President Donald Trump announced a major deal on Friday that he said would give the United States full control of 10% of the computer company Intel.
Trump announced the deal first in a post on his Truth Social platform, where he touted the arrangement as &#8220;a great Deal for America and, also, a great Deal for INTEL.&#8221; The president said that he himself had negotiated the deal with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan.
&#8220;It is my Great Honor to report that the United States of America now fully owns and controls 10% of INTEL, a Great American Company that has an even more incredible future,&#8221; Trump posted. &#8220;I negotiated this Deal with Lip-Bu Tan, the Highly Respected Chief Executive Officer of the Company.&#8221;
&#8220;The United States paid nothing for these Shares, and the Shares are now valued at approximately $11 Billion Dollars,&#8221; he added. &#8220;This is a great Deal for America and, also, a great Deal for INTEL. Building leading edge Semiconductors and Chips, which is what INTEL does, is fundamental to the future of our Nation. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Thank you for your attention to this matter.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/suLz96EODS">pic.twitter.com/suLz96EODS</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1958999176324555140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also touted the deal in a similar post on Friday afternoon, saying, &#8220;BIG NEWS: The United States of America now owns 10% of Intel, one of our great American technology companies. This historic agreement strengthens U.S. leadership in semiconductors, which will both grow our economy and help secure America’s technological edge. Thanks to Intel CEO @LipBuTan1 for striking a deal that’s fair to Intel and fair to the American People.&#8221;
The Intel CEO&#8217;s tone was equally optimistic as he, too, posted news of the arrangement along with the same photo Lutnick had shared.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
&#8220;Just met with President Trump to announce a historic agreement: the U.S. government is investing $8.9B in @Intel to boost American semiconductor leadership,&#8221; he posted. &#8220;I’m excited about the work ahead to ensure the most advanced silicon technology and computing products of the future are designed and built right here in the USA. Thank you @potus and @howardlutnick for the confidence you have in Intel to deliver for our country.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Just met with President Trump to announce a historic agreement: the U.S. government is investing $8.9B in <a href="https://twitter.com/intel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Intel</a> to boost American semiconductor leadership.
I’m excited about the work ahead to ensure the most advanced silicon technology and computing products of the future are… <a href="https://t.co/8PUcJyiNJu">pic.twitter.com/8PUcJyiNJu</a>
— Lip-Bu Tan (@LipBuTan1) <a href="https://twitter.com/LipBuTan1/status/1958998149231780303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A report from The Associated Press gave some <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-intel-us-equity-stake-b538526b6698f7ebd31e99effd727693">details</a> on the arrangement, which saw the United States &#8220;getting the stake through the conversion of $11.1 billion in previously issued funds and pledges. All told, the government is getting 433.3 million shares of non-voting stock priced at $20.47 apiece — a discount from Friday’s closing price at $24.80. That spread means the U.S. government already has a gain of $1.9 billion, on paper.&#8221;

Donald Trump Addresses Annual Israeli American Council Summit In Washington

Trump Announces Major Deal With Computer Giant: ‘A Great Deal For America’

Trump Announces Major Deal With Computer Giant: 'A Great Deal For America'

