Kevin O’Leary sued over Utah data center remarks

July 18, 2026

1–2 minutes

Summary

Two Utah residents sued Kevin O'Leary over Fox News remarks tying them to China amid opposition to his proposed data center.

Why this matters

The case centers on whether public accusations made on national television can expose media outlets and high-profile guests to legal risk. It also highlights the local impact of national political claims tied to a major Utah development project.

Kevin O’Leary is being sued by two Utah residents who said he falsely linked them to the Chinese government while criticizing opponents of his proposed 40,000-acre artificial intelligence data center in Utah.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday against O’Leary and Fox News Network, was brought by Gabrielle “Gabi” Finlayson and Josh Kanter. It said O’Leary claimed on Fox News in recent months that they served as “proxies for the Chinese government” and that “[t]his is the [CCP] at work here. There’s no question about it.”

Finlayson is the founder and senior partner of Utah political consulting firm Elevate Strategies. Kanter is an attorney and founder of the progressive nonprofit Alliance for a Better Utah.

The suit alleged the comments caused “reputational harm, significant economic losses, severe emotional distress, and ongoing threats to their physical safety.” It also alleged that “Fox was instrumental in O’Leary’s defamatory smear campaign, putting him on air to attack [the] plaintiffs five times in three weeks.”

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Europe

Kyiv protests enter second day over Fedorov exit

About 1,000 people protested Fedorov’s dismissal in Kyiv on Thursday.

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Thousands of people gathered in Kyiv on Friday for a second day of protests over President Volodymyr Zelensky’s removal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in a wider government reshuffle.

Many protesters carried Ukrainian flags and signs supporting Fedorov. Protests also took place Thursday in other cities.

Fedorov, who had served for less than six months, repeatedly clashed with Ukraine’s top military commander as he pushed to digitize and modernize an army strained by four years of fighting Russia’s invasion.

A day after he was forced to resign, Fedorov on Thursday accused commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky of dividing the country. He criticized slow bureaucracy and a lack of flexibility, and questioned whether Ukraine could defeat Russia with Syrsky leading the army.

Zelensky said the two men were barely speaking.

“A president in wartime should not have to choose in such a situation, honestly,” Zelensky said. “I would very much like unity.”

After Fedorov’s removal, Zelensky said Thursday that he had appointed Yevgeniy Khmara, head of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), as acting defense minister.

As defense minister, Fedorov raised military salaries, announced plans for partial demobilization, and introduced game-like rewards for units that killed the most Russian soldiers. But Fedorov, who had never served in the military, repeatedly clashed with commanders who favored a more traditional approach.

Before becoming defense minister, he spent much of the war promoting technologies including drones to help offset Ukraine’s shortages of personnel, money, and ammunition.

A June 2026 poll by the Kyiv Institute of Sociology found Fedorov was among Ukraine’s most trusted public figures.
Europe

Ukraine strikes Crimea fuel, power links, Russia says

Russia said July 7 that Ukraine tried to attack the main compressor station on the TurkStream pipeline. “This is pure terrorism,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

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Ukraine expanded drone strikes on Crimea and Russian energy infrastructure in July, while Russian-installed authorities in Crimea reported prolonged fuel and power disruptions.

Ukraine’s operation, named “Molochka,” began July 6. Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s unmanned forces, said on Telegram that it “paralyzes the feeder fleet of Russian courier tankers.” He said the vessels move oil from the Volga-Don Canal and Sea of Azov to larger tankers in the Black Sea.

Brovdi said Ukraine struck 147 vessels in the first 10 days of the operation through July 16, including 117 feeder tankers in the Sea of Azov. By July 13, he said, “movement through the strait has been stopped,” and unloading of oil to Crimea “has been reduced to a minimum.”

Crimea’s Russian-installed governor, Sergey Aksyonov, acknowledged shortages. “We cannot guarantee daily sales of gasoline at gas stations, nor can we provide precise schedules for fuel distribution,” he said, adding that shortages “will likely continue for some time,” despite subsidies approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On the night of July 13, Ukraine’s Security Service said it struck ferries used to move military cargo across the Kerch Strait, as well as oil storage and transshipment sites. Ukraine also targeted power infrastructure, striking the Saky thermal power plant on July 9, five substations on July 10, and nine more substations plus the Kuban-Crimea electricity transfer point in Russia on July 13.

Aksyonov said, “There will be no precise schedules for electricity delivery.” Authorities switched off street lighting, distributed generators, and provided 4,000 pressurized gas canisters to households. He also announced lease discounts, payment delays, and microloans for businesses.

