Trump calls Musk's formation of new party "ridiculous" and criticizes his own NASA pick
A day after Musk escalated his feud with Trump and announced the formation of a new US political party, the Republican president was asked about it before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, as he returned to Washington upon visiting his nearby golf club.
"I think it's ridiculous to start a third party. We have a tremendous success with the Republican Party. The Democrats have lost their way, but it's always been a two-party system, and I think starting a third party just adds to confusion," Trump told reporters.
"It really seems to have been developed for two parties. Third parties have never worked, so he can have fun with it, but I think it's ridiculous."
Shortly after speaking about Musk, Trump posted further comments on his Truth Social platform, saying, "I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely 'off the rails,' essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks."
Musk announced on Saturday that he is establishing the "America Party" in response to Trump's tax-cut and spending bill, which Musk said would bankrupt the country.
"What the heck was the point of @DOGE if he's just going to increase the debt by $5 trillion??" Musk wrote on X on Sunday, referring to the government downsizing agency he briefly led. Critics have said the bill will damage the US economy by significantly adding to the federal budget deficit.
Musk said his new party would in next year's midterm elections look to unseat Republican lawmakers in Congress who backed the sweeping measure known as the "big, beautiful bill."
Musk spent millions of dollars underwriting Trump's 2024 re-election effort and, for a time, regularly showed up at the president's side in the White House Oval Office and elsewhere. Their disagreement over the spending bill led to a falling out that Musk briefly tried unsuccessfully to repair.
Trump has said Musk is unhappy because the measure, which Trump signed into law on Friday, takes away green-energy credits for Tesla's electric vehicles. The president has threatened to pull billions of dollars in government contracts and subsidies that Tesla and SpaceX receive in response to Musk's criticism.
NASA APPOINTMENT 'INAPPROPRIATE'
Trump, in his social media comments, also said it was "inappropriate" to have named Musk ally Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator, considering Musk's business with the space agency. In December, Trump named Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut, to lead NASA but withdrew the nomination on May 31, before his Senate confirmation vote and without explanation.
Trump, who has yet to announce a new NASA nominee, on Sunday confirmed media reports he disapproved of Isaacman's previous support for Democratic politicians.
"I also thought it inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run NASA, when NASA is such a big part of Elon's corporate life," Trump said on Truth Social. "My Number One charge is to protect the American Public!"
Musk's announcement of a new party immediately brought a rebuke from Azoria Partners, which said on Saturday it would postpone the listing of its Azoria Tesla Convexity exchange-traded fund because the party's creation posed "a conflict with his full-time responsibilities as CEO." Azoria was set to launch the Tesla ETF this week.
Azoria CEO James Fishback posted on X several critical comments about the new party and reiterated his support for Trump.
"I encourage the Board to meet immediately and ask Elon to clarify his political ambitions and evaluate whether they are compatible with his full-time obligations to Tesla as CEO," Fishback said.
- Reuters
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Irish Independent
24 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Minister hopeful Trump's new tariff threat will not start trade war as EU delays retaliation
On Saturday, Mr Trump shared statements on his Truth Social platform outlining 30pc tariffs on imports to the US from the EU and Mexico from August 1, separate to sector-specific tariffs, despite months of intensive talks. However, the EU has pushed back its deadline for planned retaliation measures. Mr O'Brien said negotiations between the EU and the US have been positive so far. A trade deal is yet to be reached, and the EU had hoped to negotiate a deal including zero-for-zero tariffs on industrial goods. Asked on RTÉ's This Week if Mr Trump's announcement would spark a trade war, Mr O'Brien said: 'We sincerely hope not. 'I think the Taoiseach has been very clear as well in really setting out that we want respectful dialogue to continue. 'There is still time in this space. The EU and the US enjoy the biggest economic relationship. It's good for both blocs. It's good for the EU, it's good for the US.' Mr O'Brien said tariffs are 'good for no one', and the EU will now be focused on pressing ahead with negotiations with a view to wrapping up a deal ahead of the 30pc tariff coming into effect on August 1. 'Obviously the statement issued by the US administration and President Trump in particular, is one that leads us to be greatly concerned, no question,' he said. 'But I think my understanding, as the Taoiseach has outlined, is the negotiations heretofore have been carried out in a very respectful way, in a business-like way, and I still believe we need to use the time between now and the first of August to conclude a deal that is good for both the European Union and the United States.' Uncertainty brought by the threat of US tariffs has not been good for the economy, Mr O'Brien said, particularly relating to new investment in the private sector. ADVERTISEMENT 'We don't want to catastrophise the situation either, and this may be a negotiation… We've outlined from the very start, actually during the general election campaign, my party leader and the Taoiseach was very clear to say that obviously any budgets we bring forward are fully mindful of the economic situation at the time,' he said. 'But really our focus as a government, between the Taoiseach and Tánaiste and all of my colleagues, is working with our European Union partners to conclude an arrangement that can allow us to continue to trade. 'Look, tariffs are good for no one, and obviously the trading situation that we have right now, prior to the new administration has been advantageous for both. 'It allows US companies access to their biggest market in the European Union, FDI from the United States is very important for us.' Mr O'Brien added that the Irish people and economy 'were very resilient post-Brexit' despite concerns over the impact of the UK leaving the EU at the time. 'There were many concerns, and rightly outlined at the time, about the impact that would have on businesses, and we managed our way through it, and working together I believe we will manage our way through this also,' he said. On Sunday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the EU will will extend its suspension of countermeasures to US tariffs until early August as it aims for a negotiated solution on trade with the United States. Announcing the extension of the halt on retaliatory measures which was due to expire on Monday, Ms von der Leyen said the bloc would "continue to prepare further countermeasures so we are fully prepared". A first package of countermeasures to US tariffs on steel and aluminium that would hit €21 billion in US goods was suspended in April for 90 days to allow time for negotiations. A second package has been in the works since May and would target €72 billion of US goods, but these measures have not yet been made public and the final list requires approval by member states. Ms von der Leyen added that use of the EU's Anti-Coercion Instrument was not yet on the table. "The [anti-coercion] instrument is created for extraordinary situations, we are not there yet," she said. The instrument allows the bloc to retaliate against third countries that put economic pressure on EU members to change their policies.
Extra.ie
36 minutes ago
- Extra.ie
I love the US, that's why I left: Rosie O'Donnell claps back at Trump over Ireland jab
Rosie O'