Trump's tax and budget bill was written for 'hardworking Americans, not 'to please' Musk: Mike Johnson
With an uncharacteristically feistiness, Speaker Mike Johnson took clear sides Sunday in President Donald Trump's breakup with mega-billionaire Elon Musk.
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The Republican House leader and staunch Trump ally said Musk's criticism of the GOP's massive tax and budget policy bill will not derail the measure, and he downplayed Musk's influence over the GOP-controlled Congress.
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'I didn't go out to craft a piece of legislation to please the richest man in the world,' Johnson said on ABC's 'This Week.'
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'What we're trying to do is help hardworking Americans who are trying to provide for their families and make ends meet,' Johnson insisted.
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Johnson said he has exchanged text messages with Musk since the former chief of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency came out against the GOP bill.
Musk called it an 'abomination' that would add to U.S. debts and threaten economic stability. He urged voters to flood Capitol Hill with calls to vote against the measure, which is pending in the Senate after clearing the House. His criticism sparked an angry social media back-and-forth with Trump, who told reporters over the weekend that he has no desire to repair his relationship with Musk.
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The speaker was dismissive of Musk's threats to finance opponents — even Democrats — of Republican members who back Trump's bill.
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'We've got almost no calls to the offices, any Republican member of Congress,' Johnson said. 'And I think that indicates that people are taking a wait-and-see attitude. Some who may be convinced by some of his arguments, but the rest understand: this is a very exciting piece of legislation.'
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Johnson argued that Musk still believes 'that our policies are better for human flourishing. They're better for the U.S. economy. They're better for everything that he's involved in with his innovation and job creation and entrepreneurship.'
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The speaker and other Republicans, including Trump's White House budget chief, continued their push back Sunday against forecasts that their tax and budget plans will add to annual deficits and thus balloon a national debt already climbing toward $40 trillion.
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Johnson insisted that Musk has bad information, and the speaker disputed the forecasts of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that scores budget legislation. The bill would extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, cut spending and reduce some other levies but also leave some 10.9 million more people without health insurance and spike deficits by $2.4 trillion over the decade, according to the CBO's analysis.
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Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Can OpenAI really go the way of Apple and capture lightning in a bottle?
Gus Carlson is a U.S.-based columnist for The Globe and Mail. After OpenAI's series of embarrassing stumbles – including disruptive outages, pesky glitches in its ChatGTP platform, and the bizarre ousting and rehiring of its chief executive officer in a matter of days – the popular artificial-intelligence platform finally got one right. So right, in fact, that the company has manoeuvred itself into a position to put some blue water between itself and deep-pocketed rivals in the development of AI devices, the way Apple did with rivals in the computer and mobile phone world. The Apple comparison is not coincidental. Late last month, OpenAI said it planned to acquire an AI device company called io in an all-equity deal valued at about US$6.4-billion. Embedded in the purchase is a secret weapon that goes well beyond the technology: the design legend and io co-founder Jony Ive. OpenAI recruits legendary iPhone designer Jony Ive to work on AI hardware in $6.5B deal Mr. Ive is not just another smart techie. He is the design genius responsible for creating Apple's most iconic products, including the iPod, iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air. He also helped design Apple's ultra-modern California headquarters. It was Mr. Ive's eye for combining elegant simplicity and functionality that set Apple's products apart from all others, first in the world of PCs and then in handheld devices. Even Apple's packaging reflects Mr. Ives's commitment to reinforcing the brand's sleek beauty in every way it touches customers. So influential was Mr. Ive that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said he considered him to be his 'spiritual partner' who saw things the same way he did. Mr. Ive was among Mr. Jobs's first hires when he returned to Apple in 1997 after being fired from the company more than a decade earlier. Mr. Ive had a direct and unfettered reporting relationship with Mr. Jobs. Few would question Mr. Ive's enormous influence on the devices we all use every day. In a post about the io acquisition on X, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote that Mr. Ive is 'the greatest designer in the world.' OpenAI needs a win. The acquisition of Mr. Ive and io is a crucial strategic play for OpenAI to stay ahead in the generative AI race, where competitors including Google, Anthropic and Elon Musk's xAI are making significant investments and quickly pushing new products to market. The showdown in AI devices is seen as the next big inflection point for the sector that may drive consolidation and some flame-outs – fates OpenAI seems determined to avoid. The purchase of io – OpenAI already owns about 23 per cent of the company – is the latest in a recent shopping spree that has seen OpenAI shore up its hardware assets. Just a few weeks ago, it agreed to buy AI-assisted coding tool Windsurf for US$3-billion. OpenAI also acquired analytics database company Rockset last year. OpenAI has also hired the former head of Meta's Orion augmented reality glasses initiative to lead its robotics and consumer hardware efforts. OpenAI CFO says new structure opens door for potential IPO Despite the asset and talent accumulation, OpenAI has some hurdles to clear with its current offerings, as well some reputation issues that continue to dog its credibility. The company has been plagued by high error rates in its application programming interface (API) and performance problems in ChatGTP. Users have reported a wide range of gremlins, including slow response times, trouble mining information from source documents, contextual problems and generic responses to queries. But perhaps OpenAI's biggest black eye came in November, 2023, when its board ousted Mr. Altman as CEO because of concerns about his leadership capabilities and lack of transparency in his communications with directors. Then, just a few days later, after employees protested the firing and threatened a mass walk-out, Mr. Altman was reinstated as CEO. An independent investigation concluded that the board's initial concerns about Mr. Altman did not rise to the threshold for termination. But the damage was done. The chaos in the governance structure dealt a blow to OpenAI's reputation at a time in its young life when it was breaking new ground and trying to establish credibility in the fast-emerging AI space. If history is any guide, Mr. Ive's eye for the kind of elegant, simple and unique device designs that separated Apple from the pack will give OpenAI an advantage over its bigger rivals. The big questions are: Can he capture lightning in a bottle again, the way he did at Apple, and will he be given the latitude to pursue the unique creative path that has made him a tech legend? Based on OpenAI's past governance bungling, Mr. Altman's biggest job is to keep the board out of Mr. Ive's hair and let him work his magic. If they can manage that, oh, the places they'll go.
The Province
2 hours ago
- The Province
Trump defies California's Newsom, sends National Guard to end immigration protests in Los Angeles
Presidential order came after clashes in Paramount and neighbouring Compton, where a car was set on fire Published Jun 08, 2025 • Last updated 6 hours ago • 5 minute read U.S. President Donald Trump has deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to L.A. to put an end to escalating immigration protests, overriding Governor Gavin Newsom's objections. Photo by RINGO CHIU / AFP via Getty Images President Donald Trump is deploying 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom after a second day of clashes between hundreds of protesters and federal immigration authorities in riot gear. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Confrontations broke out on Saturday near a Home Depot in the heavily Latino city of Paramount, south of Los Angeles, where federal agents were staging at a Department of Homeland Security office nearby. Agents unleashed tear gas, flash-bang explosives and pepper balls, and protesters hurled rocks and cement at Border Patrol vehicles. Smoke wafted from small piles of burning refuse in the streets. Tensions were high after a series of sweeps by immigration authorities the previous day, including in L.A.'s fashion district and at a Home Depot, as the weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the city climbed past 100. A prominent union leader was arrested while protesting and accused of impeding law enforcement. The White House announced that Trump would deploy the Guard to 'address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.' It wasn't clear when the troops would arrive. Newsom, a Democrat, said in a post on the social platform X that it was 'purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.' He later said the federal government wants a spectacle and urged people not to give them one by becoming violent. In a signal of the administration's aggressive approach, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened to deploy the U.S. military. 'If violence continues, active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert,' Hegseth said on X. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Deranged = allowing your city to burn & law enforcement to be is plenty of room for peaceful protest, but ZERO tolerance for attacking federal agents who are doing their job. The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE. — Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) June 8, 2025 Trump's order came after clashes in Paramount and neighbouring Compton, where a car was set on fire. Protests continued into the evening in Paramount, with several hundred demonstrators gathered near a doughnut shop, and authorities holding up barbed wire to keep the crowd back. Crowds also gathered again outside federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles, including a detention center, where local police declared an unlawful assembly and began to arrest people. Standoff in Paramount Earlier in Paramount, immigration officers faced off with demonstrators at the entrance to a business park, across from the back of a Home Depot. They set off fireworks and pulled shopping carts into the street, broke up cinder blocks and pelted a procession of Border Patrol vans as they departed and careened down a boulevard. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said federal agents made more arrests of people with deportation orders on Saturday, but none at the Home Depot. The Department of Homeland Security has a building next door and agents were staging there as they prepared to carry out operations, he said on Fox11 Los Angeles. He didn't say how many people were arrested Saturday or where. Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons told multiple news outlets that community members showed up in response because people are fearful about activity by immigration agents. 'When you handle things the way that this appears to be handled, it's not a surprise that chaos would follow,' Lemons said. Federal agents clashed with angry crowds in a Los Angeles suburb as protests stretched into a second night Saturday, shooting flash-bang grenades and shutting part of a freeway amid raids on undocumented migrants, reports said. Photo by RINGO CHIU / AFP via Getty Images Some demonstrators jeered at officers while recording the events on smartphones. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'ICE out of Paramount. We see you for what you are,' a woman said through a megaphone. 'You are not welcome here.' More than a dozen people were arrested and accused of impeding immigration agents, Essayli posted on X, including the names and mug shots of some of those arrested. He didn't say where they were protesting. Trump calls up the Guard Trump federalized part of California's National Guard under what is known as Title 10 authority, which places him, not the governor, atop the chain of command, according to Newsom's office. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the work the immigration authorities were doing when met with protests is 'essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States. In the wake of this violence, California's feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The president's move came shortly after he issued a threat on his social media network saying that if Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass did not 'do their jobs,' then 'the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!' Trump signed the order shortly before he went to attend a UFC fight in New Jersey, where he sat ringside with boxer Mike Tyson. U.S. President Donald Trump sat ringside with UFC CEO Dana White at UFC 316 on Saturday. Photo by FRANK FRANKLIN II / POOL/AFP via Getty Images Newsom said in his statement that local authorities 'are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment's notice,' and 'there is currently no unmet need.' The California Highway Patrol said Newsom directed it to deploy additional officers to 'maintain public safety.' Speaking on ABC7, Bass said that 'we certainly want to make the opportunities available for people to exercise their First Amendment rights, but the minute that things turn to violence … that is not acceptable and people are going to be held accountable.