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Music legend Neil Sedaka dead at 86
Legendary singer, Neil Sedaka, died on Friday, Feb. 27 at the age of 86.
"Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather," his family said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed."
News of his death comes after reports first surfaced that the singer-songwriter was rushed to the hospital on Friday morning.
Sedaka first rose to fame in the 1950s and '60s, with hits such as "Oh Carol," "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and "Next Door to an Angel," and is known as one of the original creators of the "Brill Building" sound, a sub-genre of pop music.
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During this time, he and his partner, Howard Greenfield, also wrote hit songs for other artists, including "Stupid Cupid" and "Where the Boys Are" for Connie Francis, and "Love Will Keep Us Together," for Captain & Tennille.
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Throughout his six-decade career, Sedaka received five Grammy Award nominations, had number one hits on the Billboard charts and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978.
Sedaka is survived by, Leba, his wife of over 60 years, and their two children, Dara and Marc.
This is a breaking news story. Check back here for updates.
DHS funding stalemate thaws as White House sends Democrats 'serious' counteroffer
Frigid negotiations between the White House and Senate Democrats appear to be thawing, with the Trump administration submitting what it calls a "serious" offer to reopen the government.
"Yesterday, the White House made another serious counteroffer," a White House official told Fox News Digital. "Democrats need to make a move to end the shutdown before more Americans are harmed by a lack of funding for critical services like disaster relief."
It’s the second offer from the White House in an ongoing back-and-forth that has left the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) without funding for two weeks. With lawmakers away from Washington, D.C., for the weekend, the shutdown is set to stretch into a third week.
AGENCY THAT NABBED 'EL CHAPO,' 'DIDDY' THREATENED AS DEMOCRATS' DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON
The latest development comes after a week of stalled negotiations between Senate Democrats and the administration, along with concerns that an off-ramp from the shutdown remained out of reach.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., both acknowledged receiving the offer in a joint statement Friday.
"We have received the White House’s counteroffer and are reviewing it closely. Democrats remain committed to keep fighting for real reforms to rein in ICE and stop the violence."
SCHUMER, DEMS AGAIN BLOCK DHS FUNDING, FORCE STATE OF THE UNION SHOWDOWN
Congressional Democrats have spent much of the week accusing the White House of not taking the negotiations seriously, while Republicans contend their counterparts are asking for too much.
Schumer and Senate Democrats earlier this week blocked another attempt by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Republicans to fund DHS using the original compromise funding bill.
DEMOCRATS DEMANDING ICE REFORMS LOSE AIRPORT ESCORTS IN SHUTDOWN THEY TRIGGERED
"It seems like the Democrats concluded this is maybe good politics for them. It’s not for the people whose lives are affected on a daily basis," Thune said earlier this week. "So we’ll keep pressing to try and get folks to the table. But I think the White House — you know — they continue to exchange paper and trade paper and all that, and hopefully they’ll find a sweet spot."
Democrats want stringent reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including requiring agents to obtain judicial warrants and identify themselves during enforcement actions — changes Republicans and the administration say are red lines.
They argue the White House has not shown the urgency they would have expected, given that an agency central to President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda has been shuttered for nearly three weeks.
"They haven’t indicated that they’re concerned about the closure of DHS," Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told Fox News Digital. "They’ve been slow to come back on the proposals that the Democrats have made, and no one has ever explained why there should be only one police force in the entire country that should not have to follow the same kind of rules as everyone else."
Jake Tapper ruefully reveals CNN will be affected by Paramount's looming takeover of network
CNN host Jake Tapper's reaction summed it up on Thursday when he told viewers the future of the network was affected by the decision of Netflix to back out of buying the cable channel's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
"We have some breaking news in our national lead that affects everybody I’m looking at right now in the studio," he said as he turned his head to look around the room.
"Moments ago, Netflix said it is declining to raise its offer for the purchase of Warner Bros. Studios and HBO, following the Warner Bros. Discovery board’s determination that Paramount, which is not just going for Warner Bros. Studios and HBO, but also the whole enchilada, including us here at CNN.
