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President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is extending the pause on bombings of Iranian energy infrastructure by 10 days, hours after stating Iran is “begging to make a deal” in the fourth week of Operation Epic Fury.
The post Trump Says Iran Is ‘Begging’ for Deal, Adds 10 Days to Pause of Iranian Energy Plant Bombing appeared first on Breitbart.

Officials in Michigan recently announced a slew of horrifying charges against a retired Detroit police sergeant accused of living a “double life” as a serial rapist.Benjamin Wagner, 68, is facing 14 separate charges, including eight counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and five counts of kidnapping, stemming from alleged assaults against five young women and girls between 1999 and 2003. The victims ranged in age from 15 to 23 years old.”The deplorable fact in this case is that the person that we are charging today has led a double life as a law enforcement officer and a serial rapist,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “… These charges are a culmination of a multi-year journey to justice. The alleged facts in this case are disturbing, unsettling and infuriating.”ALLEGED PREDATOR ACCUSED OF KIDNAPPING UCLA STUDENTS, SEXUAL ASSAULT – POLICE FEAR MORE VICTIMSAuthorities said Wagner targeted victims during the early morning hours on Detroit’s northwest side while they were walking to school, home from work, or visiting friends. In each attack, he allegedly approached the victims from behind, pointed a pistol at them, forced them to an isolated location, and sexually assaulted them without a condom, according to Worthy.The attacks happened just miles from his home, though officials denied his house being the “isolated location” the victims were brought to.FORMER NEW YORK D.A.R.E. OFFICER ADMITS TO SELLING DRUGS WHILE IN UNIFORM IN SQUAD CARWagner served with the Detroit Police Department (DPD) from 1989 until he retired with commendations in 2017, working in various units including criminal investigations and tactical services. The breakthrough in the case was the result of a multi-year investigation connected to the 2009 discovery of more than 11,000 untested sexual assault kits abandoned in a DPD warehouse. Wagner was arrested earlier this month in Greenville, North Carolina — where he had been living since he left the department, and waived extradition to face charges in Michigan.WASHINGTON PARENTS DEMAND ACTION, ANSWERS AFTER TEACHER ALLEGEDLY RAPED STUDENT ON SCHOOL GROUNDSHe will not face time for potential weapons charges associated with the case, as the statute of limitations for that crime in Michigan is only six years.The five victims who joined the case promptly reported the crimes when they happened and had sexual assault kits collected at that time.Officials urged any other potential victims who may have been assaulted by Wagner to contact the Detroit Police Department’s Sex Crimes Unit, noting cases may have gone unreported.Worthy did not confirm if Wagner had any contact with the victims while he was on duty, or had ever been the subject of internal affairs investigations or other criminal allegations during his career.

A veteran law enforcement expert is raising serious questions about the investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie after her daughter revealed alarming new details about the night she vanished.The concerns follow an emotional, three-part interview — “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie’s first since her mother disappeared — in which she described signs of a possible struggle, early fears of kidnapping, and her belief that ransom notes sent to the family were real.Randy Sutton, a retired Las Vegas police lieutenant who has been on the ground in Tucson since the early days of the investigation, told Fox News Digital those details and how they were handled early on could have had a significant impact on the trajectory of the case.NANCY GUTHRIE UPDATE: INVESTIGATORS ARE LOOKING INTO REPORTS OF SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IN HER NEIGHBORHOODGuthrie described a troubling scene inside her mother’s home, pointing to multiple factors she believes indicate foul play.She said doors were open, including one that had been “propped open,” there was blood on the front doorstep, and the home’s Ring camera had been yanked off.Sutton said the “propped open” door is a critical detail.”That’s an interesting piece of evidence that we had not heard before,” he said, noting there has been no public indication of forced entry.NANCY GUTHRIE DISAPPEARANCE: SHERIFF SAYS AUTHORITIES LOOKING INTO CAR CAUGHT ON RING CAM, HAVEN’T MADE ID YETHe emphasized that investigators are dealing with multiple areas within the home, including entry points, the bedroom, and locations where blood was found, making it a complex scene.At the same time, Sutton pushed back on