries are now scrambling to negotiate carve-outs or exemptions to avoid steep duties.
The prevailing argument in Washington: these trade measures are aimed at correcting “unsustainable trade imbalances” that pose economic and national security risks .
“Carving out USMCA-compliant goods softens the blow but leaves too much uncertainty,” notes Alicia Fernandez, trade economist at NorthStar Insights. “We’re likely headed toward tit-for-tat tariffs and escalating legal dispute.”
Trump’s 35% tariff threat on Canadian goods—while sparing USMCA-compliant items—signifies a targeted yet volatile escalation in the U.S.–Canada trade relationship. With critical deadlines approaching and retaliatory steps underway, this confrontation may reshape North American trade policy well beyond August.
July 11, 2025