Were all familiar with the impact of regulations. Sometimes, theyre in your face, like the taxes we pay or how long it takes to navigate the DMV. Other times, theyre pedantic annoyances, like the permits some states require for kids lemonade stands or when hair braider licenses require more training hours than EMTs.And sometimes they even impact how you take out your trash.Thats what were seeing in California, where a combination of state, federal, and county regulationsresulted in the closure of a landfillthat was serving Los Angeles County. Local citizens, the landfill, and elected officials are dealing with a challenging andrare chemical reactiontaking place in an old part of the landfill. It has been a massive undertaking that involves federal and numerous state regulatory bodies.CALIFORNIA'S GREEN NEW SCAM COULD COST YOU $20,000But heres where the progressive rubber meets the reality road: People didnt stop throwing out their trash, so the closure hasnt solved any problems. Its merely increased the cost and complexity of trash removal, because county taxes are now paying for transportto a landfill further away.Too often, government policies are based not on helping people, but on a politicians personal and professional goals. Is there a financial crash? Regulate the banks (after bailing them out)! Is healthcare expensive? Put stringent regulations on them (even though it increases the costs)! Close all the restaurants during COVID (but keep open the ones that serve Hollywood)!These grandstanding policies have real impacts on real people. When the federal government was raising the minimum wage almost two decades ago, Walmart received a lot of praise for supporting the effort. The problem was that Walmart pay wasalreadyabove the minimum wage, so there was no impact on that company. But there were a lot of impacts on its small, local competitors, who went out of business.Thats good for Walmart. For small business owners? Not so much.California is the poster child for policies that generate attention but have little positive impact on those who have the least flexibility and power. One of the highest income taxes (to fund social welfare)?Check. Insane cost of living (caused in cities like San Francisco by housing regulations and across-the-state by high taxes)?Check. Massive environmental bureaucracy that somehow leaves fire hydrants depleted, reservoirs empty, and trash removal more expensive?CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONCheck, check, check. And as weve seen, not even landfills or your trash cans are safe.Its no wonder Golden State residents cant flee fast enough. And those who are left behind may not have enough jobs to support them. From 2018 to 2021 alone, 352 companiesmovedtheir headquarters out of California to more business-friendly states because, in part, they dont want to pay the states8.84%corporate tax rate, which is the 8th highest in the nation. Instead, they are heading to states like Texas, which has no corporate tax.With fewer people, there are fewer households to pony up taxes and fund the extravagant programs that elected officials in California have enacted. That means the residents and businesses who decide to stick it out are now faced with even higher taxes, increased costs of living, and higher fees for trash pickup.Regulations have real impacts, especially in states like California that are so over-regulated that even trash collection is affected. Thats a basic municipal service that is essential to the health and well-being of all residents. But maybe they wont be residents for much longer anyway. Maybe those dinner table conversations will be about which state they should pack up and move to.

It has been just over four months since President Donald Trump returned to power in the White House, and the very early moves in the 2028 presidential race are already underway by some Democrats with likely national ambitions.This upcoming weekend, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was the Democrats' 2024 vice presidential nominee, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who says he is not laying the groundwork for a 2028 presidential run, will make separate appearances in South Carolina, the state the Democratic National Committee anointed to hold the lead-off primary in their 2024 nominating calendar.Two weeks later, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who ran for the White House in 2020, will headline a major Democratic state party dinner in New Hampshire, which for a century has held the first presidential primary.Two weeks ago, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who later served as Transportation secretary in former President Joe Biden's administration, headlined a town hall with veterans and military families in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.SUCCEEDING TRUMP IN 2028: SIX REPUBLICANS TO KEEP YOUR EYES ONIowa's caucuses for half a century kicked off both major political parties' presidential nominating calendars until the DNC demoted the Hawkeye State on their 2024 schedule.Another potential contender, two-term Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, late last month, gave the keynote address at a major state party fundraising gala in New Hampshire.Also making noise is two-term Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who said recently he would consider running for president if he felt he could successfully unite the country.WHAT BERNIE SANDERS SAID IN A FOX NEWS DIGITAL INTERVIEWAdditionally, progressive firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York grabbed plenty of attention the past couple of months, co-headlining a slew of large rallies across the country with longtime progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, which sparked plenty of 2028 speculation.The Democratic Party has been in the political wilderness since last November's election setbacks, when Republicans won back control of the White House and the Senate and defended their fragile House majority. Republicans additionally