Business

Computer

Donald Trump

Economy

Politics

Cracker Barrel’s market value plummeted after the “Old Country Store” sterilized its logo, scrapping its nostalgic man and barrel for a yellow, vaguely barrel-shaped backdrop.
The marketing maneuver was unpopular online as users tore into Cracker Barrel corporate for the new logo. The fast food burger chain Steak &#8216;n Shake piled on to Cracker Barrel, as well.
“Sometimes, people want to change things just to put their own personality on things. At CB, their goal is to just delete the personality altogether. Hence, the elimination of the &#8216;old-timer&#8217; from the signage. Heritage is what got Cracker Barrel this far, and now the CEO wants to just scrape it all away,” Steak ‘N Shake’s X account posted.
“At Steak n Shake, we take pride in our history, our families, and American values. All are welcome. We will never market ourselves away from our past in a cheap effort to gain the approval of trend seekers,” it added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sometimes, people want to change things just to put their own personality on things. At CB, their goal is to just delete the personality altogether. Hence, the elimination of the &#8220;old-timer&#8221; from the signage. Heritage is what got Cracker Barrel this far, and now the CEO wants to… <a href="https://t.co/Aoml8ZOfuT">pic.twitter.com/Aoml8ZOfuT</a>
— Steak &#8216;n Shake (@SteaknShake) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteaknShake/status/1958584823217578214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
Cracker Barrel lost roughly $200 million in market value on Thursday following the announcement of the new logo, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cracker-barrel-cbrl-stock-down-200-million-loss-new-logo-change/">CBS News</a>. The stock hit came a day after CEO Julie Felss Masino appeared on &#8220;Good Morning America&#8221; to defend changes she has spearheaded at the southern comfort store and restaurant.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
“Honestly, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we’re doing,” Masino told host Michael Strahan. “I actually happened to be in Orlando last week with all of our managers – we bring them together once every other year – and the number one question that I got asked, Michael, was, ‘How can I get a remodel? When can I get a remodel? When can I get on the list?’”
“The feedback and the buzz is so good, not only from our customers, but from our team members,” she continued.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Cracker Barrel reveals new logo, CEO Julie Felss Masino says people love their new rebrand.
&#8220;Honestly, the feedback&#8217;s been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we&#8217;re doing,&#8221; Masino told GMA while discussing the overall rebrand.
This logo is depressing. <a href="https://t.co/EZVpWLv4Bg">pic.twitter.com/EZVpWLv4Bg</a>
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1958248356091949349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
Amid the fallout, the company said that the old man, known as “Uncle Herschel,” would remain “front and center in our restaurants and on our menu,” according to CBS News.
“Our values haven&#8217;t changed, and the heart and soul of Cracker Barrel haven&#8217;t changed,” Cracker Barrel added.

Cracker Barrel

Steak ‘N Shake Sizzles Cracker Barrel As ‘Old Country Store’ Loses $200M With New Logo

Food

U.S.

Wokeness

The beloved family restaurant Cracker Barrel is taking serious heat online for a rebranding effort that many fans absolutely despise.
The main update is a logo change for the first time in 47 years. 
The Southern country-themed restaurant chain first opened in 1969. It got its name from the 19th-century practice of people gathering to socialize around a barrel full of crackers outside a country store. While the original logo had just text, most customers are more familiar with the version that debuted in 1977, which included a man sitting next to a barrel.
The new logo follows the current trend of simplification and features a basic font on a plain background with no graphics. The restaurant said in a <a href="https://www.crackerbarrel.com/newsroom/news-releases/2025/aug/cracker-barrel-teams-up-with-country-music-star-jordan-davis">press release</a> that the new logo is &#8220;rooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape and wordmark that started it all.&#8221;
But the public does not appear to be convinced.
“As a brand designer that worked at [Cracker Barrel] for almost 9 years, watching them commit brand suicide is&#8230; something,” one popular <a href="https://x.com/rikoruss31/status/1958251796557705270">response</a> on X says.
“President Trump needs to federalize Cracker Barrel and deport this CEO to Bukele’s  ̶t̶o̶r̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶m̶p̶ correctional facility as soon as possible,” Daily Wire podcast host Michael Knowles joked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump needs to federalize Cracker Barrel and deport this CEO to Bukele’s ̶t̶o̶r̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶m̶p̶ correctional facility as soon as possible. <a href="https://t.co/C1YD89euYe">pic.twitter.com/C1YD89euYe</a>
— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles/status/1958330927802990765?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“Cracker Barrel has been a staple for years, and they have always embraced tradition and old fashioned dining,” another person <a href="https://x.com/RedsRepair95/status/1958249125763498403">wrote</a>. “The logo was recognizable to generations of people. Why change something that didn’t need to change?”
&#8220;Depressing,&#8221; another person said.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
“Honestly, the feedback’s been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we’re doing,&#8221; Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino said during a recent appearance on Good Morning America. The exec joined the company in 2023 after working in senior roles at Taco Bell, Mattel, Sprinkles Cupcakes, and Starbucks.
&#8220;Cracker Barrel needs to feel like the Cracker Barrel for today and for tomorrow…the things that you love are still there. We need people to choose us, and we want people to choose us,&#8221; Masino added.
In addition to the logo change, the restaurants have been undergoing remodeling to look more modern. The exec insists store managers are keen to get their stores on the list for a remodel, but again, the reactions on social media seem to be mostly negative. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino should face charges for this crime against humanity <a href="https://t.co/auBFPi4bpr">pic.twitter.com/auBFPi4bpr</a>
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1958330887117971578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The new cracker barrel remodel is biggest architectural catastrophe since penn station i’m so serious,” one person said. 
“Cracker Barrel? more like&#8230;Corporate Sterile,” another agreed.
“This is a war crime,” echoed a third.

