Author

admin

Browsing

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday called former President Trump’s rifle remarks about Liz Cheney ‘disqualifying,’ accusing him of increasing his ‘violent rhetoric.’

‘He has increased his violent rhetoric about political opponents – Donald Trump has – and in great detail suggested rifles should be trained on former Rep. Liz Cheney,’ Harris told reporters at a presser after getting off Air Force Two in Wisconsin. ‘This must be disqualifying. Anyone who wants to be President of the United States who uses that kind of violent rhetoric is clearly disqualified and unqualified to be president.’

She called Cheney, who has endorsed Harris and has been campaigning with her, a ‘true patriot who has shown extraordinary courage in putting country above party. Trump is increasingly, however, someone who considers his political opponents the enemy, is permanently out for revenge and is increasingly unstable and unhinged.’ 

In calling Cheney a ‘radical war hawk’ at an event in Arizona on Thursday, Trump said: ‘Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face. They’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, ‘Oh, gee, well, let’s send 10,000 troops into the mouths of the enemies,’ but she’s a stupid person and I used to have meetings with a lot of people and she always wanted to go to war with people.’ 

Trump’s comments immediately drew a backlash on the left, with some clips online not playing the full context of what he was saying. 

Harris told a reporter who asked if she was concerned about Cheney’s safety that she hadn’t talked to the former Wyoming congresswoman since Trump’s comment was made, ‘but I know Liz Cheney well enough to know she is tough, she is courageous and has shown herself to be a true patriot at a very difficult time in our country where, to your point, we see this kind of rhetoric that is violent in nature, where we see this kind of spirit coming through with Donald Trump that is so ladened with the desire for revenge and retribution.’ 

She added it’s important to make sure ‘we are fighting against and speaking out against political violence.’ 

Trump clarified his Cheney comments on Truth Social on Wednesday afternoon, writing, ‘All I’m saying about Liz Cheney is that she is a War Hawk, and a dumb one at that, but she wouldn’t have ‘the guts’ to fight herself. It’s easy for her to talk, sitting far from where the death scenes take place, but put a gun in her hand, and let her go fight, and she’ll say, ‘No thanks!’ Her father decimated the Middle East, and other places, and got rich by doing so. He’s caused plenty of DEATH, and probably never even gave it a thought. That’s not what we want running our Country!’

Cheney reposted a clip on X of Trump’s remarks about her that didn’t include the part about him accusing Cheney and others all being war hawks, writing, ‘This is how dictators destroy free nations. They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.’

She included the hastages ‘#Womenwillnotbesilenced’ and ‘VoteKamala.’ 

Republicans have also accused Democrats of increasing the possibility of violence against Trump with rhetoric claiming he’s ‘fascist’ and a ‘threat to democracy.’

Trump was shot by a would-be assassin in July and was later targeted by another suspect near his home in Florida. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is sounding the alarm that the recent deployment of North Korean troops in Russia not only spells trouble for Ukraine, but also draws into question the stability and security of nations in Asia that are allied with the West. 

‘North Korea’s actions aren’t random,’ Zelenskyy said in a frank interview with South Korea’s public broadcasting network KBS on Thursday. ‘They have strategic goals.’ 

‘Their actions aren’t coincidental – they want Russia’s support in return,’ he added in comments also posted to his social media account on X.

Zelenskyy’s warning coincided with an announcement by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who on Thursday held a joint press conference with their South Korean counterparts to confirm that some 10,000 North Korean soldiers have deployed to Russia for training — 80 percent of which are already in Kursk and expected to begin combat operations against Ukraine in the region within the ‘coming days.’

Zelenskyy, who described the threat now posed by North Korea as ‘a war of two countries against one,’ echoed the imminent threat outlined by the U.S. officials and urged South Korea to start taking a bigger role in countering Russia’s near 1,000-day war against Ukraine. 

‘Whether these forces are in Kursk or on our occupied lands, they are preparing to fight Ukrainian soldiers. The world must recognize the gravity of this alliance,’ he said. ‘South Korea has approached this war with caution. 

‘But this isn’t just our war,’ Zelenskyy continued. ‘Russia has brought in North Korea, and they won’t stop there. Iran, or even others, may be next.’

Zelenskyy said South Korea has already pledged to send a team of specialists to Ukraine where they will collaborate on defensive capabilities, including air defense, as North Korea also provides Russian with artillery and missiles. 

‘If South Korea wants to understand the real capabilities of North Korea and its soldiers, it would benefit them to be here, to see and analyze the reality firsthand,’ he said. ‘Consider how close North Korea is to Seoul — just 40-50 km [25-30 miles], the range of modern artillery, not even missiles.’ 

‘Air defenses can’t counter artillery strikes. Our own towns were obliterated by artillery. I hope South Korea never faces this, but preparation is critical,’ Zelenskyy added.

The Ukrainian president further suggested it was time that allies in the East look to form an ‘Asian Security Alliance’ and called on nations like South Korea and Japan to lead the charge.

‘And reaching out to China could be essential in countering North Korea’s aggression, as North Korea is actively pulling that region into a war,’ he said, questioning China’s position as the threat of regional conflict expands. 

‘I’m surprised by China’s silence,’ Zelenskyy added. ‘I can’t say that China is on our side, but as a regional security guarantor, its silence is striking.’

The Ukrainian president highlighted how the unification of Russia and North Korea has direct implications for not only Ukraine, but for partners in the East and allies in the West. 

‘[Russian President Vladimir Putin is] testing the West, NATO, and even South Korea, observing their response to North Korean forces joining his campaign,’ Zelenskyy said. ‘If the response is weak, we should expect the numbers of foreign soldiers on our soil to increase.’

The U.S. on Friday announced another $425 million defensive aid package for Ukraine from the Presidential Drawdown Authority. 

The package includes air defense interceptors, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons to help meet ‘Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs.’

The package notably did not include Tomahawk intermediate-range missiles, which, according to a leaked report to The New York Times this week, Zelenskyy had requested and been denied.