Ukraine said the campaign was part of a broader effort to hit Russian fuel supplies and export revenue. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine carried out 7,028 successful mid-range strikes in 2026, including 2,000 in May and 3,800 in June.

Ukraine also reported long-range strikes on refineries in Krasnodar Krai, Rostov, Samara, and Bashkortostan between July 10 and July 14. Syrskyi said Ukraine hit 172 similar long-range targets in June and nearly 700 in the first six months of the year, causing an estimated $6.1 billion in damage.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said July 10 that petrol shortages were linked to refineries being “partially out of service due to incursions.”
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U.S. hits Iran infrastructure, Iran strikes Gulf

Crossings through the strait fell to a three-week low Thursday, according to MarineTraffic.com, and oil rose above $86 a barrel.

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The United States expanded its airstrike campaign against Iran early Friday, hitting bridges, energy sites, and a tower at Chabahar port as fighting with Iran continued around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran launched missile attacks at Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, according to authorities in those countries. In Kuwait, officials said a power and water desalination plant was hit and damaged. Qatar’s Interior Ministry said falling debris wounded a child.

The interim ceasefire agreed to last month has collapsed, and the U.S. and Iran have traded attacks for days. Iranian officials said recent U.S. strikes killed dozens and wounded hundreds, with more casualties reported Friday.

Speaking Thursday, President Donald Trump said, “We are likewise winning big in Iran, and you will see the fruits of that labor very, very shortly.”

Iran effectively closed the strait to shipping traffic after the war began Feb. 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran.

Iranian state television said U.S. strikes in Hormozgan province overnight killed at least seven people in Bandar Khamir, on the Strait of Hormuz. The bridge strikes appeared aimed at routes linking Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main port, with central Iran and Tehran.

Iran’s Energy Ministry also acknowledged attacks on power infrastructure for the first time, urging people in southern provinces to reduce electricity use. It said those areas “are currently experiencing extreme heat and attacks on power infrastructure.”

U.S. Central Command said it struck dozens of targets in attacks that ended at dawn Friday, the sixth straight night of U.S. strikes. State-run IRNA said one strike collapsed a tower at Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman.

By 6 a.m. Friday, the strikes had killed at least 38 people and wounded more than 400 in Iran, Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said.

Jordan’s military said it intercepted three Iranian missiles Friday morning. In northern Iraq’s Kurdish region, explosions were heard in Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as air defenses responded to incoming fire. An official said an apparent attack on the Iranian Kurdish dissident group Komala killed at least nine people.

Also Friday, a tanker traveling through the Strait of Hormuz near Oman sustained minor damage in an attack, the British military said. Iran did not immediately acknowledge responsibility.
Military & National Security

Blue Angels face no punishment after beach flyover

Blue Angels Commanding Officer Adam Bryan appeared to acknowledge in a video circulating on Reddit that one pilot flew lower than usual over the crowd.

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U.S. Navy leaders said Thursday that the Blue Angels will not face consequences after an unusually low flyover at Pensacola Beach, Florida, on Wednesday.

“Flight debrief complete. No reprimands. No firings. No problem,” Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said in an X post.

The Navy had opened a safety review after the incident, which rattled chairs and umbrellas on the beach.

Cao’s remarks came after Trump administration officials voiced support for the flight demonstration squadron as videos of the flyover circulated online.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a social media post, “The flyovers will continue until morale improves.”

The White House’s main social media account posted an animated image captioned, “It’s okay to love America.”
US Politics

Trump backs Darline Graham in S.C. Senate race

Darline Graham has not previously sought elected office. She was sworn in Tuesday to serve the rest of her brother’s fourth term, which expires in January.

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President Donald Trump urged newly sworn-in Sen. Darline Graham on Friday to run for a full six-year term in South Carolina’s U.S. Senate special election.

“I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey. Darline, who comes from an absolutely incredible family, has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement in the Special Election for U.S. Senate in South Carolina — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN. RUN, DARLINE, RUN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Lindsey Graham’s death over the weekend set an Aug. 11 special Republican primary to replace him as the party’s nominee for November. It is South Carolina’s first open U.S. Senate race in 22 years.

The candidate field had been expected to be large. Trump’s endorsement came four days before filing begins.

Trump said he met with Darline Graham in the Oval Office and asked her to run.

“We have known each other for a long time,” he wrote in the post, made at 3:15 p.m. Friday. “She is a spectacular person, and a true American Patriot. Lindsey was one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, and his sister shares his deep love of our Country, and the State of South Carolina.”

She started her career as a certified optician before moving into state government, where she has worked for 28 years. She spent 12 years as a director at the state Vocational Rehabilitation Department, which helps people with disabilities find jobs. Since 2019, she has led the state Commission for the Blind.