Cracker Barrel Restaurants Lawsuit

Cracker Barrel Blasted For Rebrand That Scraps Beloved Logo: ‘Crime Against Humanity’

Cracker Barrel Under Fire For 'Depressing' Logo Redesign, Rebrand: 'Crime Against Humanity'

Restaurant

Social Media

United States

Target CEO Brian Cornell is stepping down next year after serving in the role for 10 years. The move comes as Target faces declining sales and a controversial public image, with boycotts coming from both sides of the political aisle.  
The Minneapolis-based company is passing the baton to chief operating officer Michael Fiddelke, who was selected in a unanimous board of directors vote, per an <a href="https://corporate.target.com/press/release/2025/08/target-appoints-michael-fiddelke-as-chief-executive-officer">announcement</a> made on Wednesday. Fiddelke, a 20-year veteran of the company, will take over beginning February 1, 2026.
“It is clear that Michael is the right leader to return Target to growth, refocus and accelerate the company’s strategy, and reestablish Target’s position as a leader in the highly dynamic and fast-moving retail environment,” Christine Leahy, lead independent director of Target’s Board of Directors, said.
Cornell had previously committed in 2022 to serve for three more years as CEO. He will now be the executive chair of the company&#8217;s board of directors. 
Sales were down 1% in the latest quarter compared to one year ago, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/20/business/target-ceo-brian-cornell-steps-down-after-10-years-as-retailer-fights-to-reverse-sliding-sales/">noted</a>, with a reported $25.2 billion total. This trend was blamed on a reduction in total merchandise offered. Profit for the quarter was $1.3 billion, which is a reduction of 19% compared to last year, according to the Post. 
The company blamed some of its financial woes on the economic uncertainties surrounding Trump’s tariff plan.
Earlier this year, Target announced it was rolling back its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, following suit with other companies and retailers amid the changing political landscape. This pivot served to anger liberal activist groups, who called for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/jul/20/black-americans-boycot-target-amazon-dei">boycotts</a>. RetailBrew <a href="https://www.retailbrew.com/stories/2025/08/18/target-s-revenues-track-closely-to-foot-traffic-q2-foot-traffic-is-down-3-1">reported</a> that these boycotts appeared to be working as foot traffic was down 3.1% in Q2.
In May, Cornell blamed the lackluster first-quarter sales in part on the company changes related to DEI. 
He <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/21/target-tgt-q1-2025-earnings.html">said</a> the numbers declined due to “ongoing pressure in our discretionary business, plus five consecutive months of declining consumer confidence, tariff uncertainty, and the reaction to the updates we shared on belonging in January.” 
Despite making these changes, some conservatives are still boycotting Target for its past pride campaigns <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-to-offer-pride-merchandise-in-fewer-stores-after-backlash-against-tuck-friendly-swimsuit-sale-last-year">aimed at children</a>, saying the retailer’s policy changes were too little, too late.

Brian Cornell

Target CEO Steps Down As Sales Plummet And Boycotts From Both Sides Continue

Target CEO Steps Down After 10 Years Following Declining Sales, Boycotts From Both Sides