Zelenskyy reportedly voiced his frustration on Wednesday not over the U.S. refusal to provide Ukraine with the advanced weaponry capable of flying some 1,500 miles, but over the fact that the request was leaked by an anonymous senior U.S. official.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Dozens of women on the Trump campaign and female surrogates for the former president are blasting billionaire Mark Cuban, calling his recent comments about pro-Trump women ‘misogynistic’ and a ‘disgrace.’

The Trump campaign put together a video featuring current and former female Trump staffers and surrogates, including Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders; House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik; former director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Brooke Rollins; former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick; lawyer Alina Habba; ex-ESPN anchor Sage Steele; former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi; former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler; Reps. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla.; and Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake.

The video comes after Cuban, a top surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris, appeared on ABC’s ‘The View’ on Thursday morning when he made the controversial comments. 

‘Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women. Ever,’ Cuban said. ‘It’s just that simple. They’re intimidating to him. He doesn’t like to be challenged by them.’ 

‘’You never see Donald Trump around strong, intelligent women.’ That’s the quote, Mark Cuban?’ Steele says in the Trump campaign video.

‘First off, that’s obviously wildly unintelligent,’ Patrick says. 

‘Not only are you arrogant, but you’re misogynistic, too,’ says Trump campaign Black Media Director Janiyah Thomas. 

‘It’s a disgrace, and Kamala Harris stays silent,’ Stefanik says. 

‘How insulting is that?’ Moms for America CEO Kimberly Fletcher says. 

‘You’re putting women down? President Trump doesn’t do that,’ Habba says. ‘He surrounds himself with strong women like me.’ 

‘President Trump empowered me and every other woman in America,’ Huckabee Sanders says. 

Rollins also appears and claims there were ‘more women on senior staff, working moms, than any other White House in the history of this country’ under the Trump administration. 

The video runs for more than three minutes and features more than 60 female Trump supporters. 

‘President Trump uplifted women and all Americans in his first term by putting more money in our pockets, expanding access to childcare and paid family leave, and making our communities safer,’ Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. ‘In Kamala Harris’ America, women are being raped and killed by illegal aliens, and working mothers are struggling to buy basic groceries for their families.’ 

Leavitt added: ‘Smart, strong women across the country are supporting President Trump because they know Kamala Harris broke our country, but President Trump will fix it.’ 

The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Cuban walked back his remarks in a statement, saying: ‘One, I know many strong, intelligent women voting for Trump. Including in my extended family. I’m certainly not saying female voters are not smart, strong and intelligent. Two, I know he has worked with strong, intelligent women, like Elaine Chao, Kelly Anne, Ivanka and many others.’

Cuban, on ABC’s ‘The View’ on Thursday, was asked if he felt that Harris could attract supporters of former GOP primary candidate Gov. Nikki Haley. 

‘Yes, it will put her over the edge with Haley supporters,’ he said, followed by his controversial remark that Trump is ‘never’ around ‘strong, intelligent women.’ 

Cuban told Fox News Digital on Friday that he ‘wasn’t trying to disparage anybody.’ 

‘If anybody took it the wrong way, I apologize,’ Cuban told Fox News Digital. 

Cuban’s comments came just days after President Biden apparently referred to Trump supporters as ‘garbage.’ 

Biden spoke during a Zoom call with Voto Latino, one of the largest Latino voter and civic outreach organizations in the U.S., on Tuesday. He was asked about a comment made Sunday during a Trump rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden in which comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a ‘floating island of garbage.’

Biden replied, ‘The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.’ 

The White House has since denied that Biden called Trump supporters ‘garbage’ and claimed the comment was taken out of context.

And when asked about Biden’s comments, Harris said, ‘I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.’ 

‘I believe that the work that I do is about representing all the people, whether they support me or not,’ she said. ‘And as President of the United States, I will be a president for all Americans, whether you vote for me or not.’ 

In Wisconsin on Wednesday, Trump drove around in a ‘Make America Great Again’ garbage truck, wearing a garbage worker’s high-visibility vest to address supporters at his Green Bay rally. 

‘He called them garbage — and they mean it, even though, without question, my supporters are far higher quality than Crooked Joe and Lyin’ Kamala,’ Trump told supporters on Wednesday afternoon.

But Trump said he had a response for the president and vice president. 

‘My response to Joe and Kamala is very simple: You can’t lead America if you don’t love Americans,’ he declared. ‘And you can’t be president if you hate the American people, and there’s a lot of hatred there.’ 

Fox News Digital reached out to Cuban for comment on the Trump campaign’s video.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Pro-Israel leaders and activists are expressing frustration and disappointment that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has yet to plan a vote on a bill aimed at tackling the rising tide of antisemitism on college campuses.

Many fear the delay could lead to the bill getting ‘watered down’ – or potentially getting derailed altogether. 

‘This is a very good bill. It’s a very important bill. It comes at a very, very urgent time in terms of the dynamics of our country, and it should be passed, and it should be passed and signed into law right away. I mean, the sooner the better,’ said Elan Carr, CEO of the Israeli-American Council and former U.S. special envoy to combat antisemitism.

‘There’s deep disappointment that this has been slow-rolled,’ Rabbi Abrahm Cooper, former chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and director at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, added. ‘I think, in many ways, taking that tactic only highlights the fact that there are obviously elements of the Democratic Party that are anti-Israel.’

Carr echoed Cooper’s suggestion that the delay could likely be due to concerns that ‘this bill could reveal fissures that would be embarrassing for some.’ 

The bill in question is the Antisemitism Awareness Act, passed in bipartisan fashion on May 1. 

It seeks to mandate that the Department of Education adopt the same definition of ‘antisemitism’ used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), an intergovernmental organization aimed at uniting governments and experts to advance and promote Holocaust education. Under the bill, the IHRA definition would become standard for use in Title VI cases brought forward by the Department of Education.

Schumer has promised to put the Antisemitism Awareness Act up for a vote before the end of the year, according to Axios, which reported that he wants to attach the measure to the must-pass defense bill that will be voted on during Congress’ lame-duck session following the election. The move would pressure any potential dissenters to get on board with it.

