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AI's massive appetite for power, water ignites fight in high-stakes Texas Senate race

FIRST ON FOX: There’s an ugly political fight brewing in the Lone Star State over data centers, and both candidates running for Senate are racing each other to unveil their plans to slow the AI boom in Texas.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is rolling out his own plan to address what has become a political pressure point in Texas politics during this midterm cycle: how to add guardrails to the explosion of data centers across the state as voters’ concerns rise about skyrocketing power and water costs.

The four-point plan, first obtained by Fox News Digital, details steps at the federal and state levels on the issue and comes in the waning weeks of a closely watched contest for power in the Senate between Paxton and state Sen. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee.

LONGTIME GOP AIDE DEFECTS TO DEM RISING STAR AS TEXAS SENATE BATTLE FOR CORNYN'S SEAT HEATS UP

"There’s no doubt in my mind that the United States will beat the Chinese Communist Party in the AI race," Paxton said in a statement. "This plan will ensure that happens while putting Texas First, protecting our culture and land, and safeguarding our families and communities. My plan will also work to ensure that data centers are not utilized to power AI platforms that endanger our children."

His plan comes after Talarico, who has used the issue of data centers as a political cudgel against Paxton, convened bipartisan roundtables and hit the Republican nominee for taking in nearly $500,000 in campaign donations to a variety of political action committees (PACs) that support him.

"Ken Paxton took nearly half a million dollars from data center companies and has ignored Texans in Hood County who asked him to help block a data center development in their community," Talarico campaign spokesperson JT Ennis told Fox News Digital.

"While Ken Paxton funnels data center money into his campaign, James is fighting to hold data centers accountable. Texans can’t afford a Senator who’s bought by big data center companies," he continued. "Texans can’t afford Ken Paxton’s corruption."

A SOUTHERN STATE JUST TOOK THE TOP SPOT IN ONE OF THE WORLD’S FASTEST-GROWING INDUSTRIES

He’s also not scot-free from receiving data center-adjacent money, either.

Talarico’s political operation, through his Lone Star Rising PAC, has received about $10 million from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, an advocate for data centers who has argued about the value that they present in the AI arms race against China.

"While James Talarico and his campaign infrastructure accept millions of dollars from data center-affiliated donors and put their interests first, I will lead with Texans at the forefront. That’s exactly why I am proud to release my 4-Point Plan that will put Texans First and protect our communities," Paxton said.

The first three pillars of Paxton’s plan address actions against data centers at the federal level.

They would see Paxton author two bills in the Senate to prevent Chinese technology from powering data centers or being used in American infrastructure and creating criminal liabilities for data center companies if the centers empower AI chatbots that undermine children's safety.

ONE MONTHLY BILL AMERICANS CAN’T AVOID IS QUIETLY SURGING THANKS TO EMERGING INDUSTRY: DATA

He would also join as a co-sponsor on the DATA Act, a bill from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., that would create a new federal category for data centers to produce their own independent power away from preexisting power grids.

Talarico’s offering would repeal state tax exemptions for data centers, mandate that data centers cover 100% of grid connection costs, and require closed-loop water recycling systems. It would also give local governments the power to veto project developments.

Paxton similarly wants to undo sales tax exemptions for data centers, something he notably supported over a decade ago while in the state legislature.

Back in 2013, when he was serving as a freshman state senator in the Texas Legislature, Paxton voted in favor of 100% sales tax exemptions for data centers, which passed on a nearly unanimous vote out of the state Senate.

While that exemption required a hefty ground-floor investment of $200 million and employment requirements to receive, it also sparked the present-day boom in data centers.

Meanwhile, at the state level, Paxton would also push Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s new directive unveiled earlier this month to effectively freeze the data center explosion.

Abbott touted earlier this week that his directive has so far halted roughly 1,800 data center projects in the Lone Star State. It requires data centers to disclose how much power they’re using and whether they will produce independent power, their water consumption, financial incentives they’ve received, a plan to lower the impact on local communities and documented ownership of the center.