boycott

Minneapolis

Target

Tariffs

Beyond Meat, the plant-based food company that makes vegan burgers that look like the real thing, is denying rumors it is planning to file for bankruptcy soon amid plummeting sales.
The company, which pioneered and popularized hyper-realistic plant-based &#8220;meat&#8221; products that resemble burgers, chicken tenders, and more has been struggling financially, and recent media reports <a href="https://vinnews.com/2025/08/14/beyond-meat-heads-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy/">suggested</a> it is headed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“We have not filed, nor are we planning to file, for bankruptcy,” a Beyond Meat spokesperson <a href="https://plantbasednews.org/news/economics/beyond-meat-denies-filing-for-bankruptcy/">said</a> in a statement to Plant Based News, calling the rumors &#8220;unequivocally false.&#8221;
However, the numbers do not look good.
Beyond Meat&#8217;s revenue <a href="https://investors.beyondmeat.com/news-releases/news-release-details/beyond-meatr-reports-second-quarter-2025-financial-results-0">fell</a> 19% year-over-year to $75 million in the second quarter this year. It has seen a total net loss of $29.2 million and an operating loss of $34.9 million this year.
The company&#8217;s CEO Ethan Brown <a href="https://investors.beyondmeat.com/news-releases/news-release-details/beyond-meatr-reports-second-quarter-2025-financial-results-0">said</a> they were &#8220;disappointed&#8221; with the low numbers and blamed &#8220;ongoing softness in the plant-based meat category.&#8221;
In the wake of its money problems, the company has slashed its workforce and says it plans to eliminate about 6% of its workers in hopes of becoming profitable by 2026. It also suspended operations in China.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Beyond Meat is also doing a major rebrand — it will reportedly <a href="https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/food/beyond-to-drop-meat-major-rebrand/">drop</a> &#8220;Meat&#8221; from its name and be known as simply Beyond to distance itself from meat and emphasize its plant protein ingredients.
Some of Beyond Meat&#8217;s vegan burgers are concocted in a way that makes them sizzle, sear, and even bleed like real burgers.
However, after years of promises that vegan &#8220;meat&#8221; was here to stay, plant-based meat companies are still grappling with the fact that Americans overwhelmingly <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919220301354?utm_source=chatgpt.com">prefer</a> real meat, which is also usually cheaper.
Also, in the years since Beyond Meat&#8217;s launch, grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe&#8217;s, as well as other food companies, have launched their own versions of vegan &#8220;meat&#8221; products, eating into Beyond Meat&#8217;s market.
The company&#8217;s share price has plummeted 97% over the past five years despite much hoopla when the company went public in 2019. At its peak, Beyond Meat was trading at a whopping $10 billion. Now its market capitalization is around $200 million.
Other vegan meat companies like Impossible Foods, known for its &#8220;Impossible Burger,&#8221; are <a href="https://qz.com/fake-meat-plant-protein-industry-impossible-foods-beyond">also</a> struggling — the company has had multiple rounds of layoffs despite originally attracting billions in funding from investors like Bill Gates and Google Ventures.
The CEO of Impossible Foods even suggested his company might start blending real beef into its burgers in a bid to attract people who eat both real meat and plant-based meat.

Beyond Meat Earnings Beat Expectations

Plant-Based Beyond Meat Denies It’s Filing For Bankruptcy Amid Falling Sales

Plant-Based Beyond Meat Denies It's Filing For Bankruptcy Amid Falling Sales

Veganism

Vegetarian

More than 30,000 wireless power banks have been <a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/ESR-HaloLock-Wireless-Power-Banks-Recalled-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Distributed-by-Waymeet">recalled</a> over risk of fire and explosions.