"Paramount has submitted a superior offer, according to Warner Bros. Discovery’s board. As I’ve noted, Warner Bros. Discovery is the parent company of CNN."
Netflix dropped its bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery Thursday after the company announced Paramount's latest bid to buy all of its assets, including CNN, was "superior."
The sale would put Paramount CEO David Ellison in charge of CNN. Ellison has a close relationship with President Donald Trump and has angered liberals for installing Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News.
The mood inside CNN was "horrific" on Friday as network leadership sought to calm fears of anxious staffers worried about the possible corporate merger.
NETFLIX BACKS OUT OF WARNER BROS BIDDING WAR AFTER PARAMOUNT MADE 'SUPERIOR' OFFER
"The mood is horrific," a CNN insider told Fox News Digital. "People are very upset."
A second CNN insider said staffers feel "a mix of despair, apprehension and curiosity."
"Look, I think this is a place that has gone through a lot. A lot of mergers in the past decade. A lot of ‘fresh’ starts," the insider said.
"I think there is an underlying fear of mixing two news divisions. Who is gonna get canned?"
BARI WEISS SUGGESTS CECOT '60 MINUTES' PIECE SHE DELAYED WASN'T 'FAIR' IN MEMO TO STAFFERS
While most corporate mergers of this magnitude come with headcount reductions, many CNN staffers are well aware that CBS News has undergone both layoffs and directional changes since Ellison took over last year.
Weiss, who was handpicked by Ellison, has bluntly told staffers they are "not producing a product that enough people want."
She has also taken steps to tamp down the liberal slant that was prominent at CBS News before the Ellison takeover.
Fox News' Joseph A. Wulfsohn and Brian Flood contributed to this report.
Cronkite-era producer exits CBS News in dramatic fashion after 46 years at network
Veteran CBS News producer Mary Walsh exited the network in dramatic fashion on Friday, suggesting the organization has been told to aim reporting at a particular political party.
Walsh’s exit comes as an onslaught of changes has occurred at the direction of CBS News under polarizing editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. Many liberals feel Weiss is attempting to rid the network of its lefty slant, and CBS News has faced a headcount reduction since she took control.
"We’ve been reading a lot of goodbyes lately and here I am headed out the door. It’s too soon, even after 46 years," Walsh wrote in a memo to CBS News staffers, according to The Guardian.
CBS NEWS LEADERSHIP 'BLINDSIDED' BY ANDERSON COOPER'S EXIT: REPORT
"But maybe it’s for the best. We’ve been told to aim our reporting at a particular part of the political spectrum," she continued. "Honestly, I don’t know how to do that."
Walsh, who has worked at CBS News since 1979, began her career during legendary anchor Walter Cronkite’s iconic run at the network.
Walsh is considered "an institution" and an "icon" at the network, according to a CBS insider. This insider noted that, whether or not staffers were truly told to focus on a particular political party, the fact that people of Walsh’s character feel that way proves there is a significant issue at hand.
"It’s on management to disabuse them of that notion," the insider told Fox News Digital.
CBS News did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Walsh declined comment when reached by Fox News Digital.
Earlier this month, "CBS Evening News" producer Alicia Hastey quit in similar fashion.
"[T]here has been a sweeping new vision prioritizing a break from traditional broadcast norms to embrace what has been described as ‘heterodox’ journalism," Hastey wrote in a memo posted on X by New York Times reporter Ben Mullin.
"The truth is that commitment to those people and the stories they have to sell is increasingly becoming impossible," Hastey continued. "Stories may instead be evaluated not just on their journalistic merit but on whether they conform to a shifting set of ideological expectations — a dynamic that pressures producers and reporters to self-censor or avoid challenging narratives that might trigger backlash or unfavorable headlines."
