Dell Family Drops $6.25 Billion Into ‘Trump Accounts’ for Kids
The gift propels Michael and Susan Dell into the top tier of U.S. philanthropists.
Michael and Susan Dell are putting $6.25 billion into savings plans called “Trump accounts,” seeding $250 into investment accounts for 25 million children. It’s one of the largest direct philanthropic gifts ever made to Americans, and it dramatically expands a federal program that currently provides $1,000 to babies born between 2025 and 2028.
The Dells’ money extends eligibility to kids up to age 10 in middle- and lower-income ZIP codes. If the program succeeds, millions of children could start adulthood with real assets instead of debt.
Michael Dell says the idea mirrors how he built his computer empire: cut out middlemen, go straight to customers, and scale fast. Here, the “customers” are children, and the product is a financial future.
McDonald’s Grinch Meal Is Here—And It Includes a Surprise In a Bag
McDonald’s
McDonald’s is rolling out The Grinch Meal nationwide on Tuesday, Dec. 2, tapping the famously grouchy holiday character for a limited-time promo. The meal, first tested in Canada in 2024, was such a hit that bringing it to the U.S. was a “no-brainer,” said Alyssa Buetikofer, McDonald’s U.S. chief marketing and customer experience officer.
The bundle includes a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, Dill Pickle “Grinch Salt” McShaker Fries, and a medium drink. The fries come with pickle seasoning and a McShaker bag so customers can mix their own.
Each meal also includes a pair of Grinch-themed McDonald’s socks in red, blue, yellow, or green. The Grinch Meal will be available at participating locations for a limited time, and pricing will vary by restaurant.
New York City Is Close to Opening Its First Casinos
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New York state officials have finally approved a bid from an investment group led by Mets owner Steve Cohen to build a casino next to Citi Field in Queens. The project, which still requires a final financial review, ends years of tense negotiations over where the city’s first legal casinos would go. Two other sites in the Bronx also received approval.
Cohen plans to spend billions on a hotel and concert venue connected to the stadium, pitching it as an economic boost for Flushing, Queens.
Cohen isn’t the only winner. Donald Trump’s company will reportedly receive $115 million due to a prior licensing deal tied to land next to one of the approved casino sites.
It’s ‘Losing Its Cool’: Lululemon’s Founder Throws Shade at Brand and CEO
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Chip Wilson, founder of Lululemon, is slamming the brand again, saying the company is “losing its cool” under current leadership. He criticized the brand’s direction and said a “finance-focused CEO” lacks the vision to deliver standout product.
This is not the first time Wilson has publicly criticized the company he helped build. He previously bashed what he views as misguided product choices, cheap collaborations, and a shift away from Lululemon’s original focus on premium athletic wear.
Some analysts and former employees say Wilson has a point: U.S. sales are slipping, and the company’s market value has taken a big hit this year. But defenders of current CEO Calvin McDonald note that profit and store expansion have grown under his watch, and argue the criticism misses the reality of a much larger, more global Lululemon.
YouTube Wants to Stop Deepfakes — But First It Needs Your Face
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YouTube lauched its new deepfakes to help creators spot and remove AI deepfakes. But it comes with a catch: to use it, creators must upload a government ID and a biometric video of their face, a requirement that has alarmed privacy experts who spoke to CNBC.
YouTube insists the data is only used to verify identity, and says Google has never used creators’ biometrics to train its AI models. The company is reviewing its sign-up language to reduce confusion, but the underlying policy will stay the same.
Creators and rights advocates worry that once biometric data sits inside Google’s ecosystem, future use could be hard to control. The stakes rise as deepfakes spread and a person’s face becomes a valuable digital asset.
Sam Altman Just Declared ‘Code Red’ at OpenAI
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Sam Altman is worried ChatGPT is losing its edge. The OpenAI CEO has declared a “code red” inside the company and ordered teams to stop work on other products so they can fix the chatbot’s performance, according to an internal memo. He wants ChatGPT to be faster, more reliable, and better at understanding users.
Altman’s urgency stems from Google’s Gemini model, which recently beat OpenAI on key tests and added millions of new users. Anthropic is also gaining momentum with corporate clients, tightening the race.
OpenAI is now delaying advertising tools, health agents, and a personal assistant while it scrambles to keep ChatGPT on top.
Michael and Susan Dell are putting $6.25 billion into savings plans called “Trump accounts,” seeding $250 into investment accounts for 25 million children. It’s one of the largest direct philanthropic gifts ever made to Americans, and it dramatically expands a federal program that currently provides $1,000 to babies born between 2025 and 2028.
The Dells’ money extends eligibility to kids up to age 10 in middle- and lower-income ZIP codes. If the program succeeds, millions of children could start adulthood with real assets instead of debt.
Michael Dell says the idea mirrors how he built his computer empire: cut out middlemen, go straight to customers, and scale fast. Here, the “customers” are children, and the product is a financial future.
