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‘Wasteful distraction’: Experts slam Mamdani’s taxpayer-funded grocery stores
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As New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani moves forward with plans for city-owned grocery stores, economists and local business owners warn the proposal could crush small grocers while leaving taxpayers with a hefty bill.
The initiative, a key Mamdani campaign pledge, would establish city-backed supermarkets across the city in an effort to lower food costs.
Adam Lehodey of the Manhattan Institute believes the city could address food affordability more efficiently through private-sector partnerships and existing assistance programs rather than operating grocery stores itself.
«I think really it’s a distraction and a pretty wasteful distraction,» Lehodey told Fox News Digital. «There’s an easier and better way to solve the problem.»
NYC VOTERS FLOCK TO SOCIALIST-STYLE FREEBIES AS MAMDANI PUSHES RENT FREEZES, CITY-RUN STORES
The first location is expected to open in 2027 in the Bronx neighborhood of Hunts Point as part of The Peninsula redevelopment project at the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Facility, according to the mayor’s office.
The larger redevelopment plan includes 740 affordable housing units, more than 50,000 square feet of public open space, 30,000 square feet of light industrial space and more than 50,000 square feet of community facilities. It would also include a 20,000-square-foot grocery market intended to serve the South Bronx.
MAMDANI’S PUBLIC GROCERY STORES MAY HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON CITY’S FOOD SUPPLY
Lehodey also warned the city-backed stores could put small neighborhood grocers at a disadvantage because the projects would receive public support that private businesses do not.
«Yeah, the prices might be a little bit cheaper, but that comes at the cost of other businesses running sustainable operations,» he said.
He argued the city is also sacrificing valuable public land and potential revenue by subsidizing the projects.
MAMDANI’S WALL STREET COURTSHIP SPARKS CRITICISM OF ANTI-BILLIONAIRE AGENDA
«That land does have value,» Lehodey said. «By giving it out for free, the taxpayer again is losing money, and we’re losing revenue that could have been spent on other things.»
A second city-backed grocery market is slated to open next year at La Marqueta, a public market space in East Harlem. The city plans to spend roughly $30 million to build the location.
Critics question whether another grocery option is needed in the neighborhood. Roughly 45 grocery stores are located within a 35-minute walk of the proposed site, according to a Fox News Digital analysis.
Those stores range from major chains, including Whole Foods and Lidl, to smaller neighborhood markets and bodegas. The area is also well served by public transit, with multiple subway and bus lines giving residents several ways to reach nearby grocery options.
Some local grocers say the city-backed market could siphon away customers and hurt already thin profit margins.
‘I hope we don’t lose customers’
People shop at a local supermarket in the Sugar Hill neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York City on April 9, 2026. (Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images)
Despite the abundance of nearby grocery options, some local store owners fear the city-backed market could undercut existing businesses by offering lower prices backed by public support.
«Of course it will affect this store,» said Sarah Kang, manager at a CTown Supermarkets location about a 35-minute walk south, or one subway stop, from La Marqueta.
«A lot of people walk 20 to 30 minutes to get here,» she explained to Fox News Digital. «If they find a cheaper supermarket, I don’t think they’ll be willing to make that trip. It’s going to affect small grocery stores. Definitely.»
«I hope we don’t lose customers,» Kang added.
About a 30-minute walk north of La Marqueta, Joel Martinez, a manager of a supermarket at 128th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, said the impact may depend on proximity to the proposed site.
FROM FREE BUSES TO CITY-OWNED GROCERY STORES, HERE ARE MAMDANI’S KEY ECONOMIC PROMISES
La Marqueta, a Latino marketplace in East Harlem, is chosen as the site of a city-owned grocery store announced by NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, on April 14, 2026. (Kendall Rodriguez/Newsday RM/Getty Images)
«I hope it doesn’t impact us,» Martinez said in a call with Fox News Digital. «The store will be a little far from us, so that’s good. But it will affect smaller businesses that are closer.»
Bodegas and small grocery stores are a staple of New York City neighborhoods, often serving as primary food sources for nearby residents.
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Similar proposals for local government-owned and operated grocery stores and markets have surfaced in other cities, including Boston.
Atlanta officials appear to have pioneered the effort, opening a city-backed grocery store aimed at improving food access in underserved communities.
zohran mamdani, new york city, economy, local, housing
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President Donald Trump struck a more conciliatory tone Friday at the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner, scrapping the combative speech he had prepared before an assassination attempt upended the annual event in April. The rewrite emphasized unity and gratitude, though the president still couldn’t resist slipping in a few familiar jabs at the press while insisting: «The show must go on.»