The recall involves ESR HaloLock Wireless Power Banks with model numbers 2G520, 2G505B and 2G512B, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The power banks have &#8220;ESR&#8221; printed on the back and the model number on the side. They also have &#8220;five circular LED display lights&#8221; on the side.
&#8220;The lithium-ion battery in the recalled power banks can overheat and ignite, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers,&#8221; the CPSC said.
The CSPC added that consumers should stop using the power banks immediately and contact Waymeet for a refund.
There have been nine reports of the power banks catching fire and exploding, the agency said. There have been no reported injures, but the malfunctions caused about $20,000 in property damage.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
About 24,000 power banks were sold in the United States and about 10,000 in Canada between September 2023 and July 2025.
Consumers can email support@erstech.com with a photo of the recalled power bank with the model number and &#8220;recalled&#8221; written on the device in permanent marker.
The CPSC said consumers should dispose of the devices according to state and local guidelines. Lithium batteries pose a greater risk of fire than normal batteries and cannot be disposed in normal garbage or recycling bins.
More than one million Anker power banks were <a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/More-than-One-Million-Anker-Power-Banks-Recalled-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Manufactured-by-Anker-Innovations">recalled</a> in June for a similar problem, according to the agency.

Leisure monitor – Smartphone

Thousands Of Wireless Power Banks Recalled After Fires, Explosions

Canada

Explosion

General

Recall

Multiple antiseptics, cleansers, and hand soaps have been voluntarily recalled over bacteria that could cause &#8220;life-threatening sepsis.&#8221;
DermaRite Industries is recalling DermaKleen antiseptic lotion with Vitamin E in 1,000- and 800- milliliter sizes, KleenFoam antimicrobial foam soap in 1,000-milliliter sizes, DermaSerra external analgesic in 7.5-ounce sizes, and PeriGiene antiseptic cleanser in 7.5-ounce sizes.
The products have expiration dates ranging from July 2025 to February 2027, the company <a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/dermarite-industries-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-dermakleen-dermasarra-kleenfoam-and">said</a> in a press release. They were distributed in the United States and in Puerto Rico.
The company recalled the products, which were intended to &#8220;decrease bacteria,&#8221; because of a bacterial &#8220;contamination identified as Burkholderia cepacia.&#8221;
&#8220;The contaminated products may be used by immunosuppressed individuals or by people attending to immunosuppressed individuals,&#8221; the press realease said. &#8220;In healthy individuals with minor skin lesions the use of the product will more likely result in local infections, whereas in immunocompromised individuals the infection is more likely to spread into blood stream leading to life-threatening sepsis.&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
The company told distributors and customers &#8220;to immediately examine available inventory and destroy all affected products.&#8221;
DermaRite said it &#8220;has not received any reports of adverse events.&#8221;
Burkholderia cepacia complex, also called B. cepacia or Bcc, is a bacteria group often found in soil and water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is dangerous for people with compromised immune systems or chronic lung diseases, especially cystic fibrosis. It poses little risk to healthy individuals.
The CDC said B. cepacia can cause serious respiratory infections, as well as fever and fatigue. Individuals may also experience no symptoms. The bacteria&#8217;s resistance to antibiotics can make it difficult to treat.