"These guidelines are now the universally applied standard in Texas," Abbott said on X.



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Four ways to make sure your will protects your family and avoids added grief

There is no worse feeling in life than when a loved one passes away. And when that individual has not communicated his or her wishes or shared key information, that can add an additional burden of time, money and stress to loved ones’ grief.

As August is National Make a Will Month, here are four suggestions to help you make sure you have your will made and updated in a manner that will help your loved ones sort through your estate and continue your legacy in the best manner possible.

CEO’S FIRE DEATH SPARKS MYSTERY, WILL FIGHT OVER TECH TITAN'S FORTUNE

When it comes to estate planning, having a will is important. Having one that is done properly is more important. There are online services that can help you, but I recommend meeting with a local estate planning attorney.

Not only will a professional make sure that your wishes are accounted for properly, but they will understand state-specific requirements and regulations.

Moreover, many estate planning attorneys can help with more than just the legal aspects of estate planning; they can also help or find you someone to help with tax planning and any related entities, such as trusts, to make sure your assets are passed down in the most tax-efficient manner.

RICKY GERVAIS JOKES UK INHERITANCE TAX MAY FINALLY PUSH HIM TO MARRY LONGTIME PARTNER AFTER 40 YEARS

As you meet with an estate planning professional or your accountant, you can explore making gifts to loved ones today. This may bring you more satisfaction, so that you can see your loved ones benefit from what you plan to leave them instead of waiting until you are gone.

In 2026, you can gift $19,000 individually ($38,000 for married couples) per person, tax free for the year. Again, consult a professional for assistance to make sure you are crossing all your "t’s" and dotting your "is" regarding any gifting.

Also, if you have family members who can handle the discussion, dividing up possessions, whether passed now or later, as a family can help minimize fighting among family members down the road.

Moreover, many in the younger generations aren’t interested in the same physical mementos as those who are older. If you have a china set or a collection of statues that hasn’t been used in years, and nobody in the family wants them, you can explore making plans for disposal now – whether that means selling or donating the items. This can generate extra cash, tax deductions or even find a home with someone who you know will enjoy them.

As a bonus, it will create less "cleanup" down the road for loved ones.

MAN ACCUSED OF STEALING MORE THAN $735K AS POWER OF ATTORNEY TO PURCHASE PROPERTY, ONLYFANS AND LIFE COACHING

One of the biggest issues I have seen with those who have wills is that their loved ones can’t find it (or don’t know which is the most recent copy). Preparing your wishes and information but not making them accessible to your loved ones defeats the purpose.

Put your will, along with other key information (like a listing of your financial accounts and advisors or a key to your safe deposit box) and any personal wishes in a legacy and wishes planning kit. You can use one like the kit I created after my father’s passing, Future File, or you can make your own if you prefer.

Whichever route you go, make sure your family members either have access to your kit and its contents now or know how to access it and can do so in case of an emergency or if you pass.

OLIVER TREE MADE EERIE COMMENTS ABOUT HIS WILL WEEKS BEFORE FATAL HELICOPTER CRASH IN RIO DE JANEIRO

A friend of mine’s mother was gravely ill and told my friend about her will. When my friend had an estate planning attorney review it, it turned out that it did not reflect what her mother’s current wishes were; rather, it contained some changes other family members had suggested many years ago that her mother had forgotten about.

If this hadn’t been reviewed, her mother would not have left her assets to her grandchildren, but rather to distant cousins.

That underscores why it is important to review your will regularly and make any updates if circumstances change over the years.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

Additionally, if you have financial accounts, retirement plans or policies, such as insurance policies, that have beneficiaries, make sure that those are up to date, accurate and match your wishes. Beneficiary designations supersede wills, and so beneficiaries will receive the payments, even if they differ from your will. Check this on a regular basis as you review and update your will.

Saving your loved ones dozens of hours of time, giving them peace of mind and reducing uncertainty and even infighting during a very difficult time are the best things that you can leave behind as part of your legacy. That only happens with the proper planning today.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM CAROL ROTH



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American Culture Quiz: Test yourself on presidential portrayals and summer sips

The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people — including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.

This week's quiz highlights presidential portrayals, summer sips — and more.

Can you get all 8 questions right?

Give it a try and see how you do!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES

To try your hand at more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click here. 

Also, to take our latest News Quiz — published every Friday — click here.



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Woman’s alleged ISIS radicalization unfolded online before Capitol bomb plot: court docs

Jessica Bowie, a 35-year-old woman from upstate New York, is now facing terrorism charges after authorities allege she converted to Islam, swore allegiance to the Islamic State group and plotted to bomb the State Capitol building — just weeks before the U.S. will mark 25 years since the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

According to the FBI, she became a Muslim five years ago and took on a new name, Aisha Saif.

The FBI arrested Bowie after she allegedly enlisted a group of confidential informants in her plot, thinking they were ISIS handlers, under the impression she was arranging for them to turn bomb-making materials she'd purchased into an explosive device and to provide her a handgun.

FBI ARRESTS WOMAN WHO ALLEGEDLY PLOTTED ISIS-LINKED ATTACK ON NEW YORK STATE CAPITOL BUILDING

Bowie allegedly praised the terrorists behind the 9/11 attacks that killed 2,977 people on Sept. 11, 2001, according to court documents.

The federal criminal complaint has few details about her alleged embrace of terrorism from before May 2026, but authorities say she was radicalized at some point online.

MISSOURI MAN’S EXPLOSIVES TUTORIAL HELPED NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST PLAN NYE ATTACK, FEDS SAY

She had also allegedly lost multiple social media accounts for violating their terms of service with her posts, according to the criminal complaint — in separate posts in May, she allegedly wrote about poisoning "infidels" and "praise be to Allah for September 11th." By the end of the month, she'd allegedly sworn allegiance to ISIS.

"The key with these sorts of cases is the initial lead," said Paul Mauro, a retired NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor with experience working counter-terrorism cases. "This can come in a number of ways. We criticize social media plenty, but the fact that she was repeatedly banned on these platforms could have been a crucial pointer."

By July, according to the complaint, she was allegedly using encrypted apps to post support for radical Islamic terror and anti-American rhetoric.

TRUMP ADMIN INVOKES 30-YEAR DORMANT TERROR COURT AS IT SEEKS TO DEPORT AFGHAN WOMAN TIED TO ELECTION DAY PLOT

On July 16, she allegedly told an FBI informant that she had begun thinking about "Jehad" more seriously over the past several months. She was also allegedly posting online about how she was sharing ISIS propaganda and attempting to recruit.

In July and August, Bowie allegedly made five visits to scout the State Capitol.

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On Aug. 5, photos released by the Justice Department allegedly show her buying bomb-making materials at a Rensselaer Home Depot store, including a large bucket of nails that was allegedly meant for shrapnel. "We definitely want to make sure the senators get killed for sure," she allegedly told an informant.

On Aug. 13, she allegedly asked an FBI informant whom she thought was an ISIS operative for help obtaining a handgun, according to the complaint.

On Aug. 19, the FBI arrested her after she allegedly gave $350 to a pair of FBI informants and got out of their vehicle carrying an inert handgun and dummy explosive that they'd given her, according to the complaint.

"There's no helping me," she allegedly told the FBI after being read her Miranda rights. "You guys know enough...I'm going to prison for the rest of my life."

She added that she'd already looked up potential sentences online.

"Material support is up to 20 years in prison," she said, according to the complaint. "I already googled it before. I know I'm going to jail."

SEND US A TIP

Earlier that day, she allegedly told an FBI informant that she had grown from "a little girl waving an American flag after 9/11 to now having stickers of the falling towers." She was 10 years old on Sept. 11, 2001.

Bowie, who also has addresses listed in Schenectady, allegedly planned to hide a bomb in a DoorDash delivery bag at the New York State Capitol, according to the complaint.

