"Stupidest idea I've ever heard" – Shark Tank star Kevin O'Leary makes his feelings known about a four-day work week

Kevin O’Leary, the outspoken investor best known for his role on Shark Tank, made headlines again on June 1 when he shared a clip from a recent Fox News panel on his Instagram. In the clip, O’Leary was seen dismissing the growing support for a four-day workweek.

The host asked if there is growing support for a four-day workweek and whether the U.S. might adopt a similar approach to France. O’Leary responded sharply. “That’s the stupidest I have ever heard. I think we should let the French go to a two-day workweek and then kick their ass internationally,” he said .

He said the concept of a traditional workweek no longer applies, especially in the post-pandemic digital economy. Since many of his staff members work remotely, he only cares about project deadlines, not the number of days they work.

Inside Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary’s warning about new tax rules

Earlier on May 14, Kevin O’Leary also voiced his frustration with the proposed tax plan in President Donald Trump’s upcoming legislation. Appearing on Fox Business’s Varney & Co., the Shark Tank investor labeled the bill “anti-American” and “a war on small business.” He said,

“This is anti-American. It’s against small business. I’ve never seen anything like it. You want to talk about [a] big, beautiful bill? This is a big, ugly piece of that bill. It’s gotta get fixed.”

In his remarks, O’Leary directed attention to the expiration of the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), a pandemic-era program that helped small businesses continue to pay staff. He noted that under the new proposal, the IRS would have the power to audit businesses for up to nine years.

“That program’s over. They want to give new powers to the IRS to audit all those small businesses for up to nine years. That’s unprecedented. Why would we want to do that to small business?” he asked.

He said audits often occur after small businesses have lost or destroyed the necessary records, which he views as unfair. He added that he reviews all laws that could impact businesses because he considers himself an advocate for small business owners.

House Republicans released a draft of the tax agenda late on a Friday in May, which included items such as an increased Child Tax Credit and continuation of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The proposal, however, did not include new policies on SALT deductions or eliminate taxes on tips and Social Security for retirees. Still, O’Leary zeroed in on the audit provisions.

“I read it and said, ‘This can’t be right. Why would they do this?’” he said. “It’s outrageous that they would attack small business like this, and unprecedented to get powers to the IRS like this because it won’t stop there.”

The Shark Tank investor agreed that fraud should be addressed, but warned against overreach. He said most businesses that received ERC funds did so legitimately and still rely on that support, so giving the IRS more power to investigate them is unfair.

Kevin O’Leary defends international students amid Harvard controversy

During a Fox News appearance on May 30, Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary criticized President Donald Trump’s policy banning foreign students at Harvard, calling it “stupid.” Speaking on Outnumbered, O’Leary, who currently teaches at Harvard as an executive fellow, voiced his strong support for the university’s international student population.

The Shark Tank star mentioned that the students are “remarkable” and selected solely on merit, not nationality, race, or religion. The policy, spearheaded by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, involved terminating Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification.

It was justified by claims of the school’s alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party and antisemitic activity, but a federal judge later blocked the action. O’Leary emphasized that 37% of his current class comprises international students, many of whom aspire to build businesses in the U.S.

“These kids are amazing,” O’Leary said. “We gotta keep them here.” He acknowledged Harvard’s involvement in other controversies but insisted that targeting foreign students was misguided.

“Why would we want to take the brightest and smartest people on Earth and kick them out of the country after we spend millions teaching them? It seems stupid to me,” he added.

Trending

Shark Tank airs every Friday on ABC at 8 pm EST.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback