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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Kanye West stated on October 11, 2018 in remarks at the White House: In Wisconsin, Foxconn has \"4,000 jobs, people making $53,000 a year.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" half-true/6479cbc723379f0ee49c269b0b9790b7.jpg.\\") ![\\"half- true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") * Income * Jobs * Workers * Wisconsin * Kanye West ![\\"Kanye](\\" Kanye West embraces President Donald Trump in the Oval Office during a visit on Oct. 11, 2018. (Getty Images) ![\\"Tom](\\" By Tom Kertscher October 12, 2018 # Kanye West jumps the gun in saying there are 4,000 Foxconn jobs in Wisconsin paying $53,000 Not to be outdone by pop singer Taylor Swift, rapper-producer Kanye West weighed in on politics — from the Oval Office, no less — and made a statement about Wisconsin that we want to check. Swift made her first foray into politics with an Instagram post in which she made a claim about a federal domestic violence law and a Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Tennessee, her home state. She earned a Mostly True from PolitiFact National. West, who’s from Chicago, has spoken out before about politics, including going on a rant during one of his concerts in 2016. But as one of the highest- profile celebrity supporters of President Donald Trump, West drew more attention on Oct. 11, 2018, four days after Swift’s post. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter: @PolitiFactWisc. West pontificated during what USA Today called a \"meandering 10-minute monologue while making remarks with Trump and Trump’s son-in-law, White House adviser Jared Kushner. He made his claim about Wisconsin during this exchange, according to the White House transcript: West: And what we need is, we can empower the pharmaceuticals and make more money. That’s one thing — I’ve never stepped into a situation where I didn’t make people more money. So we can empower pharmaceuticals, we can empower our industries, we can empower our factories. We can bring not only Adidas onshore, we can bring — Foxconn has set up a factory in, I think, Minnesota. Kushner: Wisconsin. West: Fifty-three thousand — Trump: Wisconsin. Yeah.Wisconsin. West: Yeah. Wisconsin. They have 4,000 jobs. People making $53,000 a year. So, does Foxconn have 4,000 jobs in Wisconsin with people making $53,000 a year? Not yet. All our Tammy Baldwin and Leah Vukmir fact checks in the U.S. Senate race. The Foxconn deal West’s reference is to a massive deal that Foxconn, a Taiwanese company, forged with GOP Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Walker has praised the deal as a mega-job creator. Critics, including Democrat Tony Evers, who faces Walker in the Nov. 6, 2018 election, say Wisconsin is spending too much on the deal. Foxconn plans to invest as much as $10 billion on a high-tech electronics factory in Racine County, in southeast Wisconsin, and to employ up to 13,000 people. In exchange, Wisconsin has agreed to give the company up to $2.85 billion in cash payments and $150 million in tax breaks. The full $2.85 billion would be paid only if the company invests at least $9 billion in its plant and, in rough numbers, employs at least 13,000 people earning at least $30,000 per year. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Eric Hovde stated on August 13, 2024 in Public appearance Says U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin “has done absolutely nothing” about the fentanyl crisis. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Laura Schulte • August 22, 2024 All our Tony Evers and Scott Walker fact checks in the governor’s race. Kanye’s claim We didn’t hear back from a spokesman for West about the claim. But here’s what we know about what West said: No jobs yet: Foxconn has broken ground on the factory. But no one is producing ultra-high-definition flat screens yet. Thousands expected: Foxconn has said it plans to initially employ 3,000 people — and eventually 13,000 — at the plant. So, West’s figure of 4,000 jobs is in that range. Wages: Foxconn’s contract with the state says the average annual salary will be $53,875, plus benefits. So, West’s claim of $53,000 is on target. Critics of the Foxconn deal have questioned whether the average would reach that level only by Foxconn paying huge salaries to executives, and then paying wages well below the $53,875 to a large portion of employees. Under the state’s contract with Foxconn, wages paid up to $400,000 annually will be counted as part of the average. Our rating West says in Wisconsin, Foxconn has \"4,000 jobs, people making $53,000 a year.\" The Taiwanese company has broken ground on a massive electronics factory that it says will initially employ 3,000 people, and eventually 13,000, at an average wage of nearly $54,000 per year. But both figures are plans, albeit connected to a contract Foxconn has signed with the State of Wisconsin. There aren’t any jobs, and therefore no average wages in that range, yet. For a statement that is partially accurate, our rating is Half True. Share the Facts 2018-10-12 21:20:36 UTC PolitiFact ![\\"PolitiFact\\"](\\" 4 1 7 ![\\"PolitiFact](\\" halftrue.jpg\\") PolitiFact Rating: Half True In Wisconsin, Foxconn has \"4,000 jobs, people making $53,000 a year.\" Kanye West Rapper-producer meeting-kanye-west-jim-brown/ ![](\\" In remarks at the White House Thursday, October 11, 2018 2018-10-11 Read More info Join us for PolitiFact chat Interested in the U.S. Senate race? How about the battle for governor? Or what it’s like to do fact checks on Donald Trump and other national figures? PolitiFact Wisconsin is hosting a panel discussion about fact checking and the 2018 election at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23 at Anodyne Coffee, 224 W Bruce St., Milwaukee. Participating in the panel will be Angie Holan, editor of the national PolitiFact operation, Greg Borowski, editor of PolitiFact Wisconsin, and Tom Kertscher, PolitiFact Wisconsin reporter. The event is free, but pre registration is required. Register at jsonline.com/politifactevent. #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources The White House, transcript, Oct. 11, 2018 USA Today, \"Kanye West goes on 10-minute soliloquy, references Superman cape and swears during White House visit,\" Oct. 11, 2018 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, \"Foxconn will need thousands of workers with entry-level skills and a high school diploma,\" May 4, 2018 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, \"Foxconn says it will create thousands of jobs at surprisingly good wages,\" July 26, 2017 Email, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. spokesman Mark Maley, Oct. 12, 2018 BizTimes, \"Foxconn sought flexibility in meeting average wage target,\" July 6, 2018 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Tom Kertscher slide 4 to 6 of 15 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 19, 2023 in an Instagram post: A wind turbine must “spin continually for over four years just to replace the energy it took to manufacture it.