According to Jewish Insider, Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin have opposed the bill on grounds it limits free speech, while the New York Times reported Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah has also voiced his own objections.

The American Jewish Committee’s Director of Policy and Political Affairs, Julie Rayman, pointed to Schumer’s ‘earnest commitment to passing impactful legislation to counter antisemitism in the Senate.’ 

But other proponents of getting the bill passed, such as Carr, expressed fear that Schumer’s decision to delay the vote until the lame-duck session – which starts after the November election – might jeopardize the bill’s prospects of being passed. 

‘One thing I don’t want to see happen is that this thing will be amended in ways that will make it actually more harmful than not doing anything at all,’ Carr said. ‘My concern is it could get watered down, and the final product could do damage to the very causes that this bill is supposed to advance.’ 

Carr pointed to a similar situation that happened in Indiana’s state legislature, where a bill that passed by both chambers was ultimately vetoed by the governor because it failed to incorporate the entire IHRA definition of antisemitism. 

‘Senator Schumer’s choice to delay a vote on the Antisemitism Awareness Act by attaching it to unrelated legislation is disappointing, risking unnecessary setbacks,’ said Florida GOP Rep. Carlos Giménez. Giménez voted in favor of the Antisemitism Awareness Act earlier this year and introduced different legislation targeting hatred towards the Jewish community. ‘I urge Senator Schumer to act now—protecting students from antisemitism must be a straightforward, bipartisan commitment that doesn’t get sidelined by political calculations.’

Meanwhile, a report released Thursday by Republicans on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which followed a year-long probe into antisemitism on college campuses, has led at least one Jewish leader to become concerned about whether Schumer will ever put the Antisemitism Awareness Act up for a vote.

   

The report alleged that Schumer dismissed the concerns of antisemitism on Columbia University’s campus, which saw months of anti-Israel protesting during the spring semester. According to published reports, Jewish students at Columbia faced such a significant rise in antisemitic behavior on campus that some filed a lawsuit against the university, while a task force created to address the issue found that the school failed to stop hate against Jewish students on campus amid the ongoing protests that followed Oct. 7.

Gerard Filitti is senior counsel with the Lawfare Project, a nonprofit which provides pro bono legal assistance to protect the civil rights of the Jewish community. He argued that in light of the Education and Workforce Committee’s report chronicling Schumer’s laissez-faire attitude towards campus antisemitism, there is ‘a very real concern’ that Schumer might not ever bring the Antisemitism Awareness Act to the floor for a vote at all.

‘Senator Schumer’s lack of leadership on one of the most pressing civil rights issues in our country is stunning,’ argued Filitti. ‘Schumer has had six whole months to bring this bill up for a vote, and his failure to do so is not just puzzling but rather troubling; antisemitism is not, and should not be made, a partisan political issue. As with other forms of racism and bigotry, it takes bipartisanship to combat Jew-hatred, and in light of the ongoing crisis of antisemitism we see on college campuses, this bill should have passed the Senate months ago.’ 

Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s office for comment but did not receive an on-the-record response by publication time.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Former President Trump on Friday clarified that he meant former Rep. Liz Cheney doesn’t have the ‘guts’ to fight on the front lines of war after he received a backlash from Democrats over comments he made Thursday about having guns trained on her. 

‘All I’m saying about Liz Cheney is that she is a War Hawk, and a dumb one at that, but she wouldn’t have ‘the guts’ to fight herself,’ the Republican presidential nominee wrote on Truth Social. ‘It’s easy for her to talk, sitting far from where the death scenes take place, but put a gun in her hand, and let her go fight, and she’ll say, ‘No thanks!’ Her father decimated the Middle East, and other places, and got rich by doing so. He’s caused plenty of DEATH, and probably never even gave it a thought. That’s not what we want running our Country!’

Trump caused controversy when he called Cheney a ‘radical war hawk’ at an event in Arizona on Thursday, adding, ‘Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face. They’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, ‘Oh, gee, well, let’s send 10,000 troops into the mouths of the enemies,’ but she’s a stupid person and I used to have meetings with a lot of people and she always wanted to go to war with people.’ 

Trump also told reporters at a campaign stop in Dearborn, Michigan, on Friday: ‘Even in my administration, she was pushing that we go to war with everybody, and I said if you ever gave her a rifle and let her do the fighting, if you ever do that, she wouldn’t be doing too well, I will tell you right now. But she’s a war hawk. She wants to go kill people unnecessarily. 

The remarks prompted accusations from liberals of violent rhetoric and that Trump was suggesting Cheney should face a firing squad. 

‘He has increased his violent rhetoric about political opponents – Donald Trump has – and in great detail suggested rifles should be trained on former Rep. Liz Cheney,’ Vice President Harris told reporters in a presser Friday. ‘This must be disqualifying. Anyone who wants to be President of the United States who uses that kind of violent rhetoric is clearly disqualified and unqualified to be president.’

Cheney, a Republican, endorsed Harris for president in September and has been campaigning with the Democratic nominee. 

Cheney responded to Trump’s Thursday remarks on X Friday, writing, ‘This is how dictators destroy free nations. They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.’ 

She added the hashtags ‘#Womenwillnotbesilenced’ and ‘#VoteKamala.’

Republicans have also accused Democrats of increasing the possibility of violence against Trump with rhetoric accusing him of being ‘fascist’ and a ‘threat to democracy.’

The former president was shot by a would-be assassin in July and was targeted by another suspect near his home in Florida. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The House Oversight Committee is applying pressure on the White House to release accurate transcripts, after they allegedly altered President Biden’s remarks after he called Trump supporters ‘garbage.’

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Oversight Chair James Comer, R-KY, sent a letter to the White House counsel’s office Friday demanding they preserve all documents related to the transcript.

‘To date, the White House has not issued a corrected transcript, and the false transcript remains on the White House webpage,’ they wrote.