made gains among Black and Hispanic voters as well as younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party's base.Since Trump's return to power, an increasingly angry and energized base of Democrats has been pushing for party leaders to take a stronger stand in pushing back against the president's sweeping and controversial agenda during the opening months of his second administration.EFFORT BY DEMOCRATS TO STOP THE SLIDE RIDICULEDDemocrats are not only looking ahead to next year's midterms, when they hope to make ballot box gains, but also to the next presidential race."There was a sense of hopelessness earlier this year among Democrats, as Trump came in with his wrecking ball, and it seemed like there was nothing but futile opposition to him," longtime Democratic strategist Chris Moyer told Fox News. "So thinking about a presidential race with potential candidates is a way to get some hope back and look towards a future that doesn't include Trump."Moyer, a veteran of a handful of Democratic presidential campaigns, said the race is "wide open, and it wont be long before we see clear maneuvering from a litany of candidates."The results of the 2026 midterm elections will have a major impact on the shape of the next White House race.For now, however, here are 20 Democrats considered potential presidential contenders to watch on the road to 2028.After lying low when the Biden administration came to a close, former Vice President Kamala Harris has picked up the political pace of late, including headlining a recent major DNC fundraiser in New York City, with another in San Francisco next week.Among her campaign options that she is weighing is a 2026 run for the open governor's seat in her home state of California and another bid in 2028 for the White House.A source in the former vice president's political orbit confirmed to Fox News Digital two months ago that Harris had told allies she would decide by the end of summer on whether to launch a 2026 gubernatorial campaign.Harris served as San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general and represented the Golden State in the U.S. Senate before joining Biden's 2020 ticket and winning that election as vice president.Additionally, Harris would be considered the clear frontrunner for governor in heavily blue California in the race to succeed term-limited Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom.However, early polling in the 2028 Democratic nomination race indicates that Harris would be the frontrunner, thanks in part to her name recognition within her party.While there are plenty of voices within the party who would like to move on from the Biden/Harris era following Trump's sweeping victory, and there is little history of Democrats yearning for past defeated presidential nominees, Trump has re-written the rules when it comes to defeated White House contenders making another run.Potential buyers' remorse of a second Trump administration could boost the 60-year-old Harris in the years to come.The progressive "rock star" and best-known lawmaker among the so-called "Squad" of diverse House Democrats in October turned 35, the minimum age to run for president.Some Democrats argue that a riveting messenger with star power is needed as the party's next nominee, and Ocasio-Cortez is guaranteed to grab plenty of attention if she ultimately decides to run.There is also speculation the four-term federal lawmaker from New York City may primary challenge Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York when he is up for re-election in 2028.California Gov. Gavin Newsom was a top surrogate for Biden during the president's re-election bid. With the blessing of the White House, the two-term California governor debated then-Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last year on Fox News.Newsom's travels on behalf of Biden brought him to New Hampshire and South Carolina, two crucial early voting states on the Democratic Party's nominating calendar.After Harris, his friend and fellow Californian, replaced Biden atop the Democrats' 2024 ticket, the governor, after a pause, continued his efforts to keep Trump from returning to the White House.While Newsom and California's Democrat-dominated legislature took action to "Trump-proof" the Golden State, the governor has also worked with Trump on key matters, including January's wildfires that devastated parts of metropolitan Los Angeles.Newsom also appears to have moderated on some issues and invited well-known Trump allies Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon on his weekly podcast.The 57-year-old Newsom, who is term-limited, completes his duties in Sacramento at the end of next year, right around the time the 2028 presidential election will start to heat up.Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has become a leading voice in the Democrats' opposition to Trump and has taken steps to Trump-proof his solidly blue state."You come for my people, you come through me," Pritzker told reporters of his efforts to protect Illinois.Pritzker was also a high-profile surrogate on behalf of Biden and then Harris during the 2024 cycle. Those efforts brought Pritzker to Nevada, a general election battleground state and an early-voting Democratic presidential primary state, and New Hampshire.Additionally, the governor's recent trip to New Hampshire sparked more 2028 buzz.However, before he makes any decision about 2028, the 60-year-old governor must decide whether he will run in 2026 for a third term steering Illinois.Two-term Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer grabbed plenty of attention and became a Democratic Party rising star in 2020 when she feuded with Trump over COVID-19 federal assistance and survived a foiled kidnapping attempt.Trump, at the time, called her "that woman from Michigan."Along with Newsom and Pritzker, Whitmer's name was floated as a possible replacement for Biden following his disastrous debate performance against Trump in late June, before the president endorsed Harris, and the party instantly