President Trump makes a special announcement re: new investments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF2UbV4wi-k
President Trump makes a special announcement re: new investments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF2UbV4wi-k
Collin Rugg
@CollinRugg
NEW: Former CNN host Jim Acosta gives an interview with an AI version of a deceased Parkland victim to push gun control.
Acosta: “I would like to know what your solution would be for gun violence.”
AI Joaquin Oliver: “Great question. I believe in a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support, and community engagement.”
“We need to create safe spaces for conversations and connections, making sure everyone feels seen and heard. It's about building a culture of kindness and understanding. What do you think about that?”
Acosta: “I think that's a great idea, Joaquin.”
AI Oliver was created by Oliver’s parents so their AI son could “deliver a powerful message on gun violence.”
Insane.
https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1952479252244529395
Stanford lays off 363 employees, UCLA loses $330 million in funding for supporting terrorist Hamas
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Stanford University said on Tuesday it has laid off over 360 employees, citing budget constraints that it attributed to the federal funding policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration has threatened to cut federal funds for universities over pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza, climate initiatives, transgender policies and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
"Stanford is in the process of making budget reductions," a university spokesperson said in emailed statement in response to media reports on the layoffs. "Last week, many schools and units made staff workforce reductions. In total, 363 layoffs occurred."
The Californian university said in June it had made a $140 million reduction in the general funds budget for the upcoming year due to "a challenging fiscal environment shaped in large part by federal policy changes affecting higher education."
Last week, the Trump administration froze more than $330 million in funding for the University of California, Los Angeles, after alleging the university failed to prevent a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students since campus protests erupted after the start of Israel's war in Gaza.
The Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday that UCLA leaders were preparing to negotiate with the Trump administration over the freeze.
The government has recently settled its probes with Columbia University, which agreed to pay over $220 million, and Brown University, which said it will pay $50 million. Both institutions accepted certain demands made by the government. Talks to settle with Harvard University remain ongoing.
Rights advocates have raised concerns about academic freedom and free speech over the government's actions.
The Trump administration alleges universities allowed antisemitism during pro-Palestinian campus protests.
Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the government wrongly equates their criticism of Israel's military assault in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories with antisemitism, and advocacy for Palestinian rights with support for extremism.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/stanford-university-lays-off-over-010405014.html
Ken Paxton issues Friday deadline to runaway Democrats — They will vacate office by not returning
https://x.com/gc22gc/status/1952905358512656441
Trump raises India tariffs to 50% over Russian oil purchases
-President Donald Trump implemented an additional 25% tariff on India, days after he already imposed a 25% levy on the major trading partner.
-“I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,” Trump said in an executive order.
-Trump signaled Tuesday that he would be raising tariffs on India “very substantially over the next 24 hours, because they’re buying Russian oil, they’re fueling the war machine,” according to an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
The White House announced Wednesday that it is imposing an additional 25% tariff on India, bringing the total levies against the major United States trading partner to 50%.
“I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,” President Donald Trump said in an executive order.
“Accordingly, and as consistent with applicable law, articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent,” the executive order reads.
The new tariffs are set to go into effect in 21 days, according to the order, while the previously announced 25% tariffs are set to take effect on Thursday.
Trump’s new tariff rate on India is now among the highest levies on any of the United States’ trading partners.
It’s the latest sign that Trump is following through on his threat to punish countries that buy Russian oil, as he’s increased his rhetoric in recent weeks over President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The tariffs against India came as Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met Wednesday in Moscow with Putin, days before the White House’s deadline for Russia to strike a peace deal with Ukraine.
A White House official said the meeting “went well” and “the Russians are eager to continue engaging with the United States.”
The secondary tariffs that Trump has threatened against countries that buy Russian oil are still expected to be implemented Friday, the official said.
In response to the steep levies, India said it is “extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs … for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest,” according to a statement.
“We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India,” an official spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs said.
“We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” the statement continued.
Trump’s order also directs members of his administration to “determine whether any other country is directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,” and determine “whether and to what extent I should take action as to that country.”