The top members condemned the White House’s alteration of the official transcript, writing that the stenography office cannot ‘simply rewrite President Biden’s rhetoric.’

‘In this case, it appears the White House is doing so to safeguard Vice President Harris’s presidential campaign,’ they wrote.

Stefanik and Comer referred to an AP report, which cited an internal email from the head of the stenographer’s office, that noted that the press office ‘conferred with the president’ to change the transcript.

The shocking comment came during Biden’s remarks to Latino activists regarding comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s comments at a Trump rally. Hinchcliffe referred to Puerto Rico as a ‘floating island of garbage.’

Biden, according to a transcript prepared by the official White House stenographers, told the Latino group on a Tuesday evening video call, ‘The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters — his — his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American.’

The transcript released by the White House press office, however, rendered the quote with an apostrophe, reading ‘supporter’s’ rather than ‘supporters.’

The White House insisted that Biden was criticizing Hinchcliffe’s comments – and not the huge swath of Americans supporting a Trump presidency.

The letter from the GOP leaders shared their ‘concern with the latest reporting of the White House’s apparent political decision to protect the Biden-Harris Administration, instead of following longstanding and proper protocols.’

The transcript standard states that: ‘If there is a difference in interpretation, the Press Office may choose to withhold the transcript but cannot edit it independently. Our Stenography Office transcript — released to our distro, which includes the National Archives — is now different than the version edited and released to the public by Press Office staff.’

Now, Stefanik and Comer are demanding that the White House:

  1. Produce all documents and internal communications regarding President Biden’s statement and the release of the inaccurate transcript.
  2. Release the accurate version of the transcript the White House Stenographers submitted to NARA.
  3. Immediately make available the White House Stenography Office’s top supervisor for a briefing to the Oversight Committee.
This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

With the 2024 U.S. election around the corner, celebrities have been stepping forward to publicly endorse either Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Trump for president of the United States.

From Taylor Swift and Jennifer Lopez to Jason Aldean and Kelsey Grammer, these stars have used their platforms to share their thoughts and beliefs on why their preferred candidate should win. 

Here’s a look at celebrities who have publicly supported the presidential candidates. 

Vice President Kamala Harris

Bruce Springsteen

On Oct. 3, Bruce Springsteen took to social media to share his support for Harris and Walz. 

‘Friends, fans and the press have asked me who I’m supporting in this most important of elections,’ he said from the bar stool of an undisclosed diner. ‘And with full knowledge that my opinion is no more or less important than those of any of my fellow citizens, here’s my answer: I’m supporting Kamala Harris for president and Tim Walz for vice president and opposing Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.’

Springsteen went on to call Trump ‘the most dangerous candidate for president’ in his lifetime, citing ‘his disdain for the sanctity of our constitution, the sanctity of democracy, the sanctity of the rule of law, and the sanctity of the peaceful transfer of power’ as reasons he should never be allowed in the Oval Office again.

‘On the other hand, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are committed to a vision of this country that respects and includes everyone, regardless of class, religion, race, your political point of view or sexual identity. And they wanna grow our economy in a way that benefits all. Not just a few, like me, on top. That’s the vision of America I’ve been consistently writing about for 55 years.’

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

His endorsement caught the eye of Walz, who commented below Springsteen’s post, ‘Bruce — as a lifelong fan, I couldn’t be more honored to have your support.’

Harris later commented, ‘Thank you, @Springsteen. Our democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, and I am grateful you are with us in this fight.’

Beyoncé

Beyoncé, a native of Houston, Texas, spoke at a Kamala Harris rally in Houston Oct. 25.

‘We are so happy to be standing here on this stage as proud, country Texas women, supporting and celebrating the one and only, Vice President Harris. A woman who’s been pushing for what this country really needs right now —unity,’ said Beyoncé, who was accompanied by former Destiny’s Child singing mate Kelly Rowland. 

‘I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother. A mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all of our children live in. A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies. A world where we’re not divided — our past, our present, our future merged to meet us here.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

‘Imagine our daughters growing up, seeing what’s possible with no ceilings,’ she continued. ‘No limitations. Imagine our grandmothers, imagine what they feel right now, those who have lived to see this historic day. Even those who are no longer physically with us, imagine all of their sacrifices. The sacrifices made so we can witness the strength of a woman standing in her power, reimagining what leadership is. For all the men and women in this room and watching around the country, we need you.’

After her appearance, Beyoncé took to social media to share some snapshots of the event. 

‘Time for a new song,’ she captioned the post. 

Jennifer Lopez

During her appearance at a Harris rally in Las Vegas Oct. 31, Jennifer Lopez said, ‘At Madison Square Garden, [Donald Trump] reminded us who he really is and how he really feels,’ the ‘Let’s Get Loud’ singer said.

She was referencing the controversial joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump rally a few days prior. 

‘It wasn’t just Puerto Ricans who were offended that day, OK? It was every Latino in this country. It was humanity and anyone of decent character.

‘I promised myself that I wouldn’t be emotional. You know what? We should be emotional,’ she later added. ‘We should be upset. We should be scared and outraged. We should.

‘Our pain matters. We matter,’ she added. ‘You matter. Your voice and your vote matters.’

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his endorsement of Kamala Harris this week. 

Schwarzenegger, 77, who served as the Republican governor of California from 2003 to 2011, said he was putting country before politics by handing out his second-ever presidential endorsement. 

‘I don’t really do endorsements. I’m not shy about sharing my views, but I hate politics and don’t trust most politicians. I also understand that people want to hear from me because I am not just a celebrity, I am a former Republican Governor,’ he wrote in a lengthy post on X. ‘Let me be honest with you: I don’t like either party right now. My Republicans have forgotten the beauty of the free market, driven up deficits, and rejected election results. Democrats aren’t any better at dealing with deficits, and I worry about their local policies hurting our cities with increased crime.

‘It is probably not a surprise that I hate politics more than ever, which, if you are a normal person who isn’t addicted to this crap, you probably understand. I want to tune out. But I can’t. Because rejecting the results of an election is as un-American as it gets. To someone like me who talks to people all over the world and still knows America is the shining city on a hill, calling America a trash can for the world is so unpatriotic, it makes me furious. And I will always be an American before I am a Republican. That’s why, this week, I am voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.’