speculation that the scene itself may have been staged.”The question is, was the scene staged? … I don’t believe there’s anything that points to the scene being staged,” he said.NANCY GUTHRIE’S NEIGHBOR NOTICED ‘ATYPICAL’ PET BEHAVIOR NIGHT OF DISAPPEARANCE, EARLIER DATE: REPORTSavannah Guthrie said her mother disappeared in her pajamas with no shoes and without her medication.”It’s how is it possible that we are having to make video speaking to a kidnapper who took an 84-year-old woman,” she said. “In the dead of night. In her pajamas, with no shoes, without her medicine. This little person. And to beg for mercy.”Sutton downplayed speculation surrounding Nancy Guthrie not taking her evening medication.”People don’t take their medication all the time… I don’t think that’s a big issue,” Sutton said.Guthrie also emphasized her mother’s physical condition, saying Nancy Guthrie was in significant pain and had very limited mobility — able to walk to the mailbox on a good day, but often unable to do even that.SHERIFF WARNS NANCY GUTHRIE SUSPECT COULD ‘ABSOLUTELY’ STRIKE AGAIN, HINTS AT MOTIVEThe family’s immediate reaction was to suspect a kidnapping for ransom.”Even on the phone. When I called him, he knew. And he said, ‘I think she’s been kidnapped for ransom,’” Savannah Guthrie said.From the outset, the family feared her disappearance was not random, but a targeted abduction.SHERIFF SHRUGS OFF MISSTEPS IN NANCY GUTHRIE CASE, CALLS FOR CAPTOR TO ‘LET HER GO’ AS FAMILY PLEADS FOR HELPSutton said that reaction is understandable given the circumstances.”It’s not something outside the realm of possibility,” he said, adding that there is no single “typical” kidnapping scenario.Guthrie described the emotional toll of what followed, including the family’s decision to record a video appeal directed at a possible abductor.SAVANNAH GUTHRIE SPEAKS OUT ON MOTHER’S ‘GROUNDED, EARTHY’ FAITH, SAYS IT ISN’T ‘FAKE, PIOUS PUT-ON’ DEVOTIONSavannah Guthrie also said she believes ransom notes sent to the family may be legitimate.”I believe. The two notes that we received that we responded to. I tend to believe those are real.”NANCY GUTHRIE UPDATE: RETIRED K9 OFFICER SAYS DECISION NOT TO USE CADAVER DOGS ‘DEFIES LOGIC’Sutton, however, said aspects of the reported communications raise significant concerns.”Kidnappings for ransom are very, very rare,” he said.He noted that in this case, the messages did not follow typical patterns.NANCY GUTHRIE UPDATE: SEARCH FOR SAVANNAH GUTHRIE’S MISSING MOTHER ENTERS SEVENTH WEEK WITH NO ARRESTS”They didn’t go through the family — they went through media outlets. That is not the norm.”He also pointed to a key missing element.”The fact that there was no back-and-forth… I question whether any of these ransom demands were real,” Sutton said.FBI-RELEASED NANCY GUTHRIE DOORBELL PHOTO CAPTURED ON SEPARATE DATE: SOURCEAs “irresponsible and cruel speculation” has circulated, Savannah Guthrie said, she strongly defended her family against any suggestion of involvement.”And no one took better care of my mom than my sister and brother-in-law. And no one protected my mom more than my brother,” she said. “And we love her and she is our shining light. She’s our matriarch. She’s all we have.”Sutton said that while those statements are understandable, investigators cannot rule anyone out prematurely.SAVANNAH GUTHRIE BREAKS DOWN OVER POSSIBILITY HER MOM WAS TARGETED BECAUSE OF HER FAME, APOLOGIZES TO FAMILY”In any crime of violence… there is no way you can eliminate the family from being suspects until there is a full investigation,” he said. “Law enforcement has to follow the evidence where it leads.”Guthrie also signaled growing frustration with the investigation’s progress.”But we need answers,” she said.NANCY GUTHRIE MISSING: FORENSIC SCIENTIST ENCOURAGES NEW INVESTIGATIVE APPROACH SINCE CASE ‘ISN’T COLD YET’Sutton said that frustration is warranted, pointing to what he described as critical missteps early in the case.”This should have been locked down immediately,” he said, referring to the initial handling of the scene.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XHe added that those early decisions may have had lasting consequences.”Now the damage has been done,” Sutton said. “They have to go back… and redo all of their investigative work to see if there are any stones left unturned.”SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTERSutton said one of the most striking aspects of Guthrie’s interview was the emotional weight she is carrying — particularly moments where she appeared to blame herself.”The absolute pain and agony… it was palpable,” he said.SEND US A TIP HEREHe noted that Guthrie expressing guilt stood out, but emphasized that reaction is common in cases involving violent crime.”When she was talking about whether she caused this… that reaction is more common than people think,” Sutton said.LISTEN TO THE NEW ‘CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO’ PODCAST”She has absolutely nothing to feel guilty about.”Still, he warned that those feelings can linger.LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB”This is something she will live with forever,” he said, adding that one of the most difficult realities for the family is the possibility they may never fully know what happened.Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance remains unsolved, as her family continues to push for answers.A reward of more than $1 million is being offered for information leading to her recovery.Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip to law enforcement.