I LOST MY WIFE ON 9/11. PLEASE LET THIS 25TH ANNIVERSARY BELONG TO THE FAMILIES

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

"I want to destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they are meeting," she allegedly told an informant. "I want them to lose a lot of important documents as well"

Then she allegedly wanted to escape to Syria before returning to the U.S. in the future for more attacks.

A woman who picked up a call to the number listed for Bowie's mother hung up when contacted by Fox News Digital Friday.



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Ukraine’s ‘Equalizer’ bomb aims to blow up reliance on US, European weapons

Ukraine is buying a homegrown glide bomb that could help its pilots strike Russian forces from a safer distance while relying less on weapons supplied by the U.S. and Europe.

The new weapon is called the Vyrivniuvach, or "Equalizer." It was developed by Ukrainian company DG Industry with support from Brave1, a government-backed defense technology group.

A Ukrainian military official told Ukrinform that the bomb has finished testing and is now being bought for the armed forces. Fox News Digital has reached out to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense for more details.

Until now, Ukraine’s warplanes have relied heavily on U.S.-supplied JDAM-ER bomb kits and Small Diameter Bombs, as well as French-made Hammer bombs, for precision strikes from safer distances. The Equalizer could give Kyiv more control over its own supply of guided bombs as foreign military aid remains uncertain.

'A NEW KIND OF WAR': INSIDE UKRAINE'S HIDDEN FACTORIES MASS-PRODUCING COMBAT DRONES

The Equalizer turns a conventional bomb into a precision weapon by adding wings and guidance systems. It is designed to be dropped from Ukraine’s MiG-29, Su-24 and Su-27 warplanes, allowing pilots to attack targets farther behind Russian lines while staying farther away from Russian air defenses.

Brave1 told The War Zone that the bomb could eventually be used by Ukraine’s donated F-16 and Mirage fighter jets, but it needs additional certification before that can happen.

Russia’s use of glide bombs has become one of the most punishing parts of the war for Ukrainian troops and towns near the front. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Russian forces dropped more than 8,300 guided aerial bombs in July — the highest monthly total of the war and an average of more than 267 bombs a day.

Russia’s wider air assault has also intensified in recent days. A Russian missile-and-drone barrage on Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight killed at least 16 people and wounded about 40, Ukrainian officials said Thursday. The attack damaged homes, a school and a children’s hospital.

RUSSIA LAUNCHES BALLISTIC MISSILE ATTACK ON KYIV HOURS AFTER ZELENSKYY WARNS OF MAJOR STRIKE

The Equalizer does not make Ukraine fully independent from foreign supply chains. Brave1 said the bomb’s wings and flight-control software were made in Ukraine, but its chips and microcircuits come from abroad. The group said about 90% of the weapon’s parts come from Ukraine, Europe and the U.S.

The weapons have helped Russia pound Ukrainian defensive positions and communities near the fighting.

Ukraine has continued to press the U.S. and European allies for more air-defense weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this month that the U.S. had agreed to send Patriot interceptor missiles each month, but he warned that the volumes were not enough to meet Ukraine’s needs.

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It is not yet clear when the Equalizer will reach Ukrainian units in large numbers or whether it has been used in combat.

Fox News Digital has reached out to DG Industry and Brave1 for comment.



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The family group chat is a goldmine for scammers

The last message in your family group chat may have seemed completely harmless. It could have been a beach photo, a flight arrival time, a dentist appointment or an update about Dad's cardiologist.

These are the everyday details that keep families connected. They can also give scammers the information they need to impersonate someone you love.

A criminal may already know your relatives' names, phone numbers and addresses before making contact. Your family group chat can supply the current details that make the scam believable.