He concluded his message by urging all citizens to vote. 

‘Even if you disagree with me, vote, because that’s what we do as Americans.’

Taylor Swift

Shortly after the 2024 presidential debate between Harris and Trump concluded in September, Taylor Swift endorsed Harris. 

On Instagram, the mega pop star wrote, ‘Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can about their proposed policies and plans for this country.

‘Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site,’ she continued. ‘It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.’

‘I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,’ she added. ‘I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.

‘I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice,’ she conlcuded. ‘Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story. With love and hope, Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady.’

Jennifer Aniston

Earlier this week, Jennifer Aniston endorsed Harris. 

‘Today not only did I vote for access to health care, for reproductive freedom, for equal rights, for safe schools, and for a fair economy, but also for SANITY and HUMAN DECENCY,’ Aniston started her caption on Instagram. ‘Please remember that whoever you are and wherever you live, your voice matters. Your VOTE matters. I know we don’t agree on everything, and that is the beauty of this country, but GOOD LORD aren’t you tired of this negativity towards each other? The intimidation and constant threats to those who do not think the same as the other?

‘Let’s please end this era of fear, chaos and the attacks on our democracy – and vote for someone who will unite us and not continue to threaten to divide us,’ she added, announcing she had ‘proudly voted for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.’

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Anne Hathaway

On Oct. 29, Anne Hathaway shared a short and sweet endorsement of Harris. 

‘Spoiler alert: I voted for Kamala and Joe (and it felt goooooooooooood),’ she wrote on on Instagram. 

Oprah

During the third day of the Democratic National Convention, Oprah Winfrey appeared on stage after the Obamas spoke, saying everyone in the crowd was ‘fired up.’

‘We can’t wait to leave here and do something. And what we’re gonna do is elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States,’ she said. 

In 2020, Winfrey expressed her joy after Harris was nominated to become the first-ever Black female Vice President. 

‘I think what she means for women of the world is so extraordinary,’ she told People magazine at the time. ‘For women here in the United States, we can’t even measure it. Because to see someone who looks like you in this role, you see what’s possible for yourself. Period.

‘And the generational impact: You can’t put a price on it,’ she added. ‘You can’t put a measurement on it,’ Winfrey, 66, continued. ‘I’m just hoping we get through the inauguration and turn the page on this really challenging time for democracy.’ 

George Clooney

After imploring President Biden to not run for re-election, George Clooney voiced his support for Biden’s second in command, Harris.

‘President Biden has shown what true leadership is. He’s saving democracy once again. We’re all so excited to do whatever we can to support Vice President Harris in her historic quest,’ Clooney said in a statement to CNN’s Jake Tapper.

Julia Roberts

In a voice-over for a Harris ad this month, Julia Roberts said, ‘In the one place in America, where women still have the right to choose, you can vote anyway you want. And no one will ever know. Remember, what happens in the booth, stays in the booth. Vote Harris-Walz.’

She captioned the post, ‘Vote! It is our superpower.’

Former President Donald Trump

Jason Aldean

In July, Jason Aldean and his wife, Brittany Aldean, were spotted at the Republican National Convention in the Trump family box.

After the first assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Aldean posted to Instagram to show his support and well-wishes for ’45.’

‘This is what a Warrior looks like!,’ Aldean wrote in his caption attached to a photograph of Trump with blood on his face and a stiff arm raised to the crowd of campaign rally attendees. ‘@realdonaldtrump we are thinking about u and praying for you and your family. God has a bigger plan for you, my friend, and I think we all know what that is by now.’

On Oct. 23, Aldean took the stage at a rally in Georgia to introduce Trump.

‘He’s a president who, when knocked down, gets back up, raises his fist in the air and says ‘fight,’’ Aldean said, referring to the first assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania this summer. ‘And, to me, that’s a warrior,’ Aldean said. ‘That’s who we need running this country right now.’ 

Kelsey Grammer

During an interview with The New York Times in September, Kelsey Grammer, a proud Republican, opened up about his political views. 

‘For me to be anything else would be a problem,’ Grammer said of his political party. ‘I don’t go along with a lot of what is preached in Hollywood.

‘I go along with what is preached in Christianity. I go along with ‘do unto others as you would have others do unto you.’ And I believe in all people. I believe in their desires and their lives and their worth. I want to make shows about that. I don’t want to hate anybody.’

During a segment on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ program in 2023, Grammer confirmed his support for Trump. 

Host Justin Webb asked Grammer, ‘You mentioned Roseanne early on, who had a great comeback but also was a Trump supporter. You were, at least you were, a Trump supporter. I’m fascinated to know if you still are?’

‘I am,’ Grammer said. ‘And I’ll let that be the end of it.’

Drea de Matteo

On Nov. 1, ‘Sopranos’ actress Drea de Matteo took to social media to publicly endorse Trump.

‘Guess who we voted for?’ the Emmy-winning actress said in an Instagram story, according to NME. ‘We voted for ourselves. We the people. You n me with the justice league in place to drain the f— neocon/corporate swamp.’

In another story, per the outlet, the actress wore a T-shirt featuring the words ‘TRUMP 2024″ and ‘F— YOUR FEELINGS’ and urged her followers to ‘research your reality.’

Dennis Quaid

Earlier this month, Dennis Quaid rallied for former President Trump in Coachella, California, addressing a crowd. 

‘God bless you. God bless America. I’m here today to tell you that it’s time to pick a side,’ Quaid said on stage. ‘Are we going to be a nation that stands for the Constitution? Or for TikTok? Are we going to be a nation of law and order? Or wide open borders? Which is it? Because it’s time to pick a side.’

Quaid portrayed President Reagan, his ‘favorite president of the 20th century,’ in the 2024 biopic. The actor drew parallels between the political landscape when Reagan was first elected and the present.