coalesced around the vice president.Whitmer was a leading surrogate for Biden and then for Harris and made a big impression on Democratic activists during a stop this summer in New Hampshire on behalf of Harris.However, Whitmer was criticized by some in her party for appearing to cozy up to Trump during a White House visit earlier this spring.The 53-year-old governor is term-limited and will leave office after the end of next year.Gov. Josh Shapiro, the 51-year-old first-term governor of Pennsylvania, was on Harris' short-list for vice presidential nominee.Even though the vice president named Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, Shapiro remained a top surrogate on behalf of his party's 2024 national ticket.However, his two-day swing in New Hampshire during the final full week ahead of Election Day did raise some eyebrows and 2028 speculation.After Harris lost battleground Pennsylvania to Trump, there was plenty of talk within the party that Harris had made the wrong choice for her running mate.Shapiro, who has a track record of taking on the first Trump administration as Pennsylvania attorney general, is expected to play a similar role with Trump back in the White House.The governor will be up for re-election in 2026.Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is considered by many to be another Democratic Party rising star.The 46-year-old Army veteran, who is also a Rhodes Scholar and CEO of the charitable organization the Robin Hood Foundation during the coronavirus pandemic, was elected two years ago.Even though Moore said in a recent interview on "The View" that he is "not running" in 2028, speculation persists, fueled in part because of his upcoming stop in South Carolina.Moore will be up for re-election in 2026.Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who surpassed expectations during his 2020 Democratic presidential nomination run, was a very active surrogate on behalf of Biden and later Harris, during the 2024 cycle.He helped raise a lot of money for the Democratic Party ticket, including heading a top-dollar fundraiser in New Hampshire.The 43-year-old former South Bend, Indiana, mayor and former naval officer who served in the war in Afghanistan, is considered one of the party's biggest and brightest stars. He was known as a top communicator for the administration, including making frequent appearances on Fox News.Fueling buzz about a potential 2028 presidential run, Buttigieg passed on a 2026 Senate bid in his adopted home state of Michigan and made a high-profile stop in Iowa earlier this month.Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, 47, who was elected governor in 2019 and then re-elected in 2023 in red-state Kentucky, was on Harris' longer list for potential running mates.Beshear made plenty of new friends and contacts as he ventured to New Hampshire last year to headline the state Democratic Party's annual fall fundraising gala.He served as Kentucky's attorney general before running for governor.Beshear said in a recent interview with local station WDRB that "if you'd asked me a couple years ago if this is something I'd consider, I probably wouldn't have. But I don't want to leave a broken country to my kids. And so, if I'm somebody that can bring this nation together, hopefully find some common ground, it's something I'll consider."Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, 55, is a major player in Washington as the Democratic minority in the Senate fights back against the second Trump administration.Warnock, who won Senate elections in 2020 and 2022 in battleground Georgia, served as senior pastor at the famed Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.He is up for re-election to the Senate in 2028.Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, who ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, is considered one of the party's most talented orators.Thanks to his 2020 run, Booker made plenty of friends and allies in such early states as New Hampshire and South Carolina.Booker made headlines earlier this year by delivering a record-breaking 25-hour and 5-minute marathon speech from the floor of the Senate. The speech protested the sweeping and controversial moves so far by Trump during his second administration, as well as the operations of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.The 56-year-old senator is up for re-election in 2026.Since the November election, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut has been very vocal about the steps Democrats need to take to win back working-class voters.First elected to the House in 2006 and later to the Senate in 2012, the 51-year-old Murphy cruised to re-election this year by nearly 20 points, which means he would not have to decide between a re-election bid and a White House run in 2028.Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, 65, who once served as county attorney in Minnesota's most populous county, is now in her fourth term in the Senate.Klobuchar ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and came in a strong third in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary.The senator has not ruled out making another run for the White House in 2028.Rep. Ro Khanna, 48, was a tireless surrogate on behalf of Biden and then Harris.He has been a regular visitor to New Hampshire in the past couple of years, including a high-profile debate last year against then-GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.Khanna has grabbed plenty of attention so far this year as he has held town halls in Republican-controlled congressional districts and targeted Vice President JD Vance with events in the vice president's home state of Ohio and at Yale Law School, where both politicians earned their legal degrees.The 57-year-old sports TV personality, sports radio host, sports journalist, and actor has generated a ton of buzz this year as he has mulled a White House run and has even grabbed Trump's attention.Another potential contender with plenty of star power is Mark Cuban.The 66-year-old billionaire business mogul and part-owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks was a high-profile surrogate for Harris during her presidential election campaign.Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, 67, who in January finished up his eighth and final year as governor, took his name out of the Harris running mate speculation early in the process last summer.Cooper served 16 years as North Carolina's attorney general before winning election as governor.The former governor is being heavily recruited by Democrats to try and flip a GOP-held Senate seat in North Carolina in next year's midterms.New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, 65, is halfway through her second term steering New Mexico.The governor, a former member of Congress, was a high-profile and busy surrogate on behalf of Harris during the final weeks of the 2024 campaign.The 61-year-old Minnesota governor, who served as Harris' running mate, has two years remaining in his second term in office.While the vice presidential nominee's energy and enthusiasm on the campaign trail this year impressed plenty of Democratic strategists, the final results of the election will make any potential future national run for Tim Walz difficult.Walz has said he is not thinking of 2028, but he has been very busy so far this year heading events across the country, and an upcoming stop in South Carolina is fueling more White House buzz.The 65-year-old Rahm Emanuel, who served the past four years as ambassador to Japan during the Biden administration, has a jam-packed resume.Emanuel, a veteran of former President Bill Clintons administration in the 1990s, went on to serve in Congress and steered the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during its very successful 2006 cycle. He later served as Obamas chief of staff before winning the 2011 election and 2015 re-election as Chicago mayor.Emanuel, who late last year mulled making a bid for Democratic National Committee chair, has seen his name floated in recent months as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender.The 54-year-old Gina Raimondo, a former two-term Rhode Island governor, made history as the first woman to steer the nation's smallest state.Raimondo, who served as Commerce secretary in Biden's cabinet, said "yes" when recently asked by veteran Democratic strategist David Axelrod if she was considering a 2028 White House run.Honorable Mentions: Two other names that also keep coming up in the Democrats 2028 conversation are Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey and Sen. Ruben Gallego of battleground Arizona.

All modern Windows PCs come with Microsoft Defender built in. For the unaware, this tool is Windows native antivirus.Over time, it has matured into a reliable security tool capable of blocking a wide range of threats. However, a tool called Defendnot can shut down Microsoft Defender completely, without exploiting a bug or using malware. It simply convinces Windows that another antivirus is already running.The implications are serious. This tool does not break into the system or use advanced code injection. It uses Windows features the way they were designed to be used. And that makes the problem harder to detect and harder to fix.Join the FREE "CyberGuy Report": Get my expert tech tips, critical security alerts and exclusive deals, plus instant access to myfree "Ultimate Scam Survival Guide" when you sign up!Windows is built to avoid running multiple antivirus products at once. When a third-party antivirus registers itself, Windows disables Microsoft Defender to prevent conflicts. Defendnotexploits this system using an undocumented API that security software uses to communicate with the Windows Security Center.The tool registers a fake antivirus that appears legitimate to the system. It uses a dummy DLL and injects it into Task Manager, a trusted Windows process. By operating inside this signed process, Defendnot avoids signature checks and permission blocks. Once the fake antivirus is registered, Windows disables Microsoft Defender without warning or confirmation.WINDOWS 10 SECURITY FLAWS LEAVE MILLIONS VULNERABLENo security alert is shown to the user. No visible changes are made to indicate that the system is unprotected. Unless someone checks manually, the machine remains open to attacks with no real-time protection running.The tool also includes options to set a custom antivirus name, enable logging and configure automatic startup. It achieves persistence by creating a scheduled task that runs whenever the user logs in.WINDOWS DEFENDER VS ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE: FREE PROTECTION FALLS SHORTDefendnot is based on an earlier project called No-Defender. That project used code from an actual antivirus product to fake registration. It gained attention quickly and was removed after a copyright complaint from the vendor whose code had been reused. The developer took the project down and walked away from it.With Defendnot, the creator rebuilt the core features using original code. This version avoids copyright issues and uses a new method to achieve the same effect. It does not rely on another antivirus or third-party binaries. It was written from scratch to demonstrate how simple it is to manipulate Windows security from inside the system.Microsoft Defender currently flags the tool as a threat. It detects and quarantines it under the name Win32/Sabsik.FL.!ml. However, the fact that it works at all points to a weakness in how Windows handles antivirus registration and trust.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?DOUBLECLICKJACKING HACK TURNS DOUBLE-CLICKS INTO ACCOUNT TAKEOVERSWhile Defendnot is a research project, theres a chance that similar tools are already out there and could be used to compromise your PC. Here are a few tips to help you stay safe:1. Use strong antivirus software:Even with regular updates, Windows systems can be left exposed by tools like Defendnot that silently disable built-in defenses. A strong third-party antivirus with real-time protection and frequent updates provides essential backup security. Look for solutions with real-time protection and frequent updates to tackle emerging threats.Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.2. Limit exposure:Many exploits rely on user interaction, such as clicking a shady link, downloading a compromised file or mounting an untrusted virtual disk. Stick to reputable websites, avoid opening unsolicited email attachments and use a browser with built-in security features (like Microsoft Edge or Chrome with Safe Browsing enabled).3. Avoid running unexpected commands: Never paste or run commands (like PowerShell scripts) you dont understand or that were copied from random websites. Attackers often trick users into unknowingly running malware this way.4. Keep your software updated: Regularlyupdate your operating system, browsers and all software applications. Updates often include patches for security vulnerabilities that malware can exploit.5. Use two-factor authentication (2FA): Enable2FA on all your accounts. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification, making it harder for attackers to gain access even if they have your password.6. Invest in personal data removal services: Even with strong device security, your personal information may still be exposed online through data brokers and people-finder sites. These services collect and publish details like your name, address and phone number, making you an easier target for identity theft or phishing. Automated data removal services track down these sites and submit removal requests on your behalf, helping to reduce your digital footprint and increase your online anonymity. While they can't erase every trace of your information, they make it significantly harder for attackers to find and exploit your personal data, which saves you time and reduces unwanted spam in the process.While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time.Check out my top picks for data removal services here.Get afree scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web.RELENTLESS HACKERS ABANDON WINDOWS TO TARGET YOUR APPLE IDDefendnot points to a bigger issue with how Windows handles security. It takes a feature meant to prevent software conflicts and turns it into a way to completely disable protection. The system assumes any registered antivirus is legitimate, so if attackers can fake that, they get in without much resistance.We often think of security as blocking the bad and trusting the good. But this case shows what happens when that trust is misplaced. Defendnot doesnt sneak past Windows defenses. It walks right in using valid credentials. The solution isnt just more patches or stronger malware signatures. What we need is a smarter way for systems to tell what is actually safe.Do you think companies like Microsoft need to rethink how Windows handles antivirus registration and trust, given that tools like Defendnot can so easily disable built-in protections without using malware or exploiting a bug? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/Contact.For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/Newsletter.Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved.

Golf balls are going further than ever before, resulting in the pros man-handling some of the world's best courses.Players are stronger and faster, as is the technology - and Jake Knapp, whose swing might be the smoothest since Fred Couples, is near the top of the driving distance list.Knapp ranks 31st in average driving distance, averaging 298.9 yards. In 666 drives this season, his golf balls have traveled over 113 miles.Knapp used that money driver, buttery swing and a hot putter to join the 59 Club earlier this year at the Cognizant Classic.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMHowever, because it is easier to make the ball go farther, rather than lengthening courses, the USGA has decided to begin rolling back technology in the ball in an effort to preserve the nature of the game.It is safe to say the 31-year-old is "not really a fan of the rollback stuff.""I think if we were going to change golf in any way, I think you could do a lot of different things that don't change a player's deal in depth perception and things like that. I've been playing with basically a golf ball that goes probably about the same distance ever since I was a kid. So it's like, you have all this feel developed over time, and then if you were to change it to go shorter. I mean, there's also things you can do in your equipment to make up for most of that anyway, so I don't think it's going to be as big of a deal as they think," Knapp said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.Knapp is doubling down on that stance after collaborating with both PXG and Pennzoil to give away a brand-new driver.CHARLIE WOODS ADDS TO FAMILY LEGACY WITH FIRST MAJOR JUNIOR GOLF WINFrom May 29 to June 25, consumers who purchase a Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic bundle at a participating Advance Auto Parts or Carquest retail location, in-store or online, can enter to win a limited-edition Pennzoil PXG driver."I think having two companies are both just kind of at the top end of the spectrum in each of their crafts. When the opportunity came about, it just seemed like a no-brainer for me, and then when I heard about it, I thought it was something that I really wanted to be a part of," Knapp said of the partnership.If given the choice, Knapp would rather roll back the technology, rather than the ball itself."I think if, personally, if there was a way that they were going to change it that I think could make it more difficult or kind of get what they want out of it, they could just make more regulations on clubs for professionals or Tour events and things like that, where they're maybe harder to hit, they're smaller, not as forgiving," he said. "There's things like that that I think would be better than rolling back the ball in my personal opinion."However, the Pennzoil PXG driver is not rolled back one bit."It's one of the fastest drivers on the market right now. And then, not to mention, you know, the forgiveness on it is really second to none. You have a lot of weight in the back, nice big face that sets up square, gives you high ball speed, low spin, and hitting more fairways."Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk bid farewell to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in a Wednesday night X post, ending his tenure as the face of the agency as it shifts to a new phase in President Donald Trump's second term."As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending," Musk said on X. "The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government."Musk has been the public face of DOGE since Trump signed an executive order establishing the office on Jan. 20. DOGE has since ripped through federal government agencies in a quest to identify and end government overspending, corruption and fraud.After Musks departure, a senior White House official told Fox News Digital that DOGE will operate as it has always operated and that the agency is "part of the DNA of this federal government."OBAMA-NOMINATED JUDGE ALLOWS LAWSUIT TARGETING MUSK'S ROLE WITH DOGE TO PROCEED, DROPS CLAIMS AGAINST TRUMPThe official added that DOGE now operates in "nearly every federal government agency department" with the "sole job" of cutting waste, fraud and abuse with the goal of efficiency."The DOGE employees at their respective agency or department will be reporting to and executing the agenda of the president through the leadership of each agency or department head," the official said.In a post on X, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller said, "The work DOGE has done to eliminate government waste and corruption the rot embedded deep within Washington is among the most valuable services ever rendered to government. And the work has only just begun."While Musk has been the public face of DOGE for months, he was not an employee of the United States DOGE Service and did not report to the acting DOGE administrator, Amy Gleason, according to acourt filing in March that shed additional light on the internal workings of the office.'BUREAUCRATIC AND WASTEFUL': DOGE SNIFFS OUT EYE-POPPING SPENDING ON BIDEN DEI EFFORTS IN KEY AGENCYGleason, who has beendescribed by her peers as a "world-class talent," previously worked for the United States Digital Service, which was founded in 2014 by former President Barack Obama as a technology office within the Executive Office of the President.DOGE is a temporary cross-departmental organization that was established to slim down and streamline the federal government. The group itself will be dissolved on July 4, 2026, according to Trump's executive order.Musks tenure with DOGE resulted in an estimated $175 billion in savings through a combination of asset sales, contract cancellations, fraud payment deletion and other cost-cutting measures, according to the agencys website, which was last updated on May 26.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe savings amount to $1,086.96 per taxpayer, according to the website.Amid Musk's work with DOGE, Democrats and activists have staged protests against the tech billionaire and his companies, including working to tank Tesla stocks.Fox News Digitals Emma Colton and Elizabeth Pritchard contributed to this report.

The Virginia Democrat running to replace Gov. Glenn Youngkinreleased her first TV ad Thursday slamming what she described as "political nonsense" in public service."Too many politicians talk when they should listen. And divide instead of unite. Enough is enough. Im Abigail Spanberger. I believe that public service is too important for political nonsense," the former U.S. House representative said."When I was in law enforcement and then working counterterrorism at CIA, we didnt do politics. We did our jobs. I broke down some of the divides, stood up to both parties and was named the most bipartisan member of Congress from Virginia," she added. "As governor, Ill work to lower costs, let people keep more of their money and make Virginia schools the best in the nation."Spanberger is running against Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, a Republican, in this Novembers gubernatorial race. Representatives for both Youngkin and Earle-Sears did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.DEMOCRAT GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE BLASTED FOR MELTDOWN OVER SHOCKING ICE ARREST OF 2 CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTSSpanberger has faced pushback from both Earle-Sears and the Department of Homeland Security after condemning the "shocking" execution of an ICE raid at a Virginia courthouse in April that netted two criminal illegal immigrants."I think what weve seen most shocking, including here in Charlottesville, has been cases where people havent provided identification and have been in some cases masked and in plain clothes," Spanberger told the Daily Progress earlier this month, after an ICE raid at Albemarle County Courthouse led to the arrest of two illegal immigrants. FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN TURNED VA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE ACCUSED OF ETHICS VIOLATIONEarle-Sears press secretary Peyton Vogel later told Fox News Digital that "Abigail Spanbergers outrage over criminal illegal immigrants being taken off our streets is everything Virginians need to know about what kind of governor shed be -- criminals first, victims last."The Earle-Sears campaign has also accused Spanberger of failing to include her role as a trustee in financial disclosure reports while she was a member of Congress.The campaign for Earle-Sears called the incomplete disclosures "a calculated lie," not an "accident." But, according to Spanberger's campaign, the only asset contained in the trust is Spanberger's personal residence, which is not required to be disclosed.Fox News Digitals Andrew Mark Miller and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.

