
Glenn Greenwald breaks silence on sex tape leak, says 'It won't change my work'
Videos showing journalist Glenn Greenwald engaged in intimate acts were leaked online on Thursday. Greenwald confirmed the leak and stated that the clips were shared "without his knowledge or consent."
Addressing the scandal, Greenwald wrote on X, 'Last night, videos were released online depicting behavior in my private life. Some were distorted and others were not. They were published without my knowledge or consent and its publication was therefore criminal. Though we do not yet know exactly who is responsible, we are close to knowing, and the motive was a maliciously political one."
He continued, 'As for the content of the videos: I have no embarrassment or regret about them. The videos depict consenting adults engaged in intimate actions in their private lives. They all display fully consensual behavior, harming nobody. Obviously it can be uncomfortable and unpleasant when your private behavior is made public against your will -- that's why the behavior is private in the first place -- but the only wrongdoing here is the criminal and malicious publication of the videos in an attempt to malign perceived political enemies and advance a political agenda.'
'Others are, of course, free to form their own judgments, as some are prone to do about others' private lives. It won't change my work. I will continue all the many prongs of my journalism, and pursue the causes most important to me, exactly as before,' he concluded.
Also Read: Defense Secretary Hegseth, bedeviled by leaks, orders more restrictions on press at Pentagon
Greenwald, 58, was married to Brazilian politician David Miranda, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 37 due to complications from a gastrointestinal infection. The couple adopted two brothers from Maceió, Brazil, in 2018.

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Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Pentagon ends Elon Musk's weekly ‘What Did You Do?' emails as DOGE era winds down
Pentagon ends Elon Musk's weekly 'What Did You Do?' emails as DOGE era winds down In a move that marks the symbolic end of Elon Musk 's short-lived but highly disruptive tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ), the Pentagon has officially halted the weekly email directive that required federal workers to submit a list of five work-related accomplishments. The policy, initiated under Musk's controversial leadership, was widely criticized by civilian employees and lawmakers alike, drawing fire for its tone, implications, and lack of practicality. The emails, bluntly titled 'What did you do last week?' , were rolled out across the US federal workforce in March 2025, just weeks after Musk was appointed to the newly formed DOGE by President Donald Trump. What began as a Musk-style corporate tactic to monitor productivity quickly escalated into a bureaucratic flashpoint. With over 2.3 million government employees receiving the mandate, the measure sparked confusion, anxiety, and political backlash—particularly when Musk warned on social media that failing to respond would be considered a de facto resignation. Now, with Musk preparing to leave his post, the Pentagon is pivoting away from the 'five bullet' performance reports. In its place, employees are being asked to contribute one idea to improve efficiency or eliminate waste, encouraging a more collaborative and less punitive approach. The shift is being seen as both an administrative reset and a political distancing from Musk's influence in the federal apparatus. How Elon Musk's weekly 'What did you do last week' email sent federal employees into frenzy Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Что говорит о вашем характере поза, в которой вы спите! Удивительные Новости Undo In February 2025, shortly after the Department of Government Efficiency was announced as part of President Trump's second-term initiative to cut federal spending, Elon Musk was tapped to lead the charge. Known for his unorthodox leadership at Tesla and SpaceX, Musk wasted no time applying a Silicon Valley-style management technique to Washington. On February 22, 2025, Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter): 'Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump's instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.' That statement sent shockwaves through federal agencies. Although initially dismissed as hyperbole, it was soon followed by official memos directing employees to submit weekly updates with five 'bullet points' outlining their accomplishments. The directive was rolled out via the Office of Personnel Management and reached departments as varied as Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Energy. Backlash from within and beyond the Pentagon Despite the directive's goal of enhancing transparency and accountability, it faced swift resistance. Civilian employees—many with military backgrounds or years of public service—expressed frustration over what they viewed as a demeaning exercise. Congressman Joe Courtney, ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, was particularly vocal. In an interview, he stated: 'For months, dedicated Defense Department civilians received Elon Musk's insulting 'five things' emails. Many of these people served in the military, are highly trained and experienced, and are doing this job because they actually care about the mission.' Internal communications within the Department of Defense initially advised employees to ignore the emails, but by late March, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had reversed course, issuing his own memo requiring weekly reports. He warned that 'non-compliance may lead to further review,' further escalating tensions. Pentagon ends Elon Musk's weekly email policy, calls for ideas to cut waste On May 29, 2025, the Pentagon formally scrapped the policy. Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Jules Hurst, sent out an email thanking staff for their participation and announcing a final request: 'To conclude the 'five bullet' exercise, we need one last input from you… Please submit one idea that will improve the Department's efficiency or root out waste.' The directive, while ending one controversial practice, hinted at a desire to maintain momentum in reforming bloated or inefficient systems—this time, by inviting employee creativity rather than mandating performance summaries. According to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, the now-discontinued emails had provided 'insights into their employees' contributions, fostered accountability, and helped to identify opportunities for greater efficiency.' However, he added that the department remains committed to 'driving meaningful change' without relying on burdensome oversight tactics. Elon Musk's exit and reflections on his federal tenure Elon Musk's time in Washington was brief but intensely scrutinized. Though technically a special government employee, Musk brought outsized attention to DOGE and stirred controversy through a combination of blunt rhetoric, sweeping policy ideas, and his high-profile alignment with the Trump administration. On the same day the Pentagon ended the email directive, Musk confirmed via X that his role in the federal government was drawing to a close. He thanked President Trump for the opportunity and expressed disappointment in the limited fiscal impact DOGE had achieved. 'The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,' Musk posted. However, he also criticized the lack of concrete budget cuts in what he described as the 'big, beautiful bill' endorsed by the administration, signaling a rift between his expectations and the political realities of Washington. What comes next for DOGE and government efficiency With Musk stepping down, the future of the Department of Government Efficiency remains uncertain. While the Trump administration insists DOGE will remain operational, the departure of its flagship figure—and the public disapproval of some of its methods—has raised questions about the department's long-term viability. For now, Defense Secretary Hegseth appears to be redirecting the efficiency campaign toward more conventional and collaborative methods. By soliciting employee ideas to reduce waste, the department hopes to retain the original spirit of reform without the heavy-handed tactics associated with Musk. The deadline for staff to submit their efficiency proposals was midday Wednesday, though the Pentagon has not disclosed what ideas have been submitted or whether any will be implemented. Also read | Urgent cyber warning for Americans: 184 million passwords leaked; are you at risk AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