Trump last week said that goods from India would be subject to a tariff of 25%, in addition to a “penalty” over the country’s purchase of military equipment and energy from Russia. But it was not clear at the time what such a penalty might look like.
Trump signaled Tuesday that he would raise the tariff on India “very substantially over the next 24 hours, because they’re buying Russian oil, they’re fueling the war machine.”
“And if they’re going to do that, then I’m not going to be happy,” Trump said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
India has said that it is being “targeted” by the U.S. and European Union “for importing oil from Russia after the commencement of the Ukraine conflict.”
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a Monday statement that “it is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia.”
“Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion [for them],” the statement said.
Russia, for its part, defended India over its ongoing trade war with the U.S. and said Trump’s tariffs are “attempts to force countries to stop trade relations with Russia.”
“We believe that sovereign countries should have, and have the right to choose their own trade partners, partners in trade and economic cooperation,” Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said in a statement on Tuesday.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/06/trump-trade-india-tariffs-russia.html
Rasmussen: 69% Agree That ‘RussiaGate’ Requires Accountability
In the wake of revelations about the so-called “RussiaGate” scandal, more than two-thirds of voters agree with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that there must be “accountability” for any crimes committed.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it’s likely that members of President Barack Obama’s national security team committed crimes when they manipulated and manufactured intelligence to promote a false narrative about Russia and Donald Trump, including 37% who consider it Very Likely. Forty-one percent (41%) don’t think it’s likely crimes were committed by Obama administration officials, including 28% who say it’s Not At All Likely.
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/69_agree_russiagate_requires_accountability
Trump open to meet Putin face-to-face next week followed by three-way talks with Ukraine's Zelenskyy
The two-part diplomatic approach involves separate Putin meeting before including Ukrainian president.
President Donlad Trump intends to meet in person with President Vladimir Putin of Russia as soon as next week, Fox News has learned.
Trump then plans to follow shortly afterward with a meeting between himself, Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine.
News of the expected meeting came hours after U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had a "highly productive" meeting with Putin on Wednesday.
"Great progress was made!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Afterwards, I updated some of our European Allies. Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
During their discussion, Putin told Witkoff that he wanted to meet with Trump, who said he would agree if the meeting is tied to a peace deal.
"As President Trump said earlier today on Truth Social, great progress was made during Special Envoy Witkoff’s meeting with President Putin," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. "The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the President is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky. President Trump wants this brutal war to end."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke with Trump on Wednesday alongside other European leaders.
"Our joint position with our partners is absolutely clear – the war must end. And it must be done honestly," he said.
"European leaders were on the call, and I am grateful to each of them for their support. We discussed what was spelled out in Moscow," he added. "Ukraine will definitely defend its independence. We all need a lasting and reliable peace. Russia must end the war that it itself started."
Trump has promised to help end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
In mid-July, Trump promised to enforce "very severe" tariffs on Russia if Putin does not enter into a deal with Zelenskyy within 50 days. He then pushed the date up to within 10 days of July 29, forcing the new deadline for Friday.
On Tuesday, Trump walked back the 100% tariff threat amid tough trade talks with India and China.
"We'll see what happens over the next fairly short period of time," he added in response to questions from reporters. "We have a meeting with Russia…We're going to see what happens."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-announces-face-face-talks-putin-next-week-three-way-talks-ukraines-zelenskyy
Secretary Noem Unveils No Age Limit for Patriotic Americans to Join ICE Law Enforcement to Help Remove Worst of the Worst from U.S.
In less than one week since DHS launched its recruitment campaign, more than 80,000 Americans applied to join ICE
WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem today announced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will waive age limits for new applicants so even more patriots will qualify to join ICE in its mission to arrest murderers, pedophiles, gang members, rapists, and other criminal illegal aliens from America’s streets.
All ICE law enforcement recruits will be required to go through medical screening, drug screening, and complete a physical fitness test.
“We are ENDING the age cap for ICE law enforcement,” said Secretary Noem. “Qualified candidates can now apply with no age limit. JOIN.ICE.GOV.”
In the wake of Biden’s open borders disaster, our country needs dedicated Americans to join ICE to remove the worst of the worst out of our country.