Wash your hands

Hand Soaps, Antiseptics Recalled Over Bacteria That Could Cause ‘Life-Threatening Sepsis’

Disease

Health

As we pass the halfway point of the 2020s, it’s safe to say we’ve all had front row seats to what many people have described as the vibe shift. You don’t really have to pay attention to business to understand that something is changing in corporate America. You don’t have to be looking at stocks every day to realize that the balance of power is shifting away from the heights of wokeness we saw at the beginning of the 2020s. President Trump’s latest executive <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/08/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-guarantees-fair-banking-for-all-americans/">order</a>, prohibiting politicized debanking, is creating massive positive waves for conservatives concerned about losing access to their finances — and investors who don’t want the banks they invest in playing politics. This comes on the heels of other executive orders targeted at biased AI <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/preventing-woke-ai-in-the-federal-government/">programs</a> and divisive, discriminatory <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-and-wasteful-government-dei-programs-and-preferencing/">DEI policies</a>.
These big steps are the results of top-down exercises in executive power. And a frequent criticism I hear, as someone whose job it is to pay attention to business, is that Trump’s executive orders will just create a facade of non-wokeness, under which companies will resume their previous biased policies. As it happens, answering that criticism is a major part of my work in the world of corporate engagement. Because the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-year-the-dei-tide-turned?author=Isaac+Willour&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=10&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Year+The+DEI+Tide+Turned">pushback</a> against ESG, DEI, &amp; corporate wokeness isn’t just coming from the White House. It’s coming from ordinary investors all across this country who want the businesses they invest in focusing on… well, business.
Let’s take debanking as an example. Months before Trump’s debanking executive order came down, banks like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-win-jpmorgan-chase-ends-political-debanking?author=Isaac+Willour&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Major+Win%3A+JPMorgan+Chase+Ends+Political+Debanking">JPMorgan Chase</a> &amp; <a href="https://x.com/IsaacWillour/status/1929918865842012351">Citigroup</a> adopted explicit guarantees: no more debanking based on clients’ political beliefs or affiliations. These banks weren’t just anticipating the regulatory and political shift coming from Washington — they were hearing from shareholders. Why? Because when businesses play politics, they don’t just incur the wrath of Republican politicians. These gambles with brand value and deviations from the core business model hurt ordinary Americans, who rightly expect Citigroup to create value for their kids’ college fund instead of opining on gun control through their lending policies.
When JPMorgan Chase debanked Ambassador Sam Brownback, investors took notice. And the investors I work with aren’t the type to sit back and take it. Shareholders like <a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/my-bid-to-make-jpmorgan-less-woke-progressive-discrimination-conservatives-christians-shareholders-sec-banking-finances-583c7999?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAhg8WubEGKB7cvLlardDDcKkGeJqpUicqcbM1xoLBHMGeBHqpP1w-ZC4shMtQk%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68957d1d&amp;gaa_sig=hpzyOTrRxsQ-AO0cLmG4VpK0q2-FpzuLTXkXA0T73nZM0Iu73898-9shhfsDz68MpAEbFs9tDXU_DvlMbfl-Fw%3D%3D">David Bahnsen</a> and other ordinary <a href="https://investor.bankofamerica.com/regulatory-and-other-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001193125-24-064529/d529855ddef14a1.pdf">investors</a> were attending annual meetings and putting pressure on these companies from the inside for years, not to be right-wing or give special privileges to conservatives, but to play it neutral: serve everyone, because everyone needs banks. And because banks have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders, there have been real arguments occurring between investors and company reps for years on the debanking issue. Add to this pressure from red state fiduciaries cutting ties with activist banks (turns out, pro-energy states don’t take kindly to banks demonizing the energy industry), and the supercharging effect of an executive order, and you start to see how corporate America is slowly shifting back towards normalcy. And that’s just the debanking issue.
If you had to sum up why the backlash to corporate wokeness is working in one sentence, try this one: the pro-sanity business ecosystem has become too big to ignore, and too committed to fail. Think about it as a coalition. One part is ordinary investors and institutions who invest for return — these aren’t professional activists, a dynamic that companies are only recently having to get used to. Another part is financial professionals, another part are legal advocates like Alliance Defending Freedom, working to make sure companies can’t just ignore their own shareholders (because they try — often). Another part is friendly journalists and X personalities like Robby Starbuck, putting millions of eyes on this issue. Another part is the countless advocacy groups providing the research &amp; data that fuel our ability to talk to these companies, such as Consumers’ Research and the 1792 Exchange. Effective corporate engagement happens when all these forces align on a single aim: getting companies out of politics &amp; back to business. 
And we’re seeing real results on a whole host of issues. Beyond the debanking issue, we’re seeing companies <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/08/us-banks-quit-net-zero-alliance-before-trump-inauguration">ditch</a> anti-energy commitments in droves (turns out, net zero becomes a fantasy the minute you look at the energy demands of the real world.) We’re seeing companies commit to treating their religious employees with the same respect &amp; privileges afforded to non-religious ones, including through workplace affinity groups and inclusion in charity matching programs. We’re seeing companies like <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/media/pepsico-puts-out-viewpoint-neutral-media-buying-content-policy-website">PepsiCo</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ibm-rolls-back-dei-commits-to-political-neutrality?author=Isaac+Willour&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=IBM+Rolls+Back+DEI%2C+Commits+To+Political+Neutrality">IBM</a> commit to not using their ad policies to discriminate against conservative news outlets like the Daily Wire. And we have good reason to believe that, as corporate engagement increases, more wins are coming.
So, what about that façade of nonwokeness? Aren’t companies just going to lie? As it happens, vigilance from actual investors is a fantastic way to safeguard against that. People generally have the biggest incentive to do something when it hurts to not do it. So, who has the biggest incentive to make sure businesses aren’t playing politics? The people who own the business: shareholders. The investors we represent have a clear incentive to be in the details — because the problem of corporate wokeness isn’t just a PR or branding issue. It’s an issue that affects the bottom line Americans depend on.
The vibe shift we’re seeing goes far beyond Washington, even though Washington matters. What’s happening in America, in real time, is conservative investors and institutions waking up and realizing that they’ve been leaving their financial influence on the table. And we truly have no blueprint for how much winning is possible when that influence is brought to bear. So, from Washington, to the halls of conservative institutions, to the ordinary mom-and-pop investors sitting at their kitchen table in West Texas — here’s to winning. The best is yet to come.
* * *
Isaac Willour is an award-winning journalist focusing on race, culture, and American conservatism, as well as a corporate relations analyst at Bowyer Research. His work has been featured at outlets including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times Opinion, C-SPAN, and The Daily Wire. He is a member of the Young Voices contributor program and can be found on X <a href="https://twitter.com/IsaacWillour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@IsaacWillour</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Flag and Wall street sign