Weiss, who was handpicked by CEO David Ellison, was formally named editor-in-chief of CBS News in October after her outlet, The Free Press, was acquired by Paramount. The move drew both internal and external criticism, with some citing her opinion background and lack of television experience.
Weiss recently told staffers they are "not producing a product that enough people want" by focusing on linear television during an all-hands town hall event in which she laid out her vision for the network.
Weiss also frustrated "60 Minutes" staffers by delaying a report on the notorious El Salvador prison CECOT and has been accused by liberals of carrying water for President Donald Trump's administration. However, others have embraced her attempt to rid CBS News of its liberal slant.
CBS has faced criticism from the Trump administration over some of its reporting, including a recent report about the number of illegal immigrants with violent criminal records.
CNN could soon face similar challenges, as Netflix dropped its bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery on Thursday after the company announced Paramount's latest bid to buy all of its assets, including CNN, was "superior." The sale to Paramount would put Ellison in charge of CNN, in addition to CBS News.
California serial child rapist granted parole admitted having pedophilic fantasies as recently as 2021
A convicted California child rapist who was set to walk free this week after controversially being granted parole acknowledged during the proceeding that he still sexually pleasured himself to children as recently as 2021, according to a transcript of the hearing.
David Allen Funston, 64, was set to walk free this week but was instead arrested after a new arrest warrant was issued in Placer County, state officials confirmed.
Funston's potential release by the state Board of Parole generated significant controversy and backlash against Gov. Gavin Newsom. The proceedings detail Funston’s criminal history, his pedophilic disorder diagnosis, and the childhood traumas he claims drove his past violence.
ICE ARRESTS ALLEGED CHILD SEX OFFENDER RELEASED UNDER CONNECTICUT SANCTUARY LAWS
"I was so callous that I – regrettably, I didn't care who I hurt and trying to satisfy my deviant sexual urges," he said. "That's who I was 30 years ago."
"I had this fantasy in my mind that of how this would encounter would go, that fantasy would be, that they would be a willing partner... And so when the children did not respond in the way I wanted... I became angry. Um, and I lashed out in that anger," he added.
During a Sept. 24, 2025 parole hearing, Funston, who was serving a life sentence for his 1999 conviction of the kidnapping and child molestation involving multiple victims, told the panel that as recently as 2021, he still had repeated fantasies of an eight-year-old girl who used to live across the street from him.
He also admitted to raping a little boy because he was "vulnerable and available" and says he targeted children because he enjoyed the power he had over them.
When asked about what triggered his fantasies, Funston said it could have been "a picture of an adult woman, and that would be triggering to me," as well as "reading the pedophilic stories that my father had."
Funston traced his desire for "adrenaline fueled sex" back to his childhood. He said that looking at his father's pornography or molesting his half-sister involved an element of risk because he would be punished if caught, which created a thrill.
He stated that his assault on a four-year-old boy was driven by a desire for power, control, rather than actual sexual attraction.
A May 2022 parole hearing transcript was also disturbing, with Funston admitting to having had incestuous sexual fantasies about his own young daughter. He also described how he chose his first victim.
"For the first victim, Ms. Lily I., I was in Sacramento looking for a place to rent and I saw this young child that was hung up on a fence and I, you know, realized this was an opportunity to act on my fantasies," he said. "And so I regrettably I acted on that, that fantasy."
KENTUCKY CHILD KILLER WALKS FREE ON 'GOOD BEHAVIOR', GETS ARRESTED AGAIN WITHIN DAYS
On Jan. 9, Newsom referred the case back to the Board of Parole Hearings for an en banc review, in which a majority of appointed commissioners reconsider the prior parole decision. On Feb. 18, 2026, the board reaffirmed its recommendation that Funston receive parole.
Funston was slated to be released, but Placer County authorities have accused him of kidnapping and molesting a child in Roseville in 1996. The Placer County District Attorney’s Office said it refiled charges against Funston stemming from the 1996 case within the state’s statute of limitations.