She and her husband, Larry Nordone, live in Lexington. She is the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.

Graham earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the College of Charleston and a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from South Carolina State University.

U.S. Rep. William Timmons, who had already said he did not plan to run, backed Trump’s choice on X.

The winner of the Republican primary will face Dr. Annie Andrews, a Charleston County pediatrician, in November. Andrews has made health care central to her campaign and is seeking to become the first Democrat to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate since Fritz Hollings retired in January 2005.

Memorials for Lindsey Graham will be held Tuesday in Washington and Wednesday in Columbia and Pickens County. Details had not been announced.
Military & National Security

Marine Corps updates heat, cold injury rules

According to the Marine Corps, the updated rules give units more specific direction than a 2015 version and are intended to reduce preventable injuries that can interrupt training and operations.

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The Marine Corps issued interim guidance July 9 updating how commanders prevent, identify, and respond to heat- and cold-related injuries during training and operations.

The guidance, in MARADMIN 311/26, will remain in effect until it is incorporated into Marine Corps Order 5100.29C. It directs commanders to strengthen risk management, training, local operating procedures, and reporting through the Risk Management Information system.

Marines who could face extreme heat or cold must receive training on causes, prevention, and treatment, including wet-bulb globe temperature readings, work-rest cycles, flag warning systems, and wind chill factors. Units must record attendance and may schedule refresher training before high-risk events.

Commanders must also identify Marines at higher risk, including those with prior heat or cold injuries, and those taking certain medications or supplements, and monitor them more closely. Marines are expected to arrive acclimatized and properly equipped for conditions, according to the guidance.

Units must develop standard operating procedures for hot- and cold-weather operations, including how to use and maintain wet-bulb globe temperature meters and how to share current index and flag conditions with personnel on site. Installation commanders are responsible for keeping meters calibrated, taking readings in at-risk areas, displaying flags, and making equipment available to tenant units.

The guidance also calls for trained observers during high-risk activity, ready transportation, and notice to supporting military treatment facilities before high-risk training or operations. Fluid replacement, rest breaks, and cooling or warming measures must follow published guidance.

Any suspected heat or cold injury must be evaluated by a health care provider. Unit safety representatives must enter cases into the Risk Management Information system, and incidents must also be routed through the disease reporting system, the Marine Corps said.

The guidance says leaders from noncommissioned officers upward must know the procedures and enforce buddy aid. If a Marine appears ill or unable to continue, that person must be sent for medical assessment.
US

Kevin O’Leary sued over Utah data center remarks

The suit alleged the comments caused “reputational harm, significant economic losses, severe emotional distress, and ongoing threats to their physical safety.”

Full story +

Kevin O’Leary is being sued by two Utah residents who said he falsely linked them to the Chinese government while criticizing opponents of his proposed 40,000-acre artificial intelligence data center in Utah.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday against O’Leary and Fox News Network, was brought by Gabrielle “Gabi” Finlayson and Josh Kanter. It said O’Leary claimed on Fox News in recent months that they served as “proxies for the Chinese government” and that “[t]his is the [CCP] at work here. There’s no question about it.”

Finlayson is the founder and senior partner of Utah political consulting firm Elevate Strategies. Kanter is an attorney and founder of the progressive nonprofit Alliance for a Better Utah.

The suit alleged the comments caused “reputational harm, significant economic losses, severe emotional distress, and ongoing threats to their physical safety.” It also alleged that “Fox was instrumental in O’Leary’s defamatory smear campaign, putting him on air to attack [the] plaintiffs five times in three weeks.”
US

Sunset Boulevard shut after 17 million-gallon break

Officials estimated Sunset Boulevard could reopen by Monday.

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A water trunk line rupture on the Sunset Strip spilled 17 million gallons of water, forced the closure of part of Sunset Boulevard for at least several days, and damaged homes, garages, and vehicles in West Hollywood.

Closures remained in place on Sunset Boulevard from San Vicente Boulevard and North Clark Street to Horn Avenue, where the 110-year-old pipe broke. Larrabee Street at Santa Monica Boulevard and Palm Avenue at Santa Monica Boulevard were also closed, according to the city of West Hollywood. Resident-only access remained on Shoreham Drive at Sunset Boulevard, Holloway Drive between Palm and Hancock avenues, and San Vicente Boulevard at Cynthia Street.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power crews pumped water from the sinkhole by Friday morning and prepared to remove a traffic-signal conduit to reach the damaged section. Anselmo Collins, the utility’s chief operating officer and senior assistant general manager, said about 25 feet of pipe must be replaced and welding the new steel section onto the existing line will take about 16 hours.