Backed by significant new funding through the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE is offering a robust package of federal law enforcement incentives, including:
-A maximum $50,000 signing bonus
-Student loan repayment and forgiveness options
-25% Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) for HSI Special Agents
-Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUI) for Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Deportation Officers
-Enhanced retirement benefits
ICE encourages Americans with a commitment to public safety, national service, and upholding the rule of law to apply today to jumpstart a fulfilling career in federal law enforcement.
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/08/06/secretary-noem-unveils-no-age-limit-patriotic-americans-join-ice-law-enforcement
ib
@Indian_Bronson
Delia Ramirez is the anchor baby of an illegal alien, is married to an illegal alien and as a US congresswoman lectures Americans about their obligations to people like her, identifying as a proud Guatemalan, in her own words (which are in Spanish):
https://x.com/Indian_Bronson/status/1952503084132778201
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
@ICEgov
You spoke, we listened and we took action – the age cap for joining ICE has now been REMOVED.
We must Defend the Homeland.
http://JOIN.ICE.GOV
https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1953080223827705972
Trump – Elon is a good person who had a bad moment.
https://x.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1953255290075234586
Apple and Corning partner to manufacture 100 percent of iPhone and Apple Watch cover glass in Kentucky
The new $2.5 billion commitment from Apple is part of the company’s expanded plan to invest $600 billion in the U.S. over the next four years.
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple and Corning today announced a major expansion of their long-standing partnership to make precision glass for Apple products. Apple is making a new $2.5 billion commitment to produce all of the cover glass for iPhone and Apple Watch in Corning’s Harrodsburg, Kentucky, manufacturing facility. This means that 100 percent of the cover glass on iPhone and Apple Watch units sold worldwide will be made in the U.S. for the first time.
Corning is creating the world’s largest and most advanced smartphone glass production line at the Harrodsburg facility. Corning will now dedicate this entire facility to manufacturing for Apple, which will help increase Corning’s manufacturing and engineering workforce in Kentucky by 50 percent. The two companies will also open a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center at the Harrodsburg plant. The Innovation Center will play a key role in the development and engineering of advanced materials and next-generation manufacturing platforms for Apple’s future generations of products.
These projects are part of Apple’s broader commitment to spend and invest more than $600 billion in the U.S. economy over the next four years. This includes Apple’s newly announced American Manufacturing Program (AMP), which will invest across America and incentivize global companies to onshore production and manufacture even more of Apple’s critical components in the United States.
“Corning is a storied American company, and we’re thrilled to work together to build the largest and most advanced production line ever created for smartphone glass,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Thanks to the power of American manufacturing, any customer anywhere in the world who buys a new iPhone or Apple Watch will be holding precision glass made right here in Kentucky. We’re grateful to the President and his administration for their support for American manufacturing, and we’re excited for the innovation this investment will unlock.”
“Apple is an amazing partner for American manufacturers like us, and together, we’ve innovated and pushed the boundaries of what’s possible,” said Wendell Weeks, Corning’s CEO. “We developed and made the glass for the very first iPhone in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, 18 years ago. With this new multibillion-dollar commitment from Apple and the lighting of our most advanced manufacturing platform, we are hiring more people and bringing 100 percent of Apple’s cover glass needs for iPhone and Apple Watch to the original home of the innovation.”
This announcement continues a partnership that has been in place between Apple and Corning since the launch of the original iPhone in 2007. Today, the Harrodsburg, Kentucky, facility produces high-quality glass for Apple called Ceramic Shield. This advanced glass — the toughest in any smartphone — is the result of years of innovation by Apple and Corning engineers working closely together.
Since the creation of Apple’s U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund in 2017, Apple has invested nearly $500 million in Corning’s Kentucky operations, with billions more spent on glass manufactured in the U.S.
Corning also provides raw materials used by another AMP company, GlobalWafers, which will use silicon from Corning to manufacture advanced bare wafers in the U.S. for the first time. In that way, Corning also plays a key role in Apple’s supply chain for producing advanced silicon chips in America.