"After learning of inmate Funston’s imminent release, the Sacramento DA’s office began to assess other options to protect public safety," the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office told Fox News Digital on Friday. "On Monday, February 23rd our office sent requests to both the Governor and Secretary of the Department of Corrections to review or rescind this grant of parole."
"Additionally, our office immediately reached out to Placer County and notified them that a child molestation case in their jurisdiction that occurred in 1996 was still within the statute of limitations," the statement continued.
Funston blamed his mother for a genital birth defect and his stepmother for neglect and emotional abuse as a child.
CONVICTED KILLER KEPT IN POLICE OVERSIGHT ROLE AS CITY COUNCIL DISMISSES CONCERNS OVER PUBLIC SAFETY
"I blamed my mother for the fact that I was born prematurely," he said. "I thought, well, maybe she was using drugs or maybe she was drinking, or maybe there was something she did that caused my birth defect with my distorted thinking at that time, I did in fact blame my mom, um, for my birth defect, I did."
He noted that he started working on analyzing "my own feelings of shame and my own feelings of inadequacy all led to that, how my blaming, um, women for my failures,
During the September hearing, the two Parole Board members commended Funston for his "urge control plan" as part of the reason they approved his early release.
"You have a – a really good developed urge control plan," said Presiding Commissioner Patricia Cassady. "You have steps that you take, you practice it every day so that it'll be second nature to you if the, um, high risk – high risk, um, situation develops."
Funston freely admitted to still being attracted to young girls.
"Are you still attracted to female children?" Cassady asked.
"Um, yes, I am," Funston replied.
"Do you want to say yes or no? Okay," she asked again.
"Yes," he responded.
Rubio designates Iran over wrongful detentions, urges Americans to leave country 'immediately'
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday designated Iran as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention, calling for Americans currently in Iran to "leave immediately."
"When the Iranian regime seized power 47 years ago, Ayatollah Khomeini consolidated his control of power by endorsing the hostage taking of U.S. embassy staff," Rubio wrote in a news statement. "For decades, Iran has continued to cruelly detain innocent Americans, as well as citizens of other nations, to use as political leverage against other states. This abhorrent practice must end."
"President [Donald] Trump issued an Executive Order to Protect U.S. Nationals from Wrongful Detention Abroad last fall and Congress subsequently enacted the Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025, authorizing the Department to designate Iran as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention," he added.
Rubio said if Iran does not stop, the U.S. will be forced to consider "additional measures," including a potential geographic travel restriction on the use of U.S. passports to, through, or from Iran.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN ALREADY HAS US TERMS AS MILITARY STRIKE CLOCK TICKS
"The Iranian regime must stop taking hostages and release all Americans unjustly detained in Iran, steps that could end this designation and associated actions. We encourage it to do so," Rubio wrote. "No American should travel to Iran for any reason. We reiterate our call for Americans who are currently in Iran to leave immediately."
Rubio's comments came amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran as they take part in indirect nuclear negotiations.
Trump last week gave Iran roughly 10 to 15 days to reach an agreement, warning during his State of the Union address that the urgency to make a deal was backed by force.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN 'SERIOUSLY TALKING TO US' AS MILITARY SHIPS HEAD TO MIDDLE EAST
Trump told reporters on Friday that he is "not happy" with the way Iran is negotiating, but said he has not yet made a final decision on potential military strikes.
Eleven U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters recently arrived at Israel’s Ovda Air Base in the country’s south, Fox News reported, marking the first-ever operational deployment of American combat aircraft to Israel.
When asked how close a decision may be, Trump told a reporter, "I'd rather not tell you, you would have the greatest scoop in history, right?"
The president noted that there is "always a risk" of long-term conflict in the Middle East.
"I guess you could say there's always a risk," Trump said. "You know, when there's war, there's a risk in anything both good and bad."
