Decoder with Nilay Patel · Thursday, October 1, 2026
Kevin O'Leary's public accusations that critics of his Utah data center project were 'Chinese spies' led to apologies from Fox News and an Instagram apology from O'Leary himself. This tactic backfired, further mobilizing local opposition and highlighting the ineffectiveness of using nationalist rhetoric against a grassroots movement.
“He did call all of these folks Chinese spies. He had to apologize for that. Fox News, where he said those remarks, they had to apologize on air for it. He posted an Instagram apology.”
“And it just... doesn't work i mean more than it doesn't work it backfires like it really like many people i spoke to in utah came out because they were additionally insulted by the idea that they were being accused of being Chinese agents, you know, when they've lived there for generations.”
“He went on Tucker Carlson... Tucker, for the most part, was skeptical of the China argument and kept pressing him on, you know, why would anyone want a data center? Like, why should anyone support this project?”