Apple has a long history of investing in the U.S., creating opportunity and driving American innovation. Today, Apple partners with thousands of suppliers across all 50 states, supporting more than 450,000 supplier and partner jobs. In the next four years, Apple plans to directly hire 20,000 people in the U.S. — the vast majority focused on R&D, silicon engineering, software development, and AI and machine learning.
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/08/apple-corning-to-manufacture-all-iphone-apple-watch-cover-glass-in-kentucky/
Trump admin nixes giant wind farm approved 'last-minute' by Biden team
President Donald Trump's Interior Department is canceling what would have been one of the largest land-based wind farms in the United States after former President Joe Biden's "last-minute" push to approve the project during his final weeks in office.
The Lava Ridge Wind Project, approved in December 2024 by the Biden administration's Bureau of Land Management, was expected to be a 1,000-megawatt wind farm with up to 231 wind turbines across nearly 57,447 acres in southern Idaho.
Following a review of the project by the Trump administration, officials at the Interior Department claimed to find "crucial legal deficiencies" with Biden's approval of the project, including certain statutorily binding criteria that were ignored, according to a press release announcing the decision to terminate the wind farm project.
"Under President Donald Trump's bold leadership, the Department is putting the brakes on deficient, unreliable energy and putting the American people first," said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. "By reversing the Biden administration's thoughtless approval of the Lava Ridge Wind Project, we are protecting tens of thousands of acres from harmful wind policy while shielding the interests of rural Idaho communities. This decisive action defends the American taxpayer, safeguards our land, and averts what would have been one of the largest, most irresponsible wind projects in the nation."
The Interior Department's action follows a Day One executive order signed by Trump that moved to place a temporary moratorium on the controversial wind project. The order was followed up by another executive directive from Idaho GOP Gov. Brad Little, which directed state agencies to comply with Trump's order to halt the Lava Ridge project and other wind energy leasing in all areas within the Offshore Continental Shelf.
In Trump's executive order, the president also requested a new review be conducted by the Interior Department, citing the fact that the Biden administration may have skirted certain legal obligations associated with approving the Lava Ridge project.
Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador previously accused the Biden administration of not adequately reviewing the wind farm's potential risk to low-flying aircraft. According to Labrador, Federal Aviation Administration rules dictate that any structure over 200-feet tall must be evaluated for low-level flight hazards.
Labrador has also asserted that the Lava Ridge project would have mainly shipped generated power to California, as opposed to Idaho.
Meanwhile, Idaho GOP Congressman Mike Simpson accused the Biden approval process in a June op-ed of failing to "genuinely engage with stakeholders to address concerns about the Minidoka National Historic Site, grazing, wildfire response, and more."
"For four years, the Biden administration demonstrated that it would rather prioritize renewable wind power over multiple-use mandates directed by Congress," Simpson added.
In a press release put out Wednesday, the Interior Department said it was "restoring common sense to American energy policy by reversing the Biden administration’s misguided, last-minute push to approve the Lava Ridge Wind Project."
"Under President Donald J. Trump, the Department of the Interior will no longer provide preferential treatment towards unreliable, intermittent power sources that harm rural communities, livelihoods and the land," the press release concluded. "The Department of the Interior will continue its review of wind energy leasing and permitting practices, with a focus on assessing the impact these developments have on our nation’s natural resources and communities."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/exclusive-trump-admin-nixes-giant-wind-farm-approved-last-minute-biden-team
Rapid Response 47
@RapidResponse47
WATCH: @Apple CEO @tim_cook's full remarks from the Oval Office:
"I'm very proud to say that today, we're committing an additional $100 billion to the United States, bringing our total U.S. investment to $600 billion… We believe deeply in the promise of this great nation."
https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953210002359107907
Apple and Corning partner to manufacture 100 percent of iPhone and Apple Watch cover glass in Kentucky
The new $2.5 billion commitment from Apple is part of the company’s expanded plan to invest $600 billion in the U.S. over the next four years.
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple and Corning today announced a major expansion of their long-standing partnership to make precision glass for Apple products. Apple is making a new $2.5 billion commitment to produce all of the cover glass for iPhone and Apple Watch in Corning’s Harrodsburg, Kentucky, manufacturing facility. This means that 100 percent of the cover glass on iPhone and Apple Watch units sold worldwide will be made in the U.S. for the first time.
