Fox News issued an on-air apology over the weekend after businessman and television personality Kevin O’Leary acknowledged he had no evidence to support claims that opponents of his proposed Utah data center project were connected to China or the Chinese Communist Party.
The apology, which was read by anchors across multiple Fox News programs, addressed comments O’Leary made during a May 24 appearance on “Mornings with Maria Bartiromo,” where he discussed the ongoing controversy surrounding his planned artificial intelligence data center development in Utah.
According to the network’s statement, O’Leary had made “certain claims relating to the opponents of his project.” Fox News said O’Leary has since corrected the record and clarified that he has “no evidence” that the Alliance for a Better Utah, Josh Kantor, or Taylor Knuth are funded by China or the Chinese Communist Party.
The network went further, saying it was likewise unaware of any evidence supporting those allegations.
“Fox News Media is likewise aware of no evidence that they are funded by, or acting in the direction of, or in coordination with Chinese interests in opposing Mr. O’Leary’s project,” the statement said.
The network concluded its announcement with a direct apology, stating, “Fox News Media also apologizes for the error.”
The apology came after O’Leary publicly walked back his earlier remarks in a social media post last week.
“Recently I appeared on various news programs and would like to clarify that I have no evidence that Alliance for a Better Utah, Elevate Strategies, Gabrielle Finlayson, Taylor Knuth or Josh Kanter are funded by China or the Chinese Communist Party,” O’Leary wrote.
The correction marked a significant reversal from comments he made during his Fox News appearance, when he discussed the proposed data center project and broader concerns about America’s electrical infrastructure.
During that interview, O’Leary described China as an “adversary” and argued the country wants “us to stop building our electrical grid.” His remarks included allegations aimed at individuals and organizations opposing his Utah development, claims that he has now acknowledged were unsupported.
O’Leary, a well-known businessman and television personality, has been a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump.
He is also leading plans for a controversial 40,000-acre artificial intelligence data center campus in Utah, a proposal that has generated significant opposition from local residents.
Critics of the project have raised concerns about both its massive scale and its potential environmental impact, fueling an ongoing debate over the development.
Those disputes formed the backdrop for O’Leary’s television appearance, during which he discussed resistance to the project before making the claims that Fox News has now publicly disavowed.
While the legal and political debate surrounding the proposed data center continues, Fox News made clear in its weekend statement that neither the network nor O’Leary can substantiate allegations that the project’s opponents are funded by or coordinating with China or the Chinese Communist Party.
The apology and O’Leary’s public clarification effectively close the record on those claims, with both acknowledging that no evidence has been presented to support them.
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