Trump returned to the stage just months after gunfire abruptly ended the organization’s annual banquet. An armed suspect, Cole Allen, stormed the event in what authorities say was an attempt to assassinate the president.
«The speech that I had ready just a short while. Oh, that was going to be a doozy. I was so psyched. I was going to rip people. And I don’t know, just something changed it — really for the better. But I just wouldn’t want to do that,» Trump said to a room full of journalists and government officials.
«But we’ll do a little ripping, if you don’t mind. But it is true. I said, how do we handle this is going to be a different kind of evening. And it is. And in many ways it’s a more beautiful evening, actually,» he added.
TRUMP HEADS BACK TO CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER MONTHS AFTER GUNFIRE FORCED EVACUATION
President Donald Trump speaks during the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. (Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
Trump teed up his typical walk-out song — Lee Greenwood’s «God Bless the U.S.A.» — and quickly jumped into joking about seeking a third term before striking a more serious chord as he thanked the Secret Service for its work, not only during the attack at the original Correspondents’ Dinner, but for protecting him every day.
He delivered a speech that went longer than expected, talking for an hour and four minutes.
«Just like my presidency, the second time is always better. It’s always better, and the third time will be better yet. I’m only kidding,» Trump said to some chuckles throughout the room.
The president said he could not deliver the same speech he had planned for the first dinner, «ripping» the press, but said «it was for the better» that he changed his remarks for the second time around.
COLE ALLEN INDICTED BY GRAND JURY ON FOUR CHARGES RELATED TO ALLEGED TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
He made various jokes aimed at not just Democrats but his own cabinet members.
«I hope that everyone finally got to enjoy their entire very delicious beef tenderloins, very special beef. And I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy, who’s right here personally, ran over the cow and his car,» said Trump.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and US President Donald Trump attend the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC. (Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
TRUMP HEADS BACK TO CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER MONTHS AFTER GUNFIRE FORCED EVACUATION
He took aim at California Governor Gavin Newsom, former vice president Kamala Harris, possible 2028 presidential candidate Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker among other Democratic lawmakers and candidates.
» You can’t have somebody like a J.B. Pritzker who I understand is not president, sadly. But, you know, some people say never used a fat word. And I know I would never call anybody fat,» said Trump.
«I have my own problems, you know, it’s not like I’m perfect, sir. In the back. Don’t call him a fat pig, okay? That’s. I’m sticking up for him. Don’t call him you. You can’t do that, sir. You can’t call J.B. Pritzker a fat pig,» said Trump.
Trump mocked Chuck Schumer’s criticism of Israel and his increasingly vocal positions on the Israel-Hamas war.
«I’m going to send him a beautiful Palestinian outfit tomorrow so he can greet Bibi Netanyahu when he comes to town next week,» joked Trump.
He used the moment to call for term limits, saying, «all joking aside, I do think we need term limits in Congress.»
«The other day, a senator I knew got a text… ‘When you get home, I want to have you immediately come up the stairs and make love to me.’ And he said, ‘I can’t do both,» joked Trump, saying that he can’t both walk upstairs and have sex—he only has enough energy for one of those activities.
US President Donald Trump wears a «Trump 2028» hat while he speaks during the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner. (Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
The WHCA honored U.S. Secret Service Officer Victor Gonzales during Friday’s dinner in recognition of his actions in helping stop Allen from entering the ballroom.
The computer scientist from Torrance, California, traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. by Amtrak after purchasing a one-way ticket. Court filings say he sent a manifesto to family and friends shortly before the attack, describing political motivations and apologizing for his actions.
Allen has pleaded not guilty to charges including attempting to assassinate the president, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, transporting a firearm across state lines and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon.
«The attempted mass murder at the Washington Hilton, that’s what it could have been, was an assault on our democracy itself,» Trump said in his speech, which spanned from jabs at Democrats, the press and some jokes at the expense of his own Cabinet.
PHOTO OF TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT COLE ALLEN IN HOTEL ROOM RELEASED AS DOJ SEEKS TO KEEP HIM JAILED
Israeli-US magician Oz «Oz the Mentalist» Pearlman performs during the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. (Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
«One officer placed himself directly in harm’s way and engaged the armed suspect, even after gunfire struck his protective vest. He stayed in the fight and the attacker was stopped,» said Weijia Jiang, former WHCA president presenting the award to Gonzales.