Elon Musk demanded on Wednesday that a Delaware judge recuse herself from Tesla lawsuits, arguing she recently demonstrated her bias against him when she liked an anti-Musk LinkedIn post. Musk’s lawyers filed a motion for recusal in Delaware’s Court of Chancery, which included a screenshot of Judge Kathaleen McCormick liking the social media post celebrating Musk’s $2 billion court loss in a separate case. The attorneys noted that the incident did “not exist in a vacuum.”The lawyers were referring to McCormick previously presiding over high-stakes cases involving Musk and the tech billionaire accusing the judge of bias stretching back years. The ongoing friction with the judge follows hostility Musk has faced from the left in recent years, most notably when he became a close ally of President Donald Trump in 2024 and through the early months of the administration. Musk’s lawyers said McCormick appeared to cheer on a lawyer on LinkedIn who made a post mocking Musk’s legal defeat in a California fraud case. McCormick is currently presiding over separate derivative litigation brought by Tesla shareholders who have alleged Musk harmed the company by overpaying himself and board members. The lawyers said one of McCormick’s staff members also liked another anti-Musk post related to Musk’s pending litigation.TRUMP NOT INTERESTED IN TALKING TO MUSK: ‘ELON’S TOTALLY LOST IT'”This post to which the Court reacted and another to which a Court staff member reacted are not simply negative criticism of Mr. Musk and his attorneys, they are inflammatory,” Musk’s lawyers wrote.The lawyers said that “the very facts underlying the litigation celebrated in the posts are squarely at issue in the consolidated and coordinated actions.”McCormick later deactivated her LinkedIn account, and in a letter to attorneys in the case she denied supporting the anti-Musk post.”I either did not click the ‘support’ icon at all, or I did so accidentally,” McCormick wrote. “I do not believe that I did it accidentally.”McCormick in 2022 presided over a separate, high-profile lawsuit brought by Twitter, now called X, against Musk to force him to complete his $44 billion acquisition of the company after Musk attempted to back out over allegations the company misled him about the number of bots on the platform. Musk ended up moving forward with the acquisition and later testified that he felt forced to because he believed McCormick was biased against him.”We were unlikely to win the [Twitter] case in Delaware because the judge was extremely biased against me,” Musk said this month, according to the recusal motion. “This was, in fact, the same judge that struck my Tesla option grant that was subsequently overturned by the Delaware Supreme Court. So it’s accurate to say she was, that judge was not favorably inclined to me. Not objective.”In another lawsuit, McCormick in 2024 twice voided a multibillion-dollar pay package for Musk and the Tesla board, saying they had breached their fiduciary duties and that Musk effectively controlled the board. The Delaware Supreme Court reinstated the pay package but upheld McCormick’s underlying findings.Musk responded that year to an X post from a conservative influencer about McCormick, writing “absolute corruption” after the influencer noted that she had previously worked at a Delaware law firm that donated to former President Joe Biden.Musk’s grievances with McCormick began amid a national push against the tech billionaire as he began weighing in on politics, speaking out against the Democrat Party ahead of the 2022 midterms and endorsing Trump in the 2024 election. He became the head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency in 2025, serving in the role as a special government employee as he sought to identify government overspending and fraud, which raised his status as a political target by the left. Democrat lawmakers condemned Musk’s DOGE efforts in protests, while Tesla locations were targeted by rioters last year as critics characterized Musk as an unelected billionaire working in the administration. Trump and Musk had a public falling out last spring, when Musk openly opposed the president’s signature budget bill, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The pair have since been spotted chatting at various public events. 