Corning is creating the world’s largest and most advanced smartphone glass production line at the Harrodsburg facility. Corning will now dedicate this entire facility to manufacturing for Apple, which will help increase Corning’s manufacturing and engineering workforce in Kentucky by 50 percent. The two companies will also open a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center at the Harrodsburg plant. The Innovation Center will play a key role in the development and engineering of advanced materials and next-generation manufacturing platforms for Apple’s future generations of products.
These projects are part of Apple’s broader commitment to spend and invest more than $600 billion in the U.S. economy over the next four years. This includes Apple’s newly announced American Manufacturing Program (AMP), which will invest across America and incentivize global companies to onshore production and manufacture even more of Apple’s critical components in the United States.
“Corning is a storied American company, and we’re thrilled to work together to build the largest and most advanced production line ever created for smartphone glass,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Thanks to the power of American manufacturing, any customer anywhere in the world who buys a new iPhone or Apple Watch will be holding precision glass made right here in Kentucky. We’re grateful to the President and his administration for their support for American manufacturing, and we’re excited for the innovation this investment will unlock.”
“Apple is an amazing partner for American manufacturers like us, and together, we’ve innovated and pushed the boundaries of what’s possible,” said Wendell Weeks, Corning’s CEO. “We developed and made the glass for the very first iPhone in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, 18 years ago. With this new multibillion-dollar commitment from Apple and the lighting of our most advanced manufacturing platform, we are hiring more people and bringing 100 percent of Apple’s cover glass needs for iPhone and Apple Watch to the original home of the innovation.”
This announcement continues a partnership that has been in place between Apple and Corning since the launch of the original iPhone in 2007. Today, the Harrodsburg, Kentucky, facility produces high-quality glass for Apple called Ceramic Shield. This advanced glass — the toughest in any smartphone — is the result of years of innovation by Apple and Corning engineers working closely together.
Since the creation of Apple’s U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund in 2017, Apple has invested nearly $500 million in Corning’s Kentucky operations, with billions more spent on glass manufactured in the U.S.
Corning also provides raw materials used by another AMP company, GlobalWafers, which will use silicon from Corning to manufacture advanced bare wafers in the U.S. for the first time. In that way, Corning also plays a key role in Apple’s supply chain for producing advanced silicon chips in America.
Apple has a long history of investing in the U.S., creating opportunity and driving American innovation. Today, Apple partners with thousands of suppliers across all 50 states, supporting more than 450,000 supplier and partner jobs. In the next four years, Apple plans to directly hire 20,000 people in the U.S. — the vast majority focused on R&D, silicon engineering, software development, and AI and machine learning.
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/08/apple-corning-to-manufacture-all-iphone-apple-watch-cover-glass-in-kentucky/
Remittances to Mexico plummet 16.2% in June, the biggest drop in over a decade
The amount of money Mexico received in remittances fell 16.2% annually in June, the largest year-over-year decline for any month in more than a decade.
Analysts partially attributed the sharp decline to fear of going out to work among Mexicans in the United States, where the U.S. government is pursuing an aggressive deportation agenda.
The vast majority of remittances to Mexico are sent from the United States, where millions of Mexicans — both documented and undocumented — live and work.
The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) reported on Friday that income from remittances totaled US $5.201 billion in June, down from $6.207 billion in the same month of 2024.
The 16.2% year-over-year decline was the biggest annual drop in remittances to Mexico for any month since September 2012. Considering only the month of June, it was the largest annual decrease on record.
“Remittances plummeted in June due to low job creation for Mexicans in the United States and the fear of migrants to go out due to the possibility of being deported,” Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Banco Base, wrote on X on Friday morning.
Jesús Cervantes González, director of economic statistics at the Center for Latin American Monetary Studies, said “there are indicators that show a weakening of employment for Mexican immigrant workers in the United States.”
“That could be due both to a genuine decrease in demand for such workers and to their irregular presence at their workplaces out of fear of being deported,” he said.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has carried out immigration raids in various U.S. cities this year, including in Los Angeles in June.