«I know many of us have wondered. What if he hadn’t acted in that exact way? What if he had waited a few more seconds? His courage that night reflects the core values of Secret Service duty, justice, courage, honesty and loyalty, and as a commitment to safeguarding his country and community,» said Jiang.
During the speech, Trump highlighted his White House Ballroom following heat for the $200 million project, pointing to the lawsuits.
FIRST ON FOX: WHITE HOUSE REVEALS WHO’S JOINING TRUMP AT CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER — AND WHO CAN’T ATTEND
«In light of what we went through, I think, people understand it. It’s going to be amazing, a phenomenal one of the biggest drone ports anywhere in the world,» Trump said, referencing gunfire at the first WHCA Dinner.
Trump said that he «predicts» the WHCA would use the space for future dinners.
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrives for the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner,. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
He also vowed to attemd next year’s WHCA dinner.
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«They said, ‘Would you do it next year?’ I said, ‘I will be back next year,’» Trump said. «Now, if you get really, really nasty, maybe not. I don’t know. But we’re going to be back next year.»
In his closing remarks, Trump said he has a «scoop» for the press announcing he is running for the fourth time.
He put on a red «TRUMP 2028» hat.
white house, donald trump, media
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Trump orders signs outside Smithsonian museum amid row over its depiction of American history
House to hold hearing on Smithsonian Museum’s alleged attempts to rewrite American history
Fox News’ Alex Hogan reports on a House Oversight Committee hearing regarding claims that the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibits are politically biased and attempt to rewrite American history. A White House report alleges the National Museum of American History disparages the nation’s past, prompting congressional scrutiny over its governance and stewardship of federal funds.
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President Donald Trump on Friday ordered his administration to install signs outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History directing visitors to what the White House describes as «accurate» information about the nation’s past.
The executive order instructs the National Park Service, which maintains the sidewalks outside the museum, to place signs informing visitors about a White House report released July 4 that criticized the Smithsonian’s portrayal of American history. Trump also directed the creation of a temporary exhibit intended to correct what his administration considers inaccurate historical information.
TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CALLS OUT SMITHSONIAN FOR PUSHING ‘ONE-SIDED, DIVISIVE POLITICAL NARRATIVES’
The move follows a report from Trump’s Domestic Policy Council that accused the Smithsonian and the National Museum of American History of failing to present history «in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.»
President Donald Trump holds up an executive order after signing it during an indoor inauguration parade at Capital One Arena on Jan. 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Because the Smithsonian operates independently of the executive branch, Trump cannot directly remove museum leadership or unilaterally change exhibits. Instead, the order targets federal property outside the museum that falls under National Park Service jurisdiction.
National Museum of American History Director Anthea M. Hartig defended the museum during congressional testimony this week.
«As we continue to fact check the report, we unwaveringly attest that it does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum,» Hartig told lawmakers. «There is always room for improvement. But I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies in our collections, our exhibits, and our programming.»
MED SCHOOL DEANS COME UP EMPTY IN TENSE HEARING WHEN ASKED POINT BLANK IF MEN CAN HAVE BABIES: ‘RIDICULOUS’
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is being called out for being ‘ideologically captured’ and presenting woke revisionist history on the weekend of America’s 250th birthday. (Kevin Carter)
Friday’s order builds on Trump’s broader effort to reshape the Smithsonian’s exhibits.
In March, Trump signed an executive order directing the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents to eliminate what the administration described as «improper, divisive or anti-American ideology» from the institution’s museums.
The White House later criticized the National Museum of American History’s «Entertainment Nation» exhibit, arguing displays about American pop culture framed the nation’s history through an ideological lens rather than celebrating its achievements. White House official Lindsey Halligan previously told Fox News Digital that «American taxpayers should not be funding institutions that undermine our country or promote one-sided, divisive political narratives.»
OBAMA JUDGE RULES ON EFFORT TO BLOCK AMERICA 250 EVENTS AT WH AND LINCOLN MEMORIAL
People walk on the National Mall near the Smithsonian Castle in Washington, D.C., on May 10, 2021. President Donald Trump has ordered signs installed outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History directing visitors to a White House report criticizing the museum’s portrayal of American history. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
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At the time, the Smithsonian said it was conducting a review of museum content and remained committed to «continuous and rigorous scholarship and research and unbiased presentation of facts and history.»
The Smithsonian is overseen by a Board of Regents that includes Vice President JD Vance, Chief Justice John Roberts, members of Congress and citizen regents. The institution receives roughly two-thirds of its approximately $1 billion annual budget through federal appropriations.
Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
donald trump, politics, museums exhibits, white house, washington dc
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