Why The Pro-Sanity Coalition Is Winning Again In Corporate America

Banks

Corporations

debanking

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

JP Morgan

Stock Market

Wall Street

Woke Culture

President Donald Trump on Thursday called for Intel’s CEO to resign as the tech company battles falling fortunes and criticism from the nation’s capital.
“The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114987288040725570">posted</a> on Truth Social.
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s past business dealings with Chinese companies and government-linked entities have fueled distrust among top Republicans, who argue that his close ties to Beijing pose a risk to America&#8217;s chip industry—a sector the White House deems critical to national security in the AI race against China. The Silicon Valley-based company is best known as one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers, producing microchips that power computers and other devices.
Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, the top Republican and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, outlined his concerns in a <a href="https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-to-intel-ceos-ties-to-china-are-concerning">letter</a> to Intel earlier this week.
“Mr. Tan reportedly controls dozens of Chinese companies and has a stake in hundreds of Chinese advanced-manufacturing and chip firms. At least eight of these companies reportedly have ties to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army,” Cotton wrote.
“Mr. Tan was most recently the CEO of Cadence Design Systems, a company that makes electronic design automation (EDA) technology, which is a key enabler of advanced chip design. Last week, Cadence pleaded guilty to illegally selling its products to a Chinese military university and transferring its technology to an associated Chinese semiconductor company without obtaining licenses. These illegal activities occurred under Mr. Tan’s tenure,” Cotton added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Senator Tom Cotton is not wrong here. Sharing an infographic from <a href="https://twitter.com/thewirechina?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thewirechina</a>, a news magazine founded by Pulitzer Prize winner and former China correspondent David Barboza, mapping the Intel head Lip-Bu Tan&#8217;s venture capital firm Walden and its ties to Chinese companies: <a href="https://t.co/u2cfJRkf4L">https://t.co/u2cfJRkf4L</a> <a href="https://t.co/O5bi2lWB97">pic.twitter.com/O5bi2lWB97</a>
— Melissa Chan (@melissakchan) <a href="https://twitter.com/melissakchan/status/1953536377150476303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In a companywide email on Thursday, Tan, who is from Malaysia, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-ceo-lip-bu-tan-trump-resignation-call-response-2025-8">reportedly</a> denied any wrongdoing, insisting he has always held &#8220;the highest legal and ethical standards.&#8221;
&#8220;The United States has been my home for more than 40 years,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Leading Intel at this critical moment is not just a job &#8211; it&#8217;s a privilege.&#8221;
Tan founded the venture capital firm Walden International, through which Tan has participated in billions of dollars worth of investment deals with Chinese companies, some of which fall on U.S. government watch lists.
Intel received the largest grant awarded to a single company under the CHIPS and Science Act signed by President Joe Biden in 2022: nearly $8 billion. Tan’s deep web of business ties across China has thrown that grant into question and added more instability on top of Intel’s already turbulent business.
“Intel, the Board of Directors, and Lip-Bu Tan are deeply committed to advancing U.S. national and economic security interests and are making significant investments aligned with the president’s America First agenda,” the company said in a <a href="https://x.com/PatrickMoorhead/status/1953573020565668054">statement</a> after Trump’s call for Tan to step down.
The tech company, once a leader in the tech industry, has struggled in recent years, and the backlash from political leaders has worsened its position. The company’s share price fell 3% on Thursday after the salvo from Trump. Since the start of last year, Intel’s share price has fallen roughly 60%, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/trump-intel-ceo-lip-bu-tan-resign-china-ties-cotton-ce111513">The Wall Street Journal</a>.

Lip-Bu Tan

Trump Demands Intel CEO Quit Over China Ties: ‘Highly Conflicted’

China

Executive

Tom Cotton

World

WASHINGTON — Apple is expected to invest another $100 billion in the United States, a White House official shared with The Daily Wire.
President Donald Trump will make the announcement at 4:30 pm on Wednesday in the Oval Office, the official said, sharing that Apple will boost the company&#8217;s U.S. commitment to a total of $600 billion over the next four years.
“President Trump’s America First economic agenda has secured trillions of dollars in investments that support American jobs and bolster American businesses,&#8221; White House Assistant Press Secretary Taylor Rogers told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Today’s announcement with Apple is another win for our manufacturing industry that will simultaneously help reshore the production of critical components to protect America’s economic and national security.”
<div id="attachment_957493" style="width: 872px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-scores-another-win-apple-to-pump-100-billion-more-into-u-s-economy/the-inauguration-of-donald-j-trump-as-the-47th-president-34" rel="attachment wp-att-957493"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-957493" class="wp-image-957493 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2194398447-862x576.jpg" alt="" width="862" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2194398447-862x576.jpg 862w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2194398447-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2194398447-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2194398447.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 862px) 100vw, 862px" /></a>Apple CEO Tim Cook smiles attends the inauguration of Donald Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson &#8211; Pool/Getty Images)</div>
The Wednesday announcement will include a new American Manufacturing Program (AMP), which will be focused on bringing even more of Apple&#8217;s supply chain and its advanced manufacturing to the United States. The company will use AMP to increase investments across the country and incentivize companies across the globe to manufacture critical components in the U.S., the White House official shared.
Apple supports more than 450,000 jobs and thousands of suppliers and partners in the United States.
Apple <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/apple-plans-texas-factory-ai-servers-20000-research-jobs-2025-02-24/">initially announced in February</a> that it would spend $500 billion in U.S. investments during the president&#8217;s time in office, including a massive factory in Texas and around 20,000 jobs focused on research and development. The $500 billion sum includes purchases from U.S. suppliers and the production of U.S. television shows and movies for Apple TV+, among other content.
<div class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__full_width__kCIGb body-module__small_body__gOmDf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD" data-testid="paragraph-1">Apple shares <a href="https://www.cnn.com/markets/stocks/AAPL">were up 3.95% Wednesday morning</a>, on track for their most significant single-day gain since May, CNN reports.</div>