Ed Gale, the actor best known for portraying horror icon "Chucky," has died. He was 61.The actor's niece, Kayse Gale, confirmed the death of her famous uncle with Fox News Digital."It is with a heavy heart and a surprisingly light coffin (see what I did there?) that we announce the sudden passing of our uncle, Official: Ed Gale, Actor - retired, Ed Gale has taken his final bow and is now headlining in the afterlife," she wrote in a heartfelt tribute on Facebook.TONY TODD, CANDYMAN AND FINAL DESTINATION STAR, DEAD AT 69Gale rose to fame in 1988 as he played the terrifying doll in the movie "Child's Play." He reprized his role in the 1990 sequel.His niece shared more of her uncle's backstory, including how he started his acting career with humble beginnings."Ed hitched a ride to California when he was twenty years old, with $41 and a dream, and he never looked back," she wrote."He lit up the silver screens in cult classic films like Howard the Duck and Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town, earning himself some serious street cred at every con he attended. Which he never stopped bragging about. Ever."She pointed out that the actor left behind a "legacy full of questionable lighting and amazing one-liners," as Gale appeared in more than 130 movies, television shows and commercials.Although he booked numerous gigs in Hollywood, Kayse shared that his favorite role was uncle.PETER JASON, 'KARATE KID' AND 'DEADWOOD' ACTOR, DEAD AT 80: HE WAS 'TRULY LOVED'"Eds favorite role was that of the fun uncle. His love language was sharing his love of the entertainment industry and the magic of Hollywood with his nieces."Kayse additionally shared that the actor's favorite food was hot dogs, and he "enjoyed reminiscing about his glory days DJing at the Plainwell roller rink.""He delighted in the slow build up of telling a good story He had one hell of a laugh, and he will be missed."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERShe concluded her heartfelt tribute with "Rest in love" and noted that funeral arrangements are pending.Born in 1963, Gale was raised in Plainwell, Michigan. At 20 years old, he left his hometown to pursue his acting dreams in Hollywood.While Gale's best known for his role in "Child's Play," he also played the iconic doll in "Child's Play 2" and "Bride of Chucky." His other film credits include the 1986 cult classic, "Howard the Duck," the baby dinosaur Tasha in 1991's "Land of the Lost" and he voiced the character The Mole in the 2000 movie "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle."Gale's other screen credits include "Spaceballs," "Baywatch," "3rd Rock From the Sun," "My Name is Earl" and "Friday the 13th: The Series."

At least two victims of an Ohio man who pleaded guilty to carrying out a series of brutal attacks in Cleveland voiced their outrage after a judge recently released him again.Serus Walters, 20, pleaded guilty on May 19 to assaulting three men, according to Cuyahoga County court records. Judge Cassandra Collier-Williams reduced Walters felony charge to a misdemeanor and released him on time served after his plea.One of the victims, Los Angeles-based attorney David Dudley, 64, who was visiting Cleveland on business when Walters attacked him on May 29, 2024, told WOIO that he is baffled by the judge's decision to release Walters on Monday."I was fairly certain he was trying to kill me," Dudley told the outlet.OHIO MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING DEPUTY DENIED BOND AS CHAOS DISRUPTS PACKED COURTROOMWalters targeted Dudley at the Hilton Hotel in Downtown Cleveland when he kicked the victim in the ribs, shoulder and repeatedly in the back of the head, WOIO reported.Dudley said he has "been in front of over one thousand judges," and Collier-Williams' decision Monday left him shocked.SIX OHIO SUSPECTS ACCUSED OF TORTURING MAN IN WEEKLONG HOTEL KIDNAPPING: 'EXTREMELY DISTURBING'"Judge Williams didn't even put him on any kind of supervision. [The] prosecutor was shocked at that," Dudley told WOIO. "He neither apologized to me nor any of the other victims he acknowledged to attacking."Another victim, who identified himself only as "Tony" to WOIO, said Walters attacked him in Tower City on March 11, 2024. Officials arrested Walters and released him the next day.WATCH: MOST OUTRAGEOUS COURTROOM MOMENTS AND POLICE ENCOUNTERS THAT WENT VIRAL IN 2024Walters was also previously arrested and released in connection with an assault near Whiskey Island that left a man in need of stitches, WOIO reported.Court records show that a grand jury indicted Walters in the three separate assaults in May 2024. His defense attorney, Frank Triozzi, filed a motion seeking reduced bond in May 2024, citing the fact that Walters was 19 years old with a two-year-old child and one on the way at the time.NYC COUNCILMAN DEMANDS JUDGES RESIGNATION FOR FREEING CAREER CRIMINAL WHO LATER SHOT COP: LACK OF JUDGMENT"Despite the severity of the offense, counsel submits that GPS monitoring would be sufficient to ensure the safety of the public and of the alleged victims," the defense attorney wrote.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPWalters was most recently arrested again on Wednesday, just two days after his release, for a minor offense in Garfield Heights.Fox News Digital has reached out to Triozzi, Collier-Williams' office and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office for comment.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) has signed into law a "Green Fee" bill that will raise tourist taxes to help fund "climate-change" mitigation.Senate Bill 1396 raises the tourist taxon Hawaii hotelsto11% starting Jan. 1 which would then increase to 12% the following year, according to the text of the bill.Portions of the revenue raised would go into the "Climate Mitigationand Resiliency Special Fund" and the "Economic Development and Revitalization Special Fund," according to the bill.CRUISE DO'S AND DON'TS: TOP 5 THINGS THAT WILL GET YOU BANNED FOR LIFEThe bill addresses invasive species, wildlife conservation and beach management and restoration.It will also help fund a "green jobs youth corps" and areas of environmental concern."Hawaii is at the forefront of protecting our natural resources, recognizing their fundamental role in sustaining the ecological, cultural and economic health of Hawaii," said Gov. Green in a press release.For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleThe Aloha State governor added, "The fee will restore and remediate our beaches and shorelines and harden infrastructure critical to the health and safety of all who call Hawaii home, whether for a few days or a lifetime."In 2023,9.6 millionvisitors traveled to Hawaii, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERHawaii already has a 10.25% tax on short-term rentals.The state's countieseach add their own 3% surcharge on top of the states tax, according to FOX 13."Hawaii already imposes what some believe are high taxes on the hospitality sector and short-term stays," said Travel Tomorrow.The Green Fee is projected to generate $100 million annually, according to the release.

Fox News' "Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world.IN TODAYS NEWSLETTER:-Five reasons why Trump is targeting Harvard, from the school's own investigation- Streaming star suspended from Twitch after broadcasting DC shooting suspect's manifesto- WaPo deletes offensive post following Israeli embassy staff murdersTOP STORY: The Trump administration escalated its war with Harvard University on Tuesday, announcing it will claw back the university's remaining $100 million in federal funding effectively ending all financial ties with the Ivy League institution. Click here for five reasons for the crackdown, taken straight from a report ordered by Harvard President Alan Gerber.VIDEO:Head of DOJ antisemitism task force Leo Terrrell joined 'The Faulkner Focus' to discuss his plan to help President Donald Trump crack down on antisemitism amid the surge seen across the country. WATCH HERE:STREAMER SILENCED: One of Twitch's most popular streamers was suspended from the platform for reading the manifesto of the suspect in the killing of two Israeli Embassy staffers last week. Hasan Piker, a streamer with nearly 3 million Twitch followers and 1.6 million YouTube subscribers, is known for broadcasting far-left content under the handle HasanAbi.WAPO WHOOPS: The Washington Post deleted a controversial X post on Saturday on a story following the killings of two Israeli embassy staffers. On Friday, the Posts official X account published a story on the state of Jewish people after Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night. Read what the post said here.SCHOOLING THE CRITICS: First Lady Melania Trump dismissed claims that her husband's feud with Harvard is about something other than the school's tolerance of antisemitism. Click here to read what Trump's critics insist is behind the White House's punitive measures.GUEST EDITORIAL: Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the world body, writes a scathing condemnation of UN officials for spreading what he says were false claims preceding the murder of two Israeli diplomats in Washington, D.C.QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Last week was a stark reminder of where demonization and fanning the flames of hate can lead: to violence inflicted on innocent people by deranged lunatics, who are emboldened by the blood libels chanted on our college campuses and in august institutions like the U.N.s Security Council." - Danny Danon, Israeli ambassador to the UN, on the Washington DC murders of two diplomats.- Looking for more on this topic?Find moreantisemitism coveragefrom Fox Newshere.-Did someone forward you this email?Subscribe toadditional newslettersfrom Fox Newshere.