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Business Standard
7 hours ago
- Business Standard
China says Hegseth touting Cold War mentality in calling it 'threat'
China on Sunday denounced US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth for calling the Asian country a threat, accusing him of touting a Cold War mentality as tensions between Washington and Beijing further escalate. The foreign ministry said Hegseth had vilified Beijing with defamatory allegations the previous day before at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a global security conference. The statement also accused the United States of inciting conflict and confrontation in the region. Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, it said, referring to the post-World War II rivalry between the US and the former Soviet Union. No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the US itself, it said, alleging that Washington is also undermining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific. Hegseth said in Singapore on Saturday that Washington will bolster its defences overseas to counter what the Pentagon sees as rapidly developing threats by Beijing, particularly in its aggressive stance toward Taiwan. China's army is rehearsing for the real deal, Hegseth said. We are not going to sugarcoat it the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent. The Chinese statement stressed that the Taiwan question is entirely China's internal affair, saying the US must never play with fire with it. It also alleged Washington had deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea, was stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific and "turning the region into a powder keg. In a Facebook post on Saturday, China's Embassy in Singapore said Hegseth's speech was steeped in provocations and instigation. The US and China had reached a deal last month to cut US President Donald Trump's tariffs from 145 per cent to 30 per cent for 90 days, creating time for negotiators from both sides to reach a more substantive agreement. China also reduced its taxes on US goods from 125 per cent to 10 per cent. But it's uncertain if a trade war truce will last. Trump in a social media post on Friday said he would no longer be nice with China when it comes to trade and accused Beijing of breaking an unspecified agreement with the US. Tensions escalated anew after the US said on Wednesday it would start revoking visas for Chinese students studying there. Separately, the Chinese Embassy in Singapore criticized attempts to link the issue of Taiwan with that of the war in Ukraine after French President Emmanuel Macron warned of a dangerous double standard in focusing on a potential conflict with China at the cost of abandoning Ukraine. The embassy made no mention of Macron in its post on Facebook that included a photo showing the French president at the Singapore forum. If one tries to denounce double standards' through the lens of a double standard, the only result we can get is still double standard, it said. China, which usually sends its defence minister to the Shangri-La forum, this time sent a lower-level delegation led by Maj Gen Hu Gangfeng, the vice president of the People's Liberation Army National Defence University.


Economic Times
8 hours ago
- Economic Times
China says Pete Hegseth is touting a Cold War mentality in calling it a threat
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel China on Sunday denounced U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for calling the Asian country a threat, accusing him of touting a Cold War mentality as tensions between Washington and Beijing further foreign ministry said Hegseth had vilified Beijing with defamatory allegations the previous day before at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a global security conference. The statement also accused the United States of inciting conflict and confrontation in the region."Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation," it said, referring to the post-World War II rivalry between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union."No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the U.S. itself," it said, alleging that Washington is also undermining peace and stability in the said in Singapore on Saturday that Washington will bolster its defenses overseas to counter what the Pentagon sees as rapidly developing threats by Beijing, particularly in its aggressive stance toward army "is rehearsing for the real deal," Hegseth said. "We are not going to sugarcoat it - the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent."The Chinese statement stressed that the Taiwan question is entirely China's internal affair, saying the U.S. must "never play with fire" with it. It also alleged Washington had deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea, was "stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific" and "turning the region into a powder keg."In a Facebook post on Saturday, China's Embassy in Singapore said Hegseth's speech was "steeped in provocations and instigation."The U.S. and China had reached a deal last month to cut U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs from 145% to 30% for 90 days, creating time for negotiators from both sides to reach a more substantive agreement. China also reduced its taxes on U.S. goods from 125% to 10%.But it's uncertain if a trade war truce will last. Trump in a social media post on Friday said he would no longer be "nice" with China when it comes to trade and accused Beijing of breaking an unspecified agreement with the escalated anew after the U.S. said on Wednesday it would start revoking visas for Chinese students studying the Chinese Embassy in Singapore criticized attempts to link the issue of Taiwan with that of the war in Ukraine after French President Emmanuel Macron warned of a dangerous double standard in focusing on a potential conflict with China at the cost of abandoning embassy made no mention of Macron in its post on Facebook that included a photo showing the French president at the Singapore forum."If one tries to denounce 'double standards' through the lens of a double standard, the only result we can get is still double standard," it which usually sends its defense minister to the Shangri-La forum, this time sent a lower-level delegation led by Maj. Gen. Hu Gangfeng, the vice president of the People's Liberation Army National Defense University.