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YOUR SENIOR PARENTS ARE EASIER TO IMPERSONATE THAN YOU ARE

Scammers do not always need to hack an account. Instead, they may need only a few minutes and access to a data broker site. Sites such as Spokeo, Whitepages and BeenVerified may reveal your name, address history and phone number. They may also list your relatives, including your spouse, adult children, grandchildren and siblings. That information gives a scammer the outline of your family. Meanwhile, your family group chat can fill in the missing details.

For example, you might post that you just returned from Florida. Your daughter may mention that your grandson is backpacking through Europe. You might also share Dad's next doctor's appointment or the date the grandkids start at a new school. Those updates may feel private. However, they can become exposed if someone shares them elsewhere, posts similar details on social media or loses control of an account.

The FBI has explained how criminals use this information in grandparent scams. A scammer may learn that a grandson is a photographer who often travels to Mexico. Then the caller claims to be stranded there after losing his passport and camera equipment. The story sounds believable because it includes real details. The FTC warns that scammers "may know your name, where you live, and other information they could have found on social media." In other words, criminals can combine public records with personal updates to create a convincing lie.

In 2025, Americans age 60 and older reported $7.7 billion in losses to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, with more than 201,000 complaints filed. Here is the number that should stop you. A data removal service analysis of FBI data found that 72% of elder fraud cases in 2024 were enabled by victims' personal data being available online. Those cases accounted for $4.2 billion in losses, or 86% of the total amount stolen.

An 86-year-old woman named Joyce received a call about her real grandson, Grant. The caller reportedly knew he wore glasses, worked as a teacher and was in his mid-20s. Her daughter-in-law later recalled, "There were comments like, 'He's such a nice young man. I love the glasses he wears.'"

Gary Schildhorn told the U.S. Senate Aging Committee about receiving a call from what sounded exactly like his son's voice. The caller asked for nearly $9,000 in bail money. "There was no doubt in my mind that it was his voice on the phone," he said. It was an AI-generated voice clone.

Security researchers say criminals may need only a short audio clip to reproduce someone's voice. That is the type of clip families share in group chats every day. In August 2025, federal prosecutors in Massachusetts charged 13 people in a ring accused of stealing more than $5 million from over 400 victims across five states. The victims' average age was 84. The U.S. Attorney's summary was blunt: "Their goal was to trick our parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends into handing over their life savings under false pretenses, and they succeeded."

Scammers do not always rely on information posted outside the group. Sometimes they take over the chat itself. One common WhatsApp takeover trick starts with a message claiming that a verification code was sent to you by mistake. The sender asks you to forward it. That code is actually your registration code. Forwarding it may allow someone to register your number on another phone. The criminal could then lock you out, create a new PIN and start messaging your family while pretending to be you.

Facebook Messenger accounts can also be cloned or hijacked. With iMessage scams, criminals may try to persuade you to respond to a disabled scam link so that the link becomes active again. SIM swapping presents another threat. A criminal who convinces your carrier to transfer your phone number to a different device may gain access without asking you to forward a code. Once that happens, the scammer no longer needs to guess your relatives' names. The criminal may be inside the group chat using them.

HI MOM TEXT SCAM: HOW TO SPOT FAKE EMERGENCY TEXTS

Good. You should not. Nobody is asking you to leave the family group chat. Disappearing from it would take away one of the best parts of getting older: staying close to your family every day. This isn’t about talking less. It is about making a few five-minute security changes that can close the doors scammers use while preserving the connection your family values.

A few changes can strengthen your account security and help your family respond safely when a suspicious message appears.

Two-step verification adds another layer of protection to your accounts. Therefore, turn it on for every messaging, social media and email account that supports it.

WhatsApp: Open Settings > Account > Two-step verification.

Facebook: Open Accounts Center > Password and security > Two-factor authentication.

Apple Account: Open Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security > Two-Factor Authentication.

This extra security step can help block an account takeover, even if a scammer steals your password or tries to register your account on another device.

Create a family rule that nobody forwards a verification code received by text, email or an authentication app. A legitimate platform will not ask you to send your private login code to another person. A real family member should not need it either. Even when the request appears to come from your child or grandchild, call that person using a phone number you already have before taking action.