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Fox News' Efrat Lachter, Peter Doocy and Morgan Phillips, along with Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
FBI fires a dozen after Biden-era subpoenas of Patel, Wiles come to light
At least a dozen FBI employees were fired this week after revelations that the bureau under the Biden administration allegedly subpoenaed Kash Patel and Susie Wiles’ phone records in 2022 and 2023 as part of a federal probe into then-former President Donald Trump.
More than 10 FBI employees were fired Wednesday, with at least two additional FBI personnel terminated Friday, Fox News has learned.
The FBI allegedly subpoenaed Patel's and Wiles’ records in 2022 and 2023 while they were private citizens.
Patel now serves as the director of the FBI and Wiles serves as the White House chief of staff.
The names of the fired bureau employees were not shared due to privacy reasons, with the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) criticizing the firings earlier in the week.
"The FBIAA condemns today’s unlawful termination of FBI Special Agents, which—like other firings by Director Patel—violates the due process rights of those who risk their lives to protect our country," the organization said in a statement.
"These actions weaken the Bureau by stripping away critical expertise and destabilizing the workforce, undermining trust in leadership and jeopardizing the Bureau’s ability to meet its recruitment goals—ultimately putting the nation at greater risk."
Reuters first disclosed the subpoenas, which were issued during the Biden administration, while Special Counsel Jack Smith was investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
Smith ended up charging Trump in 2023 with multiple felony offenses related to alleged efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 election and Trump's handling of the documents after he left office.
TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM JACK SMITH'S TESTIMONY ON CAPITOL HILL
A federal judge later dismissed the election interference case after Smith moved to drop it following Trump’s re-election, citing a Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
Smith also dropped the Justice Department’s appeal of a separate ruling that dismissed the classified documents case. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in both matters.
In a statement to Fox News Wednesday, Patel called the move to seize the phone records "outrageous and deeply alarming."
"It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records — along with those of now White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight," he said.
The FBI said it discovered the information in the bureau’s newly discovered "prohibited case file."
Patel also said he recently ended the FBI’s ability to categorize files as "prohibited."
Fox News also learned from two FBI officials that in 2023, FBI agents allegedly recorded a phone call between Wiles and her attorney.
According to those officials, Wiles’ attorney was aware the call was being recorded and consented, but Wiles was not informed.
Wiles’ 2023 attorney disputes those claims.
"If I ever pulled a stunt like that I wouldn’t — and shouldn’t — have a license to practice law," the unidentified attorney said, according to Axios. "I’m as shocked as Susie."
Smith testified in 2025 that records of members’ calls helped investigators verify the timeline of events surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
He said prosecutors "followed all legal requirements in getting those records" and told a House panel the records obtained from lawmakers did not include the content of conversations.
Fox News’ Emma Bussey and Emma Colton contributed to this report.
President Trump will convene roundtable to discuss future of college sports: report
The debate over college athletics reform is heading to Washington.
President Donald Trump will host a White House roundtable next week, Fox News Digital has confirmed. The panel is expected to include prominent coaches, college sports and pro sports league commissioners and other professional athletes, according to multiple reports.
The group will meet March 6 to examine solutions to key challenges, including NCAA authority; name, image and likeness issues (NIL); collective bargaining; and governance concerns.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Trump is expected to chair discussions on the issues raised by the roundtable. College sports leaders have yet to craft a comprehensive fix for the major challenges facing collegiate athletics.
RILEY GAINES: COLLEGE SPORTS IS BROKEN – HERE’S HOW TO FIX IT
NCAA authority has come under scrutiny in recent years amid several court rulings. The rise of name, image and likeness has transformed college athletics, intensifying debate over amateurism for student-athletes.
The gap between schools that compete in power conferences and smaller universities that play in the Group of Six conferences has only seemed to widen over the past several years. The Big 10, Big 12, SEC and ACC hold or are in negotiations for massive media rights contracts that significantly outpace smaller conferences.
There have been calls for the U.S. Congress to step in and establish a national framework to create a more stable playing field. However, no proposal has emerged that would effectively address the issue.
