Fox News and Fox Business anchors issued rare on-air apologies for unsubstantiated claims made by Kevin O'Leary, a businessman known for his role on "Shark Tank" and support for Donald Trump, regarding opposition to his proposed data center project in Utah. O'Leary had alleged on multiple programs in May that critics of his 9-gigawatt facility were funded by the Chinese Communist Party.
At the conclusion of "The Big Weekend Show" on Saturday, host Johnny “Joey” Jones addressed O'Leary's remarks from the May 24 broadcast. "He made certain claims relating to the opponents of his project," Jones stated. "Mr. O’Leary has now corrected the record and explained that he has ‘no evidence’ that the Alliance for a Better Utah, Josh Kanter or Taylor Knuth are funded by China or the Chinese Communist Party. Fox News Media is likewise aware of no evidence that they are funded by, or acting in the direction of, or in coordination with Chinese interests in opposing Mr. O’Leary’s project. Fox News Media also apologizes for the error."
Similar apologies were aired by former Trump White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on "Saturday in America" and on Fox Business during Maria Bartiromo’s “Mornings With Maria” on Friday, as well as on “The Big Money Show."
O'Leary himself posted a clarification on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday. "Recently I appeared on various news programs and would like to clarify that I have no evidence that Alliance for a Better Utah, Elevate Strategies, Gabrielle Finlayson, Taylor Knuth or Josh Kanter are funded by China or the Chinese Communist Party," he wrote.