Choose a word, phrase or question that only your real family knows. Before anyone sends money or responds to an emergency request, ask for the codeword. Apply the rule every time, even when the person's voice sounds convincing. Do not place the codeword in the same group chat you are trying to protect. Share it by phone or in person.

YOUR FAMILY COULD BE ONE PHONE CALL FROM A BANK SCAM

Post beach photos after you return home rather than while you are still traveling. Real-time travel posts may reveal that your home is empty. They can also give scammers a believable opening line about where you are, where you have been or when you are expected to return. You can still share every great photo. A short delay makes the information less useful to someone watching your activity.

On WhatsApp, review who can see your profile photo, last seen status and About information. Consider limiting those details to your contacts. You can also restrict who is allowed to add you to groups. For conversations containing addresses, appointments or routines, consider enabling Advanced Chat Privacy when it is available. Review similar privacy settings on Facebook, Instagram and any other service your family uses.

Treat an account as untrusted when a family member suddenly asks you to forward a code, send money, buy gift cards or keep an emergency secret. Getting logged out unexpectedly can also indicate that someone is attempting to take over your account. Stop responding in the chat and call the family member directly using a phone number you already had. Do not call a new number provided in the suspicious message.

Use a password managerto create and store a different strong password for every messaging, email and social media account. Reusing the same password gives criminals more opportunities. If one service suffers a breach, the stolen password may be tested against your other accounts. Apassword manager also reduces the temptation to choose short passwords based on birthdays, pets or family names that a scammer could discover online.

There is one problem these security settings cannot solve: the data broker profile that may have made the scam believable in the first place.

Search for your name on sites such as Spokeo or Whitepages. You may find your address, phone number and relatives listed by name. That is the information a scammer can see before making contact.

Meanwhile, your group chat supplies the current details that make the eventual call or message convincing. The data broker profile may have helped identify your family as a possible target.

You can request removal from data broker sites yourself. However, the process can take time, and your information may reappear later.

For ongoing help, consider using a reputable data removal service. These services send removal requests to data brokers on your behalf and continue checking whether your personal information returns.

No service can remove every trace of your data from the internet. Still, reducing the number of sites that display your address, phone number and family connections can make it harder for scammers to build a convincing profile around you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com

The family group chat may feel like the safest room in your digital life, but the information shared there can become valuable to criminals. Data brokers may already have your relatives mapped out by name, while travel plans, appointments and everyday updates give scammers the current details they need to create a convincing story. Real families have lost thousands of dollars to callers who appeared to know everything about them. Messaging accounts can also be hijacked through stolen verification codes, weak passwords, phishing attempts or SIM-swapping attacks. You do not need to leave the family group chat. Turn on two-step verification, use unique passwords stored in a password manager, create a family codeword and wait until you return home before sharing travel updates. Those precautions can protect your accounts, but they cannot remove information that is already sitting on data broker sites. Reducing that exposure requires regularly checking what is public and requesting that your information be removed. Stay close to your family. Just make it harder for someone else to use that closeness against you.

Has a scammer ever contacted you or a relative using real names, travel details or other personal information that made the story feel convincing? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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New ‘Reagan’ movie museum planned for president’s hometown

FIRST ON FOX — Young America’s Foundation is partnering with the "Reagan" movie to showcase some of the sets and props from the biopic.

The materials from the movie about President Ronald Reagan’s life will become permanent exhibits at the new museum in Dixon, Ill., complementing YAF’s stewardship of Reagan’s Boyhood Home in Dixon and the historic Reagan Ranch, also known as "Rancho del Cielo," in Santa Barbara, California. The collection includes a full-scale replica of the Oval Office, the Situation Room, the office of the Soviet leader, the wall of the Hilton Hotel where Reagan was shot, along with hundreds of artifacts from the film. It is expected to open in 2028.

YAF President and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said it’s been meaningful to bring students and families to Dixon over the years to learn about President Reagan, and said the movie museum will help guests discover even more about the beloved actor-turned-president.