According to Yahoo Sports, the list of panel invitees includes Tiger Woods, former Alabama coach Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. However, the list is subject to change, sources told The Athletic.
Trump’s interest in college sports has carried into his second term, highlighted by his attendance at last month’s College Football Playoff national championship between Indiana and Miami. Trump was also on hand for the annual Army-Navy game in December.
In July 2025, the president signed an executive order, "Saving College Sports," instructing federal agencies to review antitrust protections for the NCAA and conferences and oversight of third-party name, image and likeness payments.
The order led to no binding changes, signaling that any impactful reform would likely need congressional action. Trump also considered a presidential commission co-chaired by Saban, though the plan was eventually tabled.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Virginia Democrats talk affordability — and vote to nearly triple their own pay
The Virginia State Senate and its Democratic majority may have voted to nearly triple their pay if a provision inserted into their final budget survives the House reconciliation process and reaches Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk.
The development comes as Spanberger has centered her campaign on "affordability," with Richmond Democrats echoing that they are working to improve their constituents’ personal finances.
Virginia’s legislature itself was founded as a part-time, gentleman’s chamber, where lawmakers would return to their day jobs when Richmond wasn’t holding session.
VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS SEEK DOZENS OF NEW TAX HIKES, INCLUDING ON DOG WALKING AND DRY CLEANING
Proponents of raising the current 1988-established salary of $18,000 for senators and $17,640 for delegates say the structure restricts who can afford to serve as a lawmaker today. Lawmakers also qualify for a $237 per diem, mileage reimbursements, and coverage of office, meeting and other expenses.
Senators’ new salary would be $50,000.
Republicans were quick to criticize the final budget, with the Virginia Senate Minority Caucus saying in a statement that "teachers got a 3% raise, but Democrats give themselves 300%." The actual increase would be closer to 178%, though one could say the new salary would be 300% of the original.
"The affordability hoax just gets worse and worse," the caucus said, adding that the chamber’s majority killed a repeal of the car tax — something GOP gubernatorial nominee Winsome Sears ran on — while increasing the state budget by $1 billion overall.
Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham, told WVTF it is the "wrong time" to address lawmaker pay.
"It's supposed to be affordability for working families across Virginia, not members of the General Assembly," he said.
Virginia’s legislature — the oldest continuous legislative body in the New World — has been making laws since its inception as the House of Burgesses in Colonial Williamsburg, where Spanberger gave the Democratic Party’s State of the Union response.
In her speech, she claimed President Donald Trump is the one "enriching himself, his family and his friends" and said Republicans are the ones "making your life more expensive."
"I traveled to every corner of Virginia, and I heard the same pressing concern everywhere: costs are too high. In housing, healthcare, energy, and childcare," she said.
"Americans deserve to know that their leaders are focused on addressing the problems that keep them up at night."
"Democrats across the country are laser-focused on affordability — in our nation’s capital and in state capitals and communities across America," Spanberger said Tuesday.
The pay raise could be moot if the Democrat-controlled House of Delegates does not amend its own budget proposal to include the provision.
The House’s budget includes $137 million for expanded childcare access, a minimum wage increase to $13.75 in 2027 and $15 in 2029, and a $20 million appropriation for state employees’ and home health care workers’ collective bargaining, according to Washington’s ABC affiliate.
Fox News Digital reached out to the governor, as well as the House and Senate minority leaders, for further comment.
What Trump's 'ratepayer protection pledge' means for you
When you open a chatbot, stream a show or back up photos to the cloud, you are tapping into a vast network of data centers. These facilities power artificial intelligence, search engines and online services we use every day. Now there is a growing debate over who should pay for the electricity those data centers consume.
During President Trump's State of the Union address this week, he introduced a new initiative called the "ratepayer protection pledge" to shift AI-driven electricity costs away from consumers. The core idea is simple.
Tech companies that run energy-intensive AI data centers should cover the cost of the extra electricity they require rather than passing those costs on to everyday customers through higher utility rates.