‘It’s amazing how the issues of the 1980 election are very similar to what they are today,’ he said, recalling the record-high inflation back then and the Iran hostages. 

‘We were a nation in decline. That’s what they told us. Ronald Reagan came along and said, ‘No, we’re not a nation in decline. We’re going there.’ And we followed him,’ Quaid said, pointing upward. ‘The same with Trump, with President Trump. My favorite president of the 21st century.

‘I’m gonna ask you a question that Reagan asked America back then, and I think it’s the question that got him elected. Are you better off than you were four years ago?’ Quaid said. 

‘So, like I said, people, it’s time to pick a side. Who are you going to pick? God bless you,’ Quaid added.

Kid Rock

Kid Rock has been a proud supporter of Donald Trump for years. 

In July, the rock star performed at the Republican National Convention just ahead of Trump’s speech. 

For his performance, Kid Rock redid his 2000 song, ‘American Bad A–,’ to include references to Trump. He began by asking the audience to stand and raise a fist before leading it in chants of ‘Fight, fight!’ and ‘Trump, Trump!’

One notable lyric change happened toward the end of the song. Instead of singing the original line of ‘Smell the aroma, check my hits / I know it stinks in here ‘cause I’m the s—,’ he sang, ‘I know it stinks in here ‘cause Trump’s the s—,’ censoring himself on the last word.

He finished his performance by saying, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the most patriotic American bada– on earth, President Donald J. Trump.’ Kid Rock then introduced UFC CEO and President Dana White, who spoke immediately before Trump gave his speech.

During his own speech, Trump spoke about Kid Rock, saying the rapper had called him and asked him if he could be involved with the convention.

‘He became a friend of mine over the last ten years, and he’s amazing,’ Trump said. ‘Everyone loves him. I didn’t even know how big he was.’

Hulk Hogan

WWE legend Hulk Hogan has long been a supporter of Trump. 

Hogan first spoke at the Republican National Convention in July before taking the stage again at Trump’s massive Madison Square Garden rally in New York City in October to address the ‘Trumpamaniacs’ in the crowd.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Hogan criticized Harris for sounding as though she’s reading from a Hollywood script during her speeches. Hogan said Harris was responsible for the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border and inflation and that she acted like ‘she’s the victim.’

‘All of a sudden, she flips, she flops, she spins and turns around and acts like she was going to be the damn hero,’ said Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea. ‘But we all know Trump is the only man that can fix this country today, and with Trump as our commander in chief, peace through strength will fix all of our problems in the Middle East.’

Zachary Levi

During an appearance on SiriusXM’s ‘The Megyn Kelly Show’ this week, Zachary Levi explained why he’s enthusiastically backing Trump. 

‘I’m not voting for Donald Trump,’ Levi said. ‘I’m voting for Donald Trump and Bobby Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard and Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk and JD Vance, and everyone else that they’re going to bring in.’

In September, during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s ‘Reclaim America Tour,’ Levi said, ‘I did want to just give you a little context why Shazam is standing here talking to you about these various things. I grew up in my family, Christian conservative — that was pretty much kind of the lane that we were in.

‘My parents were Kennedy Democrats that then turned into Reagan Republicans,’ he continued. ‘And they taught me to have a healthy level of distrust for the government and a healthy level of distrust for industry that runs amok. And for a long time, I was like, ‘Man, I really want to find a politician that represents all of the things that I want and I want to see in a presidential candidate.’ And, this year, I found Bobby Kennedy. And I thought, This guy — this guy’s it. He’s the real deal.’

‘In a perfect world, and whatever that would look like, perhaps I would have voted for Bobby,’ he added. ‘But we don’t live in a perfect world. In fact, we live in a very broken one. We live in a country that has been hijacked by a lot of people who want to take this place way off the cliff. And we’re here to stop that, right?

‘We’re here to make sure that we are going to take back this country. We are going to make it great again. And we are going to make it healthy again,’ Levi concluded. ‘And so I stand with Bobby, and I stand with Tulsi and I stand with everyone else who is standing with President Trump. Because I do believe that of the two choices we have, and we only have two, Donald Trump — President Trump — is the man that can get us there. And he’s going to get us there, because he’s going to have the backing, and the support, and the wisdom, and the knowledge and the fight that exists in Robert Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.’

Rob Schneider 

In August, comedian Rob Schneider urged ‘Robert Kennedy Jr. supporters and American Citizens’ to support former President Trump.

Schneider took to social media to post a lengthy message that said, ‘Dear Fellow Robert Kennedy Jr. supporters and American Citizens, as we have seen this week, ONCE AGAIN the Democratic Party is NOT running on any ideas to make American’s lives better, they are once again running on the hatred of one individual, Donald J Trump,’ Schneider wrote. 

‘And they are hoping that YOU will HATE him so much that you will forget about the Democrat’s FOREVER WARS that are pushing the world closer to World War III,’ he continued. ‘They are hoping that you forget about your grocery bills being 26% higher since Biden/Harris took office.

‘The Democrats CALLED TRUMP ‘HITLER’ and half the CITIZENS of our country ‘MAGATS’ and DEPLORABLES, INCITING HATRED AND THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF A FORMER PRESIDENT,’ the comedian added.

‘As a fellow American Citizen and Robert Kennedy Jr. supporter, I hope that you will OPPOSE TYRANNY and join us and VOTE FOR DONALD J. TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,’ Schneider wrote, concluding his message with an image of the American flag. 

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace, Emily Trainham, Ryan Gaydos, 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Peloton on Thursday said it has appointed Peter Stern, a Ford executive and the co-founder of Apple Fitness+ to be its next CEO and president. 

Stern, the president of Ford Integrated Services, primarily oversees the automotive company’s subscription services, such as BlueCruise, Pro Intelligence, connectivity and security. He also led the company’s digital product team. 

Stern is slated to step down from his role at Ford and take the helm of Peloton on Jan. 1. Interim co-CEO Karen Boone will stay in the role through the end of the calendar year, while her counterpart, Chris Bruzzo will step down from the co-CEO role on Friday. Both Boone and Bruzzo will stay on Peloton’s board.