NEW DIRECTOR'S CUT OF 2024 ‘REAGAN’ BIOPIC WILL RETURN TO THEATERS FOR AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY

"There’s a great series of stories about what he learned in the Midwest and how that impacted the rest of his public life," Walker told Fox News Digital. "And our hope now is with the connection with the ‘Reagan’ movie, we helped them film a number of the things, particularly at the ranch, created this bond, and then after the movie was done, I thought how cool would it be to connect [with] things like the Oval Office, and have students and families and other guests come in and have a chance not only to take a picture and see what it was like, but then ask questions about, ‘What did he learn here in the Midwest, what impact, what influences, what books, what life experiences shaped not just him becoming President of the United States, but one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century in the entire world?" 

"Bringing down communism, bringing patriotism back to America, and revitalizing our economy," Walker added of Reagan. "So those will be a part of, taking not just the sets, but then tying them in with virtual and photographic and video images of President Reagan so that young people in the end will feel a connection to Ronald Reagan, but more importantly to his ideas."

"Young America’s Foundation has done extraordinary work preserving Ronald Reagan’s physical legacy," "Reagan" producer Mark Joseph said in a press release. "By bringing these artifacts from our film to them, we are ensuring that visitors to Dixon can experience the story of Reagan’s humble beginnings. We hope this museum will be a place where fans of the movie can gather and enjoy the sets that our team worked so hard to build."

When Dixon hosted its own premiere of "Reagan" in 2024, it seemed like nearly the entire town had turned out to celebrate. It didn’t hurt that lead actor Dennis Quaid had showed up, too. In an interview with Fox Digital before the premiere, Quaid said he was happy to brush shoulders with the locals because Hollywood "forgot" about small towns.

Walker expects the turnout for the museum will also be "huge."

DENNIS QUAID THRILLS LOCALS IN DIXON FOR ‘REAGAN’ PREMIERE, SAYS HOLLYWOOD ‘FORGOT’ ABOUT SMALL TOWNS

"You saw how the hometown came out in force," Walker said of the movie premiere. "And I love how Dennis Quaid could have just done the Hollywood premiere, but he was so connected to Ronald Reagan in that movie, he personally said he wanted to come and join us in Dixon – not only to do the tour of the boyhood home, but then to come over and do an interview in front of the crowd before the movie premiered.

"I just think it’s a tremendous story, not only for Dixon and that county and that area, but I think it’s an American story."

Walker said he "loves" telling students about Reagan’s humble upbringing. His parents, he said, rented their first home and each of their homes got progressively smaller because his dad was an alcoholic and kept losing his job, so his mom would have to take on odd jobs to help them stay afloat. 

Yet, she still made time for some philanthropy, staying involved in church, and a ministry to reach out to inmates in the local jail. She later attended a community college and worked the night shift on the radio.

SCOTT WALKER WARNS HONG 'UNDERMINING ONE OF HER STRENGTHS' WITH CAMPAIGN BACKTRACKING

Walker said Reagan kept that humility throughout his career.

"It’s a great reminder to kids, you don’t have to grow up with privilege or money, or go to a certain school. Anyone can live the American Dream, whether it’s in politics, in business, in education, and life in general," he said.

The museum announcement comes as filmmakers prepare the release of the director’s cut of "Reagan," featuring 10 additional minutes, which will be released nationwide on September 25. Walker reflected on the glaring disparity between movie critics and audiences upon the original film’s release. While the movie only had a Rotten Tomatoes critics score of 18% in the weeks following its release, it boasted a 98% audience score.

Walker chalked the disparity up to "snotty elitists" among the critics.

"I love that because when Ronald Reagan was president, the political critics hated him," Walker said. "They overwhelmingly said, ‘This guy is an actor, he doesn’t know anything, he’s going to get nothing done, he’s going to start World War III, he’s awful.’ And what happened? Forty-nine of 50 states went for him."



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