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • July 28, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on July 15, 2023 in un video en TikTok: \"Biden elimina ‘tráfico sexual de menores’ como una de las prioridades del Departamento de Justicia de su gobierno”. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Maria Briceño • July 25, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 17, 2023 in an Instagram post: \"Florida to ban mRNA vaccines as credible evidence of biological weapons.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • July 18, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 26, 2023 in a Facebook post: Video suggests Canada wildfires were deliberately set to advance “smart cities” push. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 30, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 26, 2023 in a video: Women vaccinated against COVID-19 face \"unknown side effects that could perpetually go down through the lineage\" to their children. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 29, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 25, 2023 in a Facebook post: As of Aug. 25, \"Luis Rubiales has resigned as the president of the Spanish Football Federation.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 29, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 24, 2023 in an Instagram post: The World Health Organization said there is \"a possible causal relationship\" between COVID-19 vaccines and multiple sclerosis. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 28, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 9, 2023 in a Facebook post: Video shows military planes over Nashville \"dispersing materials into the atmosphere\" for geoengineering. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 23, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 20, 2023 in a Facebook post: “Official statement — Putin assassinated in the Kremlin!” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Tom Kertscher • August 22, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 8, 2023 in a Facebook post: \"The federal government has just declared a major food shortage emergency\" in six states. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 16, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Steve Kirsch stated on August 8, 2023 in a blog post: COVID-19 vaccines have killed 676,000 Americans. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Tom Kertscher • August 14, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 6, 2023 in a viral image: California passed a law “reducing penalties for oral, anal sex with willing children.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 9, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on June 22, 2023 in a post: A new law allows people to permanently erase unpaid debt older than two years from their credit records. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 1, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 28, 2023 in a video: “Skin cancer is a relatively new phenomenon in the last 60 years or so.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 1, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on July 26, 2023 in a Facebook post: Says Bill Gates said, “We’re taking things that are genetically modified organisms, and we’re injecting them into little kids’ arms” in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • July 31, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 19, 2023 in an Instagram post: A wind turbine must “spin continually for over four years just to replace the energy it took to manufacture it.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • July 28, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on July 15, 2023 in un video en TikTok: \"Biden elimina ‘tráfico sexual de menores’ como una de las prioridades del Departamento de Justicia de su gobierno”. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Maria Briceño • July 25, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on July 17, 2023 in an Instagram post: \"Florida to ban mRNA vaccines as credible evidence of biological weapons.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • July 18, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 26, 2023 in a Facebook post: Video suggests Canada wildfires were deliberately set to advance “smart cities” push. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 30, 2023 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 26, 2023 in a video: Women vaccinated against COVID-19 face \"unknown side effects that could perpetually go down through the lineage\" to their children. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 29, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 25, 2023 in a Facebook post: As of Aug. 25, \"Luis Rubiales has resigned as the president of the Spanish Football Federation.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Tom Kertscher • August 29, 2023 ### Kanye West jumps the gun in saying there are 4,000 Foxconn jobs in Wisconsin paying $53,000 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on September 6, 2024 in in social media posts: Haitian immigrants are eating pets and wildlife in Springfield, Ohio. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 9, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on September 2, 2024 in social media posts: The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is on the way to Aurora, Colorado, to confront a Venezuelan gang. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Loreben Tuquero • September 9, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Kamala Harris stated on July 20, 2024 in remarks at a fundraiser in Provincetown, Mass.: Donald 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In Wisconsin Foxconn has 4000 jobs people making 53000 a year