President Biden warned in his farewell speech of an "ultra-wealthy" "oligarchy" posing a threat to America as big tech CEOS have been warming up to President-elect Trump in recent months. 

Biden spoke Wednesday as reports emerged this week that Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg – the three most wealthy people in the world who collectively are worth more than $850 billion, according to Forbes – will be seated next to Trump’s cabinet picks and elected officials next Monday at his inauguration. 

"I have no doubt that America is in a position to continue to succeed. That's why in my farewell address tonight, I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And that's the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few, ultra-wealthy people. And the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked," Biden said from the Oval Office. 

"Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights, freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead," Biden continued. "We see the consequences all across America, and we've seen it before, more than a century ago. But the American people stood up to the robber barons back then and busted the trust. They didn't punish the wealthy, they just made the wealthy play by the rules everybody else had to." 

BIDEN TAKENS SOLE CREDIT FOR ISRAEL-HAMAS DEAL, WARNS OF ‘OLIGARCHY’ IN FAREWELL SPEECH 

Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, Bezos, the founder of Amazon, and Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, have all met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida following his election victory in November. 

During the election cycle, Musk gave at least $277 million in donations to help get Trump and other Republicans elected, according to The Washington Post, which cited filings from the Federal Election Commission. 

Tech giants including Amazon, Meta, Apple, Google and Microsoft are reported to have donated $1 million each to Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. 

Musk has been tasked with heading up the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which will examine issues of government spending, waste, efficiency and operations. 

In order to do that, Musk may occupy space in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building right next to the West Wing that houses the bulk of office space for White House staffers, the New York Times reported. 

BIDEN’S OVAL OFFICE GOODBYE IS PANNED AS ‘DARK’ 

Biden also said in his farewell speech that American leadership and technology is an "unparalleled source of innovation that can transform lives," but "we see the same dangers, the concentration of technology, power and wealth." 

"You know, in his farewell address, President Eisenhower spoke of the dangers of the military industrial complex. He warned us then about, and I quote, the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power, end of quote. Six decades later, I'm equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country, as well," Biden added. 

"Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit," the president continued. "We must hold the social platform accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power. 

"Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is the most consequential technology of our time, perhaps of all time. Nothing offers more profound possibilities and risks for our economy and our security, our society, for humanity. Artificial intelligence even has the potential to help us answer my call to end cancer as we know it. But unless safeguards are in place, AI could spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work and how we protect our nation. We must make sure AI is safe and trustworthy and good for all humankind," Biden said. 

Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller and Diana Stancy contributed to this report. 

Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., isn’t playing around when it comes to bringing federal employees back to the office. In the committee’s first hearing of the 119th Congress, Comer delivered remarks slamming the Biden administration’s "failure" to get federal employees back to the office.

"When President Trump’s team enters federal agency headquarters in and around DC, they’ll find them to be mostly empty. That’s due to the Biden administration’s failure to end telework and to bring federal employees back to the office," Comer said.

While there are still a few days left in President Biden’s term, Washington is preparing itself for a shift ahead of President-elect Trump’s return to DC. According to the Oversight Committee’s report, which cites "the Biden-Harris Administration’s own data," as of May 2024, 1,057,000 telework-eligible federal employees were in-office three times a week, and another 228,000 remote employees "never come to the office at all."

NEW POLLS SHOW BIDEN LEAVING OFFICE WITH APPROVAL RATINGS STILL BURIED DEEP IN NEGATIVE TERRITORY

The report, titled "The lights are on, but everyone is at home: Why the new administration will enter largely vacant federal agency offices," is 41 pages and was prepared by Republicans on the committee. In its report, the committee makes the case that telework policies have been "detrimental" to government agencies.

In the hearing, Comer pointed the finger at Democrats, in particular, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-Ny. He slammed Schumer for allegedly letting the Show Up Act "collect dust." The legislation would bring federal employees’ telework back to "pre-pandemic levels."

HOUSE OVERSIGHT REPORT SAYS TELEWORK IS 'WASTING BILLIONS' IN TAXPAYER CASH AHEAD OF 1ST HEARING

"The Government Accountability Office found that 17 of the largest 24 federal agency headquarters in the DC area were less than 25% occupied, some much less than 25% occupied. A separate study by the Public Buildings Reform Board found that occupancy rates were just half that at 12%, 12% occupancy," Comer said at the hearing. "Taxpayer money is being wasted to lease and maintain all that expensive, empty office space."

The committee writes in its report that Trump is inheriting "a largely absentee workforce," blaming it on the telework policies "entrenched" by the Biden administration.

Comer also noted that the telework policy for federal workers has resulted in a "lack of foot traffic" that is "economically devastating" for DC, something Mayor Muriel Bowser has also pointed out. Bowser has been "imploring the White House to change" the telework policy for nearly two years.

In fact, the Democrat lawmaker met with President-elect Trump to discuss what could be done with the "underutilized federal buildings" around the city.

Bowser expressed optimism after the Dec. 30 meeting, saying both she and Trump "want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation."

The committee’s report acknowledges that Trump "invoked massive telework and remote work" at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and adds that he "quickly sought to return federal employees to their offices to deliver for the American people when it became clear that widespread, indiscriminate lockdowns were not the right societal answer to the pandemic."

Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: The conservative House Freedom Caucus is preparing to release a proposal for Republicans' planned conservative policy overhaul that would raise the debt limit by two years or roughly $4 trillion, Fox News Digital is told.

Congressional Republicans are preparing for a massive conservative policy overhaul through the budget reconciliation process. By lowering the threshold for passage in the Senate from 60 votes to 51, reconciliation allows the party controlling Congress and the White House to pass broad policy changes — provided they deal with budgetary and other fiscal matters.

But there has been some disagreement over whether to pass all of their goals – touching on border security, defense, spending cuts, tax cuts, and energy – in one single bill to not risk any items falling behind, or split the priorities into two separate pieces of legislation to ensure early victory on at least some measures.

President-elect Donald Trump has said he favors the one-bill approach, but would be open to two. He also tasked Republicans with raising or suspending the debt limit, with the U.S. Treasury projected to run out of funds to pay its debts by mid-June.

Freedom Caucus members are among the Republicans calling for two separate bills. The plan being unveiled on Thursday would call for border security, defense, and steep spending cuts to be included in the first bill.

Those cuts would then be used to offset tax breaks being extended in the second bill, Fox News Digital was told.

The conservative lawmakers presented the plan to Trump at Mar-a-Lago last Friday, but it's unclear how he responded.

REPUBLICANS GIVE DETAILS FROM CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH DOGE'S MUSK, RAMASWAMY

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., previously backed a two-bill approach in public comments. 

Opponents of that plan, which include Republicans on the House Ways & Means Committee, have warned that leaving Trump's tax cuts for a second bill would all but guarantee that provisions he passed during his previous term would expire by the end of the year, raising taxes for millions of Americans.

Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., previously pointed out to Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that two reconciliation bills have not been passed in one term since the 1990s.

But GOP negotiators have not decided whether to include action on the debt limit in their reconciliation bill, with both measures known to require difficult political maneuvering. 

The Freedom Caucus' expected plan is a way for fiscal hawks who have traditionally scorned action on the debt limit to agree to do so.

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS 'DISHONEST'

That same group is also concerned that putting all the agenda items into a single bill will not result in sufficient cuts to offset the added spending. 

With two House Republicans departing for the Trump administration on Jan. 20, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will have to navigate a razor-thin majority until special elections are expected in April.

Until then, just one Republican "no" vote will be enough to derail any piece of legislation that does not get Democratic support.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump transition team and the House Freedom Caucus for comment.

• I drove cross-country for a year and saw wildly beautiful places in each region of the US.
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore wowed me in the Midwest, and I loved the Everglades in Florida.
• Maryland's Assateague Island National Seashore was a beautiful place to enjoy nature.

When I spent a year driving across the country and living out of a pickup truck, I saw firsthand how each region of the United States has its own distinct flair, history, and geography.

As I explored 49 states, I found myself drawn to unique landscapes and wildlife that I couldn't find anywhere else in the world. I was shocked to find many places that felt remote, wild, and special without having to leave the country.

Here's a standout spot from each region of the US that I visited.

New England: Green Mountain National Forest

Vermont's massive Green Mountain National Forest is beautiful throughout many seasons, and I especially loved seeing it in the fall.

It gets really dark at night — although it can be scary, it means I was able to really see the stars when I visited.

Since it's a national forest, it has plenty of backcountry camping spots where one can be alone with the immense trees that reach toward the stars.

Mid-Atlantic: Assateague Island National Seashore

Assateague Island National Seashore is minutes from Maryland's famous resort town Ocean City, but it feels lifetimes away from civilization.

The coastal national park is especially famous for its wild horses — I spent a weekend hiking 26 miles round-trip on this beach and saw tons of them.

Even visitors who don't hike as I did may be able to spot horses from beaches that are somewhat easy to access along the main road through the park.

Camping on the island is an immersive experience that can be done in the backcountry, at walk-in or drive-in sites, or with an RV.

Midwest: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Michigan's Upper Peninsula looks unreal in and of itself, with its beautiful landscape complete with multicolored rocks and cliffs.

A highlight of it, though, is the otherworldly Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Its water is blue and lively, and waterfalls pepper the park like jewels. The cliffs rising out of Lake Superior are stunning.

In the fall, wandering through the park's vibrant foliage will make you feel like you're walking in a painting.

South: Everglades National Park

South Florida's Everglades National Park is one of the largest national parks in the Lower 48.

Although some believe it's just a swamp filled with gators, it's actually an immense 1.5-million-acre park filled with wonder I haven't found anywhere else.

Bioluminescent algae come alive at night, mangroves make channels for canoe trips that feel like magic, and dirt roads lead to waterways with abundant fishing opportunities and picturesque sunsets.

It's filled with tropical wilderness and is home to endangered, rare species, from Florida panthers to manatees, too.

Mountain West: Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park rightfully gets a lot of hype for its geological features, like its active geysers and hot springs. I also think it's the best place to see wildlife in the Lower 48.

During the three months I spent living in Yellowstone, I saw grizzlies, wolves, eagles, moose, elk, pronghorns, black bears, badgers, and falcons on a regular basis. Honestly, three months still isn't enough time to see the park — I'm not sure a lifetime would be.

That said, the park is still worth seeing for any amount of time and in any capacity.

Pacific West: Santa Cruz in Channel Islands National Park

California's Channel Islands National Park isn't called "the Galapagos of North America" for nothing. The unique park consists of five islands, and my favorite is Santa Cruz.

First of all, the ferry ride from Ventura Harbor to Santa Cruz is spectacular. On my trip, I saw a megapod of dolphins, humpback whales, and sea lions. Even just the view of the islands coming out of the ocean blew me away.

Santa Cruz is mostly uninhabited and is home to many unique species, like the beautiful island scrub-jay. Also, keep an eye out for the native island fox, a tiny cutie that may take your lunch if you leave it out.

• The "Bridget Jones" actor Renée Zellweger took a six-year career break from 2010.
• She said she was "sick" of her own voice.
• The Oscar-winner used the time to do various activities, from studying international law to adopting dogs.

Renée Zellweger took a break from her acting career because she was "sick" of her own voice, she said. She spent that time doing a variety of things, from studying to adopting rescue dogs.

The actor will return to her most famous role in the sequel "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy," which is out on Valentine's Day. The film follows the titular writer-turned-TV producer as she navigates life as a single parent to two children after the death of her husband, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth).

Hugh Grant, who plays Daniel Cleaver, Jones' previous love interest, will also reprise his role. To mark the occasion, Grant interviewed Zellweger for Vogue.

When he asked why she took a six-year break from acting in 2010, she replied: "Because I needed to. I was sick of the sound of my own voice. When I was working, I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, listen to you. Are you sad again, Renée? Oh, is this your mad voice?' It was a regurgitation of the same emotional experiences."

In the last decade, more people have started using career breaks to develop their personal lives away from work — some have used the time to travel, others focused on their families.

Gen Z, in particular, has been rewriting the rulebook on career gaps, and many have used the time to upskill in the hope of benefitting their careers in the future.

A LinkedIn survey in 2022 found that 69% of people who took a career break said it "helped them to gain perspective and figure out what they want in life."

For Zellweger, that included studying international law and starting a production company, Big Picture Co.

She also adopted a pair of dogs.

Zellweger said: "I wrote music and studied international law. I built a house, rescued a pair of older doggies, created a partnership that led to a production company, advocated for and fundraised with a sick friend, and spent a lot of time with family and godchildren and driving across the country with the dogs. I got healthy."

Her career break ended in 2016 when she returned to the big screen for "Bridget Jones's Baby," which sees Jones fall pregnant.

At the time, Zellweger told Vanity Fair that she returned to the role because it had been 15 years since the original movie, and the team "could take a different and interesting angle on it."

Recent updates to Waze and Android Auto appear to have broken volume controls, as users are widely reporting problems.

The iPhone has lost its crown as the best-selling phone in China, dropping to 3rd place in the latest market intelligence data.

One factor is the company’s struggle to launch Apple Intelligence features in the country after being unable to get permission to use its own generative AI model there …

Just yesterday, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon confirmed that his company’s relationship with Apple could end sooner rather than later. Now, Reuters reports that Apple is in talks with Barclays and Synchrony Financial about replacing Goldman Sachs as its Apple Card partner.