It sounds simple. The hard part is what happens next.
SCOOP: TRUMP BRINGS BIG TECH TO WHITE HOUSE TO CURB POWER COSTS AMID AI BOOM
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AI systems require enormous computing power. That computing power requires enormous electricity. Today's data centers can consume as much power as a small city. As AI tools expand across business, healthcare, finance and consumer apps, energy demand has risen sharply in certain regions.
Utilities have warned that the current grid in many parts of the country was not built for this level of concentrated demand. Upgrading substations, transmission lines and generation capacity costs money. Traditionally, those costs can influence rates paid by homes and small businesses. That is where the pledge comes in.
Under the ratepayer protection pledge, large technology companies would:
Supporters say this approach separates residential energy costs from large-scale AI expansion. In other words, your household bill should not rise simply because a new AI data center opens nearby. So far, Anthropic is the clearest public backer. CyberGuy reached out to Anthropic for a comment on its role in the pledge. A company spokesperson referred us to a tweet from Anthropic Head of External Affairs Sarah Heck.
"American families shouldn't pick up the tab for AI," Heck wrote in a post on X. "In support of the White House ratepayer protection pledge, Anthropic has committed to covering 100% of electricity price increases that consumers face from our data centers."
That makes Anthropic one of the first major AI companies to publicly state it will absorb consumer electricity price increases tied to its data center operations. Other major firms may be close behind. The White House reportedly plans to host Microsoft, Meta and Anthropic in early March to discuss formalizing a broader deal, though attendance and final terms have not been confirmed publicly.
Microsoft also expressed support for the initiative.
"The ratepayer protection pledge is an important step," Brad Smith, Microsoft vice chair and president, said in a statement to CyberGuy. "We appreciate the administration’s work to ensure that data centers don’t contribute to higher electricity prices for consumers."
Industry groups also point to companies such as Google and utilities including Duke Energy and Georgia Power as making consumer-focused commitments tied to data center growth. However, enforcement mechanisms and long-term regulatory details remain unclear.
CHINA VS SPACEX IN RACE FOR SPACE AI DATA CENTERS
AI infrastructure is already one of the most expensive technology buildouts in history. Companies are investing billions in chips, servers and real estate. If firms must also finance dedicated power plants or pay premium rates for grid upgrades, the cost of running AI systems increases further. That could lead to:
Energy strategy may become just as important as computing strategy. For consumers, this shift signals that electricity is now a central part of the AI conversation. AI is no longer only about software. It is also about infrastructure.
AI is becoming embedded in smartphones, search engines, office software and home devices. As adoption grows, so does the hidden infrastructure supporting it. Energy is now part of the conversation around everyday technology. Every AI-generated image, voice command or cloud backup depends on a power-hungry network of servers.
By asking companies to account more directly for their electricity use, policymakers are acknowledging a new reality. The digital world runs on very physical resources. For you, that shift could mean more transparency. It also raises new questions about sustainability, local impact and long-term costs.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HELPS FUEL NEW ENERGY SOURCES
If you are a homeowner or renter, the practical question is simple. Will this protect my electric bill? In theory, separating data center energy costs from residential rates could reduce the risk of price spikes tied to AI growth. If companies fund their own generation or grid upgrades, utilities may have less reason to spread those costs among all customers.
That said, utility pricing is complex. It depends on state regulators, long-term planning and local energy markets.
Here is what you can watch for in your area:
Even if you rarely use AI tools, your community could feel the effects of a nearby data center. The pledge is intended to keep those large-scale power demands from showing up in your monthly bill.
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The ratepayer protection pledge highlights an important turning point. AI is no longer only about innovation and speed. It is also about energy and accountability. If tech companies truly absorb the cost of their expanding power needs, households may avoid some of the financial strain tied to rapid AI growth. If not, utility bills could become an unexpected front line in the AI era.
As AI tools become part of daily life, how much extra power are you willing to support to keep them running? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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