President Donald Trump said he will sign an executive order to address airport disruptions, announcing the move in a Truth Social post Thursday that framed the situation as a national emergency.”Because the Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis, I am using my authorities under the Law to protect our Great Country,” Trump wrote. “Therefore, I am going to sign an Order … to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation.”WHY SOME US AIRPORTS ARE DODGING TSA SHUTDOWN CHAOS WHILE OTHERS GRIND TO A HALTThe move comes as a 41-day partial government shutdown has disrupted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), causing long lines at airports nationwide amid a standoff over DHS funding and immigration enforcement.Trump accused Democrats of “refusing to fund Immigration Enforcement” and creating “Chaos at the Airports,” while thanking TSA agents for their work.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.This is a developing story, check back later for updates.

(Napa Valley, California – The French Laundry, March 3, 2026)
Gavin Newsom is weighing a presidential run at a moment when “affordability” dominates voter concerns across the country. I’m conducting this interview from his preferred corner table at The French Laundry where, during COVID, he dined maskless with lobbyists while millions of Californians lived under his pandemic lockdown rules and policies.
Elder: Governor, you’re running on affordability. Yet rankings place California among the least affordable states. How do you sell when the state is the poster boy for sky-high costs?
Newsom: First, I prefer the term poster-person. Second, this is just right-wing MAGA Trumpian spin. Affordability isn’t some pedestrian metric generated by spreadsheets and right-wing calculators. It’s a lifestyle elevation. Californians don’t complain about prices; they embrace them as badges of civic virtue. A $500 prix fixe isn’t indulgence. It’s ethical consumption. We curate excellence while flyover states settle for adequacy.
Elder: The median home price in California is $850,000, roughly double the national average. Families are relocating to Texas and Tennessee to buy a home.
Newsom: Elevated prices are proof of enlightened stewardship. Climate change regulations, coastal commissions and equity impact statements aren’t barriers. They’re safeguards against the chaos of unrestrained affordability. We don’t simply build houses in California. We sculpt sanctuaries. We’ll embrace scarcity with gratitude. True affordability is spiritual; it’s attitudinal. Californians cherish what we can’t own while proudly owning what we can’t truly cherish, if you will.
Elder: Gasoline in California is nearing $8 per gallon – the highest in the nation, even exceeding import-dependent Hawaii.
Newsom: It’s Trump’s war.
Elder: But California had the nation’s highest gas prices before the war.
Newsom: I prefer not to look back. I look forward. We’re not merely dispensing hydrocarbons. We’re dispensing cosmic accountability. Hawaii imports fuel; California exports spiritual virtue. In California, our pump prices reflect the full carbon penance. Your conscience will thank you. So will the polar bears.
Elder: California’s top income-tax rate is at 13.3%, including its mental-health services tax. High earners are leaving, which shrinks the state tax base.
Newsom: Taxes are communal purpose made visible. They fund our collective aspirations – universal services, early education and yoga sessions. If some affluent residents depart, well, that’s evolutionary pruning. The truly committed remain. And most of those who leave eventually return for the climate, the coastline and the Korean food. As president, I’ll end the racist, sexist, homophobic, Islamophobic, anti-trans race to the low-tax havens of white supremacy.