President Trump Travels To Bedminster For The Weekend

Trump Scores Another Win: Apple To Pump $100 Billion More Into U.S. Economy

Apple

White House

The CEO of Jaguar is stepping down from his position not long after after the company went viral for an avant garde rebrand that many deemed ultra woke.
Adrian Mardell is reported to be retiring from his role after spending three decades at the luxury car company. The exec worked in finance for most of his tenure before stepping in to serve as CEO for the past three years, per a Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/jaguar-land-rover-says-ceo-mardell-step-down-2025-07-31/">report</a>. No reason was given for his upcoming departure.
An ad campaign for Jaguar sparked massive criticism online following its November release. The “Copy Nothing” campaign included a colorful commercial of people dressed in vibrant, outlandish outfits. The characters could be seen grabbing sledgehammers, painting over the camera lens, and striking poses as the music played.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Copy nothing. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jaguar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jaguar</a> <a href="https://t.co/BfVhc3l09B">pic.twitter.com/BfVhc3l09B</a>
— Jaguar (@Jaguar) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaguar/status/1858800846646948155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One of the chief criticisms viewers have is that the ad doesn’t have any cars in it.
Instead, disjointed phrases such as “create exuberant,” “live vivid,” “delete ordinary,” “break molds,” and “copy nothing” appear on the screen.
Tesla founder Elon Musk responded to the ad, writing, “Do you sell cars?”
The social media account replied to many commenters questioning the ad, saying things like, “The story is unfolding. Stay tuned,” “We’re shifting gears, not our purpose,” and “Consider this the first brushstroke.”
The ad was part of a huge brand overhaul, which has been described as going in a new EV-only direction.
Managing director Rawdon Glover complained about the backlash during an interview with the Financial Times, saying the campaign messaging was drowned out in “a blaze of intolerance” on social media. Glover also claimed that the colorful new ad was not meant to be “woke.”
“If we play in the same way that everybody else does, we’ll just get drowned out. So we shouldn’t turn up like an auto brand,” Glover said at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woke-is-dead-jaguar-gets-mocked-for-colorful-car-free-brand-re-launch">reported</a>.
“We need to re-establish our brand and at a completely different price point so we need to act differently. We wanted to move away from traditional automotive stereotypes.”

Adrian Mardell

Jaguar CEO Steps Down Months After Woke Rebrand Commercial Went Viral

Cars

United Kingdom

Recording artist Lizzo got in on the trend of mocking the viral American Eagle ad with Sydney Sweeney, but most of her followers were not amused.
The 37-year-old rapper shared what appears to be an AI image of herself clad head to toe in denim to Instagram that included the caption, “My jeans are black.” The image also had text on it that said, “If the Democrats won the election.”
Comments on the image mostly criticized Lizzo for having beef with the Sweeney ad, pointing out that it wasn’t racist or hateful to put white people in advertisements.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMxynrMxlJl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
&nbsp;
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #F4F4F4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div>
</div>
&nbsp;
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMxynrMxlJl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
“Lizzo this is embarrassing,” one person wrote. “Sydney being the face of the ad doesn&#8217;t take away from other ethnicities or beauty. Get real.”
“This is so weird. So companies are no longer allowed to use any white models to model their products?” another wrote.
“This promotes division and smells of racism and relevancy. Do better,” another wrote.
Many commenters also noted how Lizzo failed to tag the original creator of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMvO-grx3Zw/?hl=en">image</a>, Kevin Flynn, who runs the account “whitepeoplehumor.” She also cropped out his name when reposting the ad recreation on her personal Instagram account.
The argument stems from American Eagle’s viral ad campaign featuring Sweeney posing provocatively with a sports car while helping advertise the retailer&#8217;s denim. In one of the ads, Sweeney says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”
This messaging has led to absolute crashouts by mainstream media and leftist social media influencers, who insist the Sweeney ads are nothing but “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftists-crash-out-over-whiteness-of-sexy-sydney-sweeney-jean-ads">Nazi propaganda</a>.”
Backlash got so bad that American Eagle responded, but instead of apologizing, they doubled down. 
‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” the company <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-eagle-refuses-to-cave-doubles-down-in-response-to-sydney-sweeney-ad">posted</a> on Friday to their Instagram.
“We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way,” AE continued. “Great jeans look good on everyone.”

Lizzo and Sydney Sweeney

Lizzo Weighs In On Sydney Sweeney Ad With Jeans Image, Gets Dragged By Followers

advertising

Lizzo

Racism

Sydney Sweeney

Menu