United States President Donald Trump has pledged to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history.”
-The $5.2 billion sent to Mexico in remittances in June came in 12.7 million individual transfers. The number of transfers declined 14.3% compared to June 2024.
-The average individual remittance to Mexico in June was $409, a 2.2% annual decline. While the average remittance declined in annual terms in -June, the amount was the highest since August 2024.
-Mexico received 76.19 million individual remittances in the first six months of 2025, a 4.4% decline compared to the first half of 2024.
-The average individual remittance in the first half of 2025 was $388, a 1.3% annual decrease.
-Between January and June, 99.1% of all remittances to Mexico were sent electronically. The remaining 0.9% of remittances were “cash and kind” (0.7%) and money orders (0.2%).
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/remittances-mexico-plummet-16-2-percent-june/
Elon Musk and X notch court win against California deepfake law
One of the country’s strictest bans on election deepfakes was defeated by a challenge from the tech billionaire.
SACRAMENTO, California — A federal judge on Tuesday struck down a California law restricting AI-generated, deepfake content during elections — among the strictest such measures in the country — notching a win for Elon Musk and his X platform, which challenged the rules.
But Judge John Mendez also declined to give an opinion on the free speech arguments that were central to the plaintiffs’ case, instead citing federal rules for online platforms for his decision.
Mendez also said he intended to overrule a second law, which would require labels on digitally altered campaign materials and ads, for violating the First Amendment. The judge’s decisions Tuesday deal a blow to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who signed the laws last year in a rebuke of Musk, vowing to take action after the tech billionaire and then-Donald Trump supporter shared a doctored video of former Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the election.
The first law would have blocked online platforms from hosting deceptive, AI-generated content related to an election in the run-up to the vote. It came amid heightened concerns about the rapid advancement and accessibility of artificial intelligence, allowing everyday users to quickly create more realistic images and videos, and the potential political impacts.
But opponents of the measures, like Musk, also argued the restrictions could infringe upon freedom of expression.
The original challenge was filed by the creator of the video, Christopher Kohls, on First Amendment grounds, with X later joining the case after Musk said the measures were “designed to make computer-generated parody illegal.” The satirical right-wing news website the Babylon Bee and conservative social media site Rumble also joined the suit.
The Harris video had depicted her describing herself as the “ultimate diversity hire.”
Mendez said the first law, penned by Democratic state Assemblymember Marc Berman, conflicted with the oft-cited Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act, which shields online platforms from liability for what third parties post on their sites. “They don’t have anything to do with these videos that the state is objecting to,” Mendez said of sites like X that host deepfakes.
But the judge did not address the First Amendment claims made by Kohls, saying it was not necessary in order to strike down the law on Section 230 grounds.
“I’m simply not reaching that issue,” Mendez told the plaintiffs’ attorneys.
Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos said the governor’s office was still reviewing the decision, but that they “remain convinced that commonsense labeling requirements for deep fakes are important to maintain the integrity of our elections.”
A spokesperson for California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said it was also reviewing the judge’s decisions. Berman’s office declined to comment and the office of Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, the Democrat who authored the second law, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kristin Liska, arguing on behalf of the California attorney general’s office, noted the Berman law only applied to large platforms with 1 million or more users. She therefore asked Mendez to limit his order to plaintiffs X and Rumble.
Kohls’ Attorney Theodore Frank told POLITICO after the hearing he would work with Liska to ensure his client is protected on other sites that were not party to the lawsuit, like Facebook and YouTube.
Liska faced tough questioning from Mendez over the second deepfake law, challenged by the same plaintiffs, that requires platforms to label and take down deepfake videos of politicians around election time.
“I think the statute just fails miserably in accomplishing what it would like to do,” Mendez said, adding he would write an official opinion on that law in the coming weeks.
Laws restricting speech have to pass a strict test, including whether there are less restrictive ways of accomplishing the state’s goals. Mendez questioned whether approaches that were less likely to chill free speech would be better.
“It’s become a censorship law and there is no way that is going to survive,” Mendez added.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/elon-musk-x-court-win-california-deepfake-law-00494936
Democrats: We cannot build bananas in America