“I don’t want to guarantee that we’re going to have it open by Monday, but we’re going to do everything possible to get it open as quickly as we can,” Collins said.

West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman said the break happened at the top of a hill, sending water into businesses and residences. A handful of residential units were flooded, and electricity was shut off in some after electrical panels were affected. Most damage occurred in underground garages.

Heilman estimated 150 to 200 cars were damaged or destroyed. Residents with property or vehicle damage can file claims with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power at ladwp.com/claims. Claims staff were scheduled to be available Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 1010 Palm Ave.

The break occurred before dawn Thursday on a riveted steel pipe from 1916. Collins said that section of the Sunset trunk line had been scheduled for replacement in 2031 as part of a broader project involving 6.4 miles of trunk line, 3.5 miles of 12-inch distribution pipe, and a pressure-regulating station.

The rupture drew comparisons to a 2014 trunk line break on Sunset Boulevard that sent more than 10 million gallons of water onto the UCLA campus. Collins said the utility prioritizes replacement projects based on age, leak history, and the potential consequences of failure.
Military & National Security

Pentagon extends DC Guard mission through Jan. 2029

Similar deployments in other cities have ended or been paused by courts in California and Illinois, while more limited operations continued in cities including New Orleans.

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President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Washington will continue through the end of his term.

The Pentagon said in an email Thursday that the mission will run until Jan. 20, 2029, “or until terminated by the President.” The deployment had been set to expire at the end of this year after a previous extension.

Trump ordered the deployment in August 2025 under an executive order responding to what he called a crime emergency. The administration said crime had fallen sharply since then, while local officials said crime had already been declining before Trump sent 2,500 troops and additional federal law enforcement officers into the city.

During the mission, Guard members responded to medical emergencies, assisted with arrests, helped with snow removal, and carried out beautification projects.

“Taxpayers are paying more than a million dollars a day to have them walk around,” Phil Mendelson, chairman of the District of Columbia Council, said in April, adding that “the presence of armed soldiers on American streets is not a good look.”

In November, a Guard member was fatally shot and another was wounded after authorities said a man drove from Washington state to the city and opened fire outside a subway station three blocks from the White House. Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who was killed, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe were deployed from West Virginia.

Because Washington is a congressionally established federal district, Trump has broader authority over the city’s police and D.C. National Guard than he does in states, allowing the administration to avoid some of the legal challenges seen elsewhere.

Guard members do not make arrests, but the administration said their support had aided the broader crime-fighting effort. The White House said in April that a joint task force had made 12,000 arrests since operations began, including 62 known gang members, and had seized thousands of illegal firearms.

Officials continued to disagree over how much of the drop in crime could be attributed to the deployment. Data showed crime had already been declining before the order, though those figures later prompted an investigation into claims that local police data may have been manipulated.
US

Trump faults networks for skipping prime-time speech

Broadcast networks have broad First Amendment rights to decide what to air, though such speeches have often been carried because they are considered matters of public importance.

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ABC, NBC, and CNN did not air President Donald Trump’s Thursday prime-time address on their main television platforms, opting instead for streaming or digital outlets.

The speech focused on election security, four months before the midterm elections. During the address, Trump said networks that did not carry it were part of a “plot” and should have their licenses revoked.

“In a rare move, NBC and ABC fake news have both said they would not cover this speech,” Trump said. “Fraud like this should mean a revocation of their licenses.”

ABC News said before the speech that it would air Trump’s remarks on ABC News Live and ABC News Radio, but not on its broadcast channel. NBC News carried the speech on NBC News NOW, but not on its main broadcast network. CNN said it would monitor the speech for news, with a live feed on its website and CNN All Access.

In the address, Trump declassified intelligence that he said showed Chinese interference in U.S. elections. He renewed claims about election security despite a U.S. intelligence assessment that found no evidence Beijing altered the 2020 vote, which he lost.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said before the speech that Trump could also address Iran, the economy, and other topics, and said that was “all the more reason” for networks to carry it live.

Trump briefly discussed the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, saying the United States was winning, and said the economy was in its best shape ever, but he focused on election-security allegations.

Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden was rigged and that mail voting, voting machines, and noncitizen voting are vulnerable to fraud. Some Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, urged networks not to air the speech, saying he was likely to repeat false claims.

CBS interrupted regular programming to air the speech. Before it began, anchor Tony Dokoupil said, “Honestly, much of what the president has said on this topic is false,” adding that CBS was carrying it because “it will be news, and it is our job to cover the news.” CBS cut away after about 15 minutes to fact-check Trump’s claims.

Fox News aired the speech live, and Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said Wednesday that broadcast networks should carry Trump’s remarks.