Elder: You created a reparations task force even though California was not a slave state. How do you explain that?
Newsom: Tell that to Kunta Kinte. Tell that to Jesse Jackson. Tell that to Jussie Smollett. California has moved beyond the binary relics of conventional logic, which is a contemporary right-wing form of systemic oppression. California reparations represent an alchemical transformation that converts historical guilt into good vibrations, which, of course, create excitations.
Elder: California school ratings are near the bottom nationally. Its water infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth. It has poor forest management. It has a huge gap between the rich and the poor. It has the nation’s largest unfunded pension liability. It has more illegal aliens and more homeless than any other state. The high-speed rail project grows ever more costly.
Newsom: We’re bound to be No. 1. We don’t take a back seat to anyone. We don’t follow outdated paradigms – we transcend them. The nation can evolve with us here in California or remain anchored in nostalgic decline. As Bruce Lee said, “Be like water.”
Elder: On biological males competing in women’s sports, you’ve offered little clarity.
Newsom: Biology is an outdated science narrative. We reject narrative. We believe in prose. As president, athletics will evolve into affirming civic rituals – participation over exclusion, identity over rigidity. Fairness is a feeling, and our feelings are second to none.
Elder: You appointed a black woman to the Senate after Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s death, saying it was time for black women to ascend. If Vice President Kamala Harris runs in 2028, wouldn’t your candidacy prevent the election of the first black female president?
Newsom: Racial leadership is a journey, not a traffic jam. History has a way of harmonizing these moments. I’ll leave it there.
Elder: Thank you, Governor.
Newsom: The check’s on me. Consider it reparations.

It’s time to ask some serious questions.
As spring travel ramps up, a record 171 million Americans are expected to take to the skies. Airports will be crowded, security lines long, and for many travelers, a fundamental question will linger: Are we safe?
That question extends far beyond the airport terminal. It surfaces at the southern border, in major American cities and in the wake of tragedies like the killing of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman in Chicago.
Gorman, a student at Loyola University, was shot and killed while walking with friends along a pier in Rogers Park. According to prosecutors, the group encountered a man hiding near a lighthouse. As they fled, he allegedly opened fire, striking Gorman in the back. Authorities say the suspect, a Venezuelan national, had previously entered the United States illegally and had prior contact with law enforcement before being released.
The case has reignited debate over immigration enforcement, sanctuary policies and public safety.
Critics argue that policies limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities can have serious consequences. Chicago’s sanctuary status, they note, restricts such coordination. In this instance, the suspect had reportedly been arrested on suspicion of shoplifting months earlier but was not turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Supporters of stricter enforcement contend that more consistent cooperation could prevent repeat offenses. They argue that when individuals who are in the country unlawfully are released after prior arrests, the system has failed to mitigate potential risks.
Others, however, caution against drawing broad conclusions from a single case. Some local officials have emphasized the complexity of crime and the need to avoid politicizing individual tragedies. Chicago leaders have also reiterated longstanding concerns about over-reliance on incarceration, arguing that deeper social issues contribute to violence.
Still, the divide is stark.
On one side are those who believe enforcement – whether at the border or within cities – must be strengthened to ensure public safety. On the other are those who argue that enforcement alone cannot address the root causes of crime and that policy responses must be broader in scope.
Meanwhile, the political backdrop adds another layer of tension. A funding dispute affecting the Department of Homeland Security has raised concerns about staffing and operations, including airport security. Reports of long TSA lines have only heightened public anxiety, even as federal officials work to manage the strain.
Even traditionally critical voices have acknowledged that personnel shifts, including assistance from other federal agencies, have helped ease some delays.
But for many Americans, the broader question remains unresolved.
Public safety – whether in neighborhoods, at the border or in transit hubs – continues to be one of the most powerful forces shaping political opinion. Incidents like the killing of Gorman bring that concern into sharp focus, forcing policymakers and the public alike to confront difficult questions about accountability, enforcement and priorities.
As millions prepare to board planes in the coming weeks, those questions won’t be easily dismissed.
And for voters, they may prove decisive.

Billionaires have been fleeing California because of a ballot measure seeking to impose a one-time tax of 5% on their wealth. Promoted by unions, endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., and doing well in gathering signatures to be on the November ballot, this citizen-initiated ballot measure is supported by 50% of voters plus another 14% who are undecided but lean “yes,” according to an early poll.
This Billionaire Tax Act would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2026, and many billionaires are not waiting around for the election results. Mark Zuckerberg, one of the top five wealthiest persons in the world and founder of Facebook, which is headquartered in California, has reportedly already decided to move to Florida, where there is not even an income or estate tax.
Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, venture capitalist David Sacks and Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick have also reportedly moved out of California. There are more than 200 billionaires in California, the most of any state, and their total wealth exceeds $2 trillion.
Wealth, including unrealized capital gains on stock ownership, has never been taxed before. But the California ballot measure would both revise its state constitution and enact a new law imposing this tax, which could have cost Zuckerberg more than $10 billion dollars had he remained a resident of California.
California has the largest homeless population of any state, totalling nearly 200,000 people, and 50% of our country’s unsheltered population lives in California. It is projected to have a budget deficit of $18 billion this year, and then have future annual deficits of $20 to $35 billion.
This red ink cannot flow forever, and states are not allowed to file for bankruptcy. Unlike the federal government, California cannot print its own money to pay off its debts.
Suddenly, there is a sharp uptick of interest in super-luxury homes in Wyoming, reports the New York Post, with the explanation that more California billionaires are looking to flee to that mostly tax-free state. Several centibillionaires, including Elon Musk and Oracle’s Larry Ellison, previously left California; Musk moved to Texas, and Ellison moved to a Hawaiian island that he purchased.
Roughly 20 states allow citizen-initiated ballot measures, as California does. Over the years other ballot measures, like raising the minimum wage, were enacted by landslide margins in California and Oregon and then spread to many other states in imitation.
One of the easiest states to place a new law on the ballot for majority vote is Colorado, where liberals have run up a $1.5 billion annual deficit that is forcing cuts in programs and which could impact Medicaid services for the poor. Half the states face budget shortfalls as federal funding for them dries up.
Democrat-controlled legislatures in blue states like New York and New Jersey, which lack a process for citizen-initiated ballot measures, can put wealth taxes up for a vote by the people. Wealthy individuals can also flee from these states to low-tax alternatives like Florida, Texas and Wyoming.
Backers of the California billionaire tax predict that it will raise $100 billion, of which 90% would be allocated to public health services. The remaining 10% would go toward education and food assistance programs.
Public health services in California include coverage for costly transgender operations and treatments. The California Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, requires coverage of this and prohibits any discrimination based on transgender issues.
Billionaires are donating money to try to defeat this ballot measure in California, and usually the side that spends the most is the side that prevails. Already $35 million has been pledged or donated by billionaires against this.
But the retroactive effect of this billionaire tax is designed to prevent anyone from escaping its bite by moving shortly before or after the election. Someone worth $10 billion would be taking a $500 million risk by staying in California while hoping to defeat this ballot measure by popular vote.
It appears that many Big Tech billionaires are not big fans of direct democracy after all. Common expressions like “the people have spoken” or “pro-democracy” are not how they really feel when it comes to holding onto their own wealth, which in most cases is from gains in the stock market during deficit-spending by the federal government.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who aspires to become the people’s president, is against this billionaire’s tax. It does not look like Bernie Sanders or most progressives will be endorsing Newsom in light of his position.
A permanent national income tax did not exist until the 16th Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution in 1913. As with proposals for a wealth tax, the original federal income tax was imposed only on the richest Americans, but then inevitably expanded to tax most workers.