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. She said she had spoken with members of the Trump administration and insisted that she and Newsom were in control and there was no need for the National Guard to be deployed. In 2020, Trump asked governors of several states to deploy their National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to quell protests after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police. Many agreed and sent troops. Trump also threatened at the time to invoke the Insurrection Act for those protests — an intervention rarely seen in modern American history. But then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper pushed back, saying the law should be invoked 'only in the most urgent and dire of situations.' Trump did not invoke the act during his first term, and he did not do so Saturday, according to Leavitt and Newsom. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Arrests in Los Angeles Protests kicked off a day earlier in Los Angeles after federal authorities arrested 44 people for violating immigration law Friday. DHS later said recent ICE operations in Los Angeles resulted in the arrest of 118 immigrants, including five people linked to criminal organizations and people with prior criminal histories. David Huerta, regional president of the Service Employees International Union, was also arrested Friday while protesting. The Justice Department confirmed that he was being held Saturday at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled Monday court appearance. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for his immediate release, warning of a 'disturbing pattern of arresting and detaining American citizens for exercising their right to free speech.' — Lee reported from Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Price from Bridgewater, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Eric Tucker in Washington and Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, contributed. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here. BC Lions Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks News News
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
National Guard faces off with protesters hours after arriving in Los Angeles on Trump's orders
Protesters clash with authorities in downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night's immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Jae Hong) LOS ANGELES — Members of the National Guard faced off with protesters in Los Angeles on Sunday, and tear gas was fired at a growing crowd that gathered outside a federal complex hours after the federal troops arrived in the city on U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The confrontation broke out in front of the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, as a group of demonstrators shouted insults at members of the guard lined shoulder to shoulder behind plastic riot shields. There did not appear to be any arrests. Around members 300 National Guard troops arrived in Los Angeles early Sunday following clashes in recent days between protesters and federal immigration agents. The deployment followed two days of protests that began Friday in downtown Los Angeles before spreading on Saturday to Paramount, a heavily Latino city south of the city, and neighboring Compton. As federal agents set up a staging area Saturday near a Home Depot in Paramount, demonstrators attempted to block Border Patrol vehicles, with some hurling rocks and chunks of cement. In response, agents in riot gear unleashed tear gas, flash-bang explosives and pepper balls. Tensions were high after a series of sweeps by immigration authorities the previous day, as the weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the city climbed above 100. A prominent union leader was arrested while protesting and accused of impeding law enforcement. The deployment of the National Guard came over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who accused Trump of a 'complete overreaction' designed to create a spectacle of force. The recent protests have drawn hundreds of participants but remain far smaller than other mass demonstrations, including the 2020 protests against police violence that spurred Newsom to request assistance from the National Guard. The last time the National Guard was activated without a governor's permission was in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to protect a civil rights march in Alabama, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Trump has framed the move as a necessary response to Newsom's and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass's failure to swiftly contain the unrest. In a directive Saturday, Trump invoked a legal provision allowing him to deploy federal service members when there is 'a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.' He said he had authorized the deployment of 2,000 members of the National Guard. Newsom called Trump on Friday night and they spoke for about 40 minutes, according to the governor's office. It was not clear if they spoke Saturday or Sunday. There was some confusion surrounding the exact timing of the guard's arrival. Shortly before midnight local time, Trump congratulated the National Guard on a 'job well done.' But less than an hour later, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said troops had yet to arrive in the city. In a statement Sunday, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused California's politicians and protesters of 'defending heinous illegal alien criminals at the expense of Americans' safety.' 'Instead of rioting, they should be thanking ICE officers every single day who wake up and make our communities safer,' McLaughlin added. The troops included members of the California Army National Guard's 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, according to a social media post from the Department of Defense. In a signal of the administration's aggressive approach, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also threatened to deploy active-duty Marines 'if violence continues' in the region. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said the order by Trump reflected 'a president moving this country rapidly into authoritarianism' and 'usurping the powers of the United States Congress.' House Speaker Mike Johnson, a staunch Trump ally, endorsed the president's move, doubling down on Republicans' criticisms of California Democrats. 'Gavin Newsom has shown an inability or an unwillingness to do what is necessary, so the president stepped in,' Johnson said.