Stern is the third CEO to lead Peloton in its history. The news came alongside Peloton’s fiscal first-quarter earnings report. Shares of the company jumped more than 20% in early trading.

“Peter is a seasoned strategist with a track record of driving sustainable growth through innovation, and we have every confidence in his ability to lead Peloton during this important time. He brings meaningful expertise in scaling differentiated technology-oriented platforms and has a deep understanding of the health and wellness sector — making him uniquely suited to serve as Peloton’s next CEO,” Jay Hoag, the chairperson of Peloton’s board, said in a news release.

“What’s more, Peter embodies Peloton’s core values, including operating with a bias for action, empowering teams of smart creatives and working together.”

The announcement comes about six months after Peloton announced that former Spotify and Netflix executive Barry McCarthy would be stepping down after about two years on the job. 

McCarthy had taken over from founder John Foley and had worked to bring Peloton back from the brink of extinction by dramatically cutting costs and redirecting strategy. 

Peloton’s decision to hire Stern indicates that it is tripling down on the company’s main value proposition to investors at the moment: its high-margin, recurring subscription revenue. 

Stern’s background running Ford’s subscription business will likely assist in building out, and sustaining, Peloton’s connected fitness subscribers and app subscribers.

In a news release, Peloton said that it sought out a new CEO who appreciates and loves Peloton’s products, understands the company’s challenges and opportunities, and is passionate about helping people achieve their fitness goals.

Stern was an early adopter of Peloton, having been a member since 2016, and “has spent over 20 years operating at the nexus of hardware, software, content and services at Ford, Apple and Time Warner Cable,” the company said.

As the co-founder of Apple Fitness+, he helped the vertical grow its subscription base into the millions and knows how to operate a “complex, subscription-based business,” Peloton said.

The company said it was also looking for a product innovator and strategist and pointed to the 30-plus patents Stern has secured over the years, including an online media content patent.

“Working for Peloton is a dream come true for me,” Stern said in a statement. “My goal is to help millions of people live longer, healthier and happier lives. Peloton, with its unique combination of people, products and passionate Members, provides me an opportunity to do just that.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

In March, Super Micro Computer was added to the S&P 500 after an epic run that lifted the stock by more than 2,000% in two years, dwarfing even Nvidia’s gains.

As it turned out, S&P was calling the top.

Less than two weeks after the index changes were announced, Super Micro reached its closing high of $118.81 and had a market cap of almost $70 billion. The stock is down 72% since then, pushing the valuation to under $20 billion, the first major sign in the public markets that the hype around artificial intelligence may not all be justified.

Super Micro is one of the primary vendors for building out Nvidia-based clusters of servers for training and deploying AI models.

The stock plunged 33% on Wednesday, after the company disclosed that its auditor, Ernst & Young, had resigned, saying it was “unwilling to be associated with the financial statements prepared by management.” It was down another 16% on Thursday.

Super Micro is now at risk of being delisted from the Nasdaq, and has until Nov. 16 to regain compliance with the stock exchange.

“We see higher delisting risk in the absence of an auditor and the potential challenge to getting a new one,” analysts at Mizuho, who have the equivalent of a hold rating on the stock, wrote in a report Wednesday.

Ernst & Young was new to the job, having just replaced Deloitte & Touche as Super Micro’s accounting firm in March 2023.

A Super Micro spokesperson told CNBC in a statement that the company “disagrees with E&Y’s decision to resign, and we are working diligently to select new auditors.”

Representatives for Ernst & Young and Deloitte didn’t respond to requests for comment.

For much of Super Micro’s three decades in business, the company existed well below the radar, plodding along as a relatively obscure Silicon Valley data center company.

That all changed in late 2022 after OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT set off a historic wave of investment in AI processors, largely supplied by Nvidia. Along with Dell, Super Micro has been among the big tangential winners in the Nvidia boom, packaging up the powerful graphics processing units (GPUs) inside customized servers.

Super Micro’s revenue has at least doubled in each of the prior three quarters, though the company hasn’t filed official financial disclosures with the SEC since May.

Wall Street’s mood on the company has shifted dramatically.

Since the S&P’s announced index changes in March, Super Micro’s stock has dropped at least 10% on several separate occasions. The most concerning slide, prior to Wednesday, came on Aug. 28, when the shares sank 19% after Super Micro said it wouldn’t file its annual report with the SEC on time.

“Additional time is needed for SMCI’s management to complete its assessment of the design and operating effectiveness of its internal controls over financial reporting as of June 30, 2024,” the company said.

Noted short seller Hindenburg Research then disclosed a short position in the company, and said in a report that it identified “fresh evidence of accounting manipulation.” The Wall Street Journal later reported that the Department of Justice was at the early stages of a probe into the company.

The month after announcing its report delay, Super Micro said it had received a notification from the Nasdaq, indicating that the delay in the filing of its annual report meant the company wasn’t in compliance with the exchange’s listing rules. Super Micro said the Nasdaq’s rules allowed the company 60 days to file its report or submit a plan to regain compliance. Based on that timeframe, the deadline would be mid-November.

It wouldn’t be the first for Super Micro. The company was previously delisted by the Nasdaq in 2018.

Wedbush analysts see reason for worry.

“With SMCI having missed the deadline to file its 10K and the clock ticking for SMCI to remedy this issue, we see this development as a significant hurdle standing in the way of SMCI’s path to filing in time to avoid delisting,” the analysts, who recommend holding the stock, wrote in a report.

As Super Micro’s stock was in the midst of its steepest sell-off since 2018 on Wednesday, the company put out a press release announcing that it would “provide a first quarter fiscal 2025 business update” on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

That’s Election Day in the U.S.

Super Micro’s spokesperson told CNBC that the company doesn’t expect matters raised by Ernst & Young to “result in any restatements of its quarterly financial results for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, or for prior fiscal years.”