A major leadership shift is unfolding at The Coca-Cola Company (KO). And this time, artificial intelligence (AI) is at the center of it.James Quincey, one of the most influential leaders in the company’s modern history, says the rapid rise of AI helped shape his decision to step down. That’s after nearly a decade as CEO. Quincey, who joined Coca-Cola in 1996 and rose through global leadership roles to become its 14th chairman, succeeding Muhtar Kent, has been instrumental in reshaping the business. He has helped streamline operations, expand into new beverage categories, and drive consistent growth during a period of major industry change. Just to name a few.Founded in 1892 and now over 134 years old, Coca-Cola remains a cornerstone of global markets. The beverage giant now operates in over 200 countries. Even more interesting, it sells more than 2.2 billion beverage servings every single day. Its stock is also listed on the NYSE and included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500. Yet even with strong performance, Quincey believes the next phase requires a different kind of leadership. “My job is to think about who’s best to lead the next wave,” he told CNBC, pointing to AI and generative technologies as a transformative shift. With COO Henrique Braun set to take over as CEO, Coca-Cola is preparing for a new era. One that could redefine how even the most established global brands evolve in the age of AI.

Photo by LightRocket via Getty Images

Coca-Cola CEO points to AI as key reason for exitQuincey made it clear that his decision wasn’t about short-term challenges. He made it about preparing the company for its next phase.“My job is also to think who’s the best team to put on the field to get the next wave done,” he said. “And I concluded that it was time to put someone else on the field for the next wave of growth.”That “next wave,” according to Quincey, is being driven by artificial intelligence.Related: Coca-Cola and Pepsi bring back classic flavors, launch new ones“In a pre-AI, a pre-gen-AI mode, we made a lot of progress. But now there’s a huge new shift coming along,” he said.Coca-Cola announced in December that Quincey would step down after nine years as CEO. He will be succeeded by current COO Henrique Braun on March 31, after which Quincey will transition into the role of executive chairman.The message is clear: This isn’t a reactive move. In fact, it’s a strategic handoff.Former Walmart CEO Doug McMillon made similar comments Coca-Cola isn’t alone in linking leadership changes to the rise of AI.  CNBC reports that former Walmart CEO Doug McMillon made similar comments when discussing his own transition.“With what’s happening with AI, I could start this next big set of transformations, but I couldn’t finish,” he said.McMillon emphasized the need for a “faster” leader to navigate the coming changes, with John Furner stepping into the role earlier this year.More Retail:Walmart fires OpenAI in playbook-changing moveCostco CEO just gave members a new reason to renewBath & Body Works makes big change customers will notice right awayBut now, you may be asking the same important question that I have in mind. Are we entering a phase where leadership itself is being reshaped by technology?Companies are increasingly looking for executives who can:Integrate AI into operationsRethink customer experiencesDrive large-scale digital transformationFor legacy giants like Coca-Cola, that shift could be especially significant.But how has Coca-Cola stock performed over the years?Despite the leadership change, Coca-Cola’s performance has remained strong. And that’s part of what makes this transition so notable.As per Yahoo Finance, KO shares are up about 8.2% year to date, outperforming the S&P 500, which is down 5.14% in the same period.Over the past five years, KO has delivered returns of more than 64%. Just slightly ahead of the broader market. At the same time, a one-year return totals 10.39%, with a three-year return at 34.89%. That’s impressive. Right?The company also posted solid 2025 results:February 10, 2026, also saw KO post impressive Q4 & FY2025 Results.Revenue grew 2% for the year, with organic growth of 5%Full-year EPS climbed 23% to $3.04Free cash flow reached over $5 billionCoca-Cola continues to reward shareholders as well, increasing its dividend for 63 consecutive years. That’s one of the longest streaks in the market.Looking ahead, the company expects:Organic revenue growth of 4% to 5% in 2026Comparable EPS growth of 7% to 8%Free cash flow of around $12.2 billionSo where does AI fit into all of this?Quincey believes the company now needs a leader with the energy to fully embrace a transformation that could reshape everything from supply chains to customer engagement.That suggests Coca-Cola’s next chapter won’t just be about beverages. It could be about becoming a more technology-driven enterprise. And for you and me as investors, that raises a key question. Can a 134-year-old company reinvent itself, again, in the age of AI?Related: How much to invest in Coca-Cola for $1,000 annual dividends in 2026