The selloff continued on Thursday, with the stock falling to its lowest level since January. Analysts at Gordon Haskett called the Ernst & Young news a “backbreaker,” while Argus Research downgraded the stock, in the intermediate firm, to a hold, citing the Hindenburg note, report of the Justice Department investigation and the departure of Super Micro’s accounting firm.

“The company’s loss of its auditing firm and the DoJ investigation mean that the stock no longer trades on fundamentals,” Argus analyst Jim Kelleher wrote.

Beyond Super Micro, the evolving incident is a potential black eye for S&P Dow Jones. Since Super Micro replaced Whirlpool in the S&P 500, shares of the home appliance company are down about 3%, underperforming the broader market but holding up much better than the stock that took its place.

Inclusion in the S&P 500 often causes a stock to rise, because money managers tracking the index have to buy shares to reflect the changes. That means pension and retirement funds have more exposure to the index’s members. Super Micro shot up 19% on March 4, the first trading day after the announcement.

A spokesperson for S&P Global said the company doesn’t comment on individual constituents or index changes, and pointed to its methodology document for general rules. The primary requirements for inclusion are positive GAAP earnings over the four latest quarters and a market cap of at least $18 billion.

S&P is able to make unscheduled changes to its indexes at any time “in response to corporate actions and market developments.”

Kevin Barry, chief investment officer at Cantata Wealth, says greater consideration should be given to a stock’s volatility when additions are made to such a heavily tracked index, especially given that tech already accounts for about 30% of its weighting.

“The chances of a stock going up 10 or 20 times in a year or two and then having an indigestion moment is extremely high,” said Barry, who co-founded Cantata this year. “You’re moving out of a low-volatility stock into a higher-volatility stock, when tech already represents the largest sector by far in the index.”

— CNBC’s Rohan Goswami and Kif Leswing contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Alphabet executives, donning Halloween costumes, faced questions from concerned employees at an all-hands meeting on Wednesday, following comments on the company’s earnings call suggesting that more cost cuts are coming.

“There is a reality to it,” said Brian Ong, vice president of Google recruiting, according to a recording of the meeting reviewed by CNBC. “We are hiring less than we did a couple of years ago.”

Ong, who was specifically responding to a question about retention and promotion opportunities, added that fewer positions are open and geographic hiring has changed, “so you may see fewer roles available where you are.”

A Google spokesperson declined to comment.

The meeting came after Alphabet reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings and revenue Tuesday, sparking a rally in the stock. On a call with investors, CFO Anat Ashkenazi, who recently succeeded Ruth Porat, proclaimed she wanted to “push a little further” with cost savings across the company.

Google’s chief scientist, Jeff Dean, wore a starfish costume to the meeting, while Ashkenazi sported a jersey of former Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller. CEO Sundar Pichai wore a black t-shirt that read “ERROR 404 COSTUME NOT FOUND” with an image of a pixelated dinosaur.

Ashkenazi said one of her key priorities in the new role would be to make more cuts as Google expands its spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure in 2025.

It’s a theme that began in 2023, when the economy and market turned, and has continued since. Google has been restructuring its workforce to move more quickly in the AI arms race, where it faces increased competition. That’s included layoffs, organizational shake-ups, and has led to workers feeling a “decline in morale,” as CNBC previously reported.

Over the last couple of months, Google has made cuts to its marketing, cloud and security teams in Silicon Valley, as well as in its trust and safety unit.

Google is far from alone. Dropbox this week announced it will lay off 20% of its global workforce, while Amazon continues shuttering various projects. Within Google, employees have expressed concern that the company is preparing for more layoffs, possibly after the end of the year, according to internal correspondence viewed by CNBC.

Pichai joked that the quarterly call was perfect preparation for Ashkenazi ahead of the company meeting.

“I was telling Anat yesterday, earnings calls are a piece of cake compared to TGIF the next day,” Pichai said, to laughs from attendees.

Some employee comments and questions included praise for “another great quarter,” success in chip advancements and improvements in Google’s hit AI note-taking tool NotebookLM. However, other questions expressed fear of what greater cost efficiencies would mean for the workforce.

“What exactly was meant by the comments on further efficiencies in headcount”? one question asked, pointing to Ashkenazi’s comments from the call.

Ashkenazi didn’t share any more details but said employees are “one of the most important assets we have.” She said that the company is investing in people and that it hired 1,000 new graduates in the third quarter.

Pichai, who’s been preaching efficiency for almost two years, chimed in to echo past sentiment.

“If you have to do something new and it’s going to take 10 people, if you can find a way to do it with eight people by making smart trade-offs somewhere and aligning teams better, that’s an example of finding efficiencies in headcount as well,” Pichai said.

In response to another question about ongoing layoffs and reorganizations and what might be coming in the future, Pichai said, “If we are making companywide decisions, we’ll definitely let you know.”

He said the company is spending heavily on AI at the moment, but the need to ramp up those expenses won’t last forever.

“We are going through an extraordinary period of capex advancement,” Pichai said. “When you have these technology shifts, at the earlier stages, you invest disproportionately and then the curve gets better and that’s the transition as an industry we are working through.”

He added that not all of the cuts are decided on by top executives.

“It’s not like all of these decisions are centrally done at a company level,” he said. “And so, at the scale of our company, there could be moments where there are small groups of people impacted.”

Ashkenazi on Tuesday mentioned that one way to get more cost efficiency is by using AI internally. The company said 25% of new code is now generated by AI.

In response to a question about productivity, Brian Saluzzo, head of “Core” developers, said that while the 25% refers to low-level tasks, leadership is in the midst of “expanding to more complex areas” within the company.

“Core” refers to the teams that build the technical foundation underlying Google’s flagship products. In May, CNBC reported that Google laid off more than 200 employees from its Core engineering teams, in a reorganization that included rehiring some roles in India and Mexico.

Pichai followed up by saying, “In this transition moment, across all functions, everywhere in the company, it’s worth challenging us to think where we can use AI to be more productive.”

He added that through 2025, the workforce should “strive to do more” and “help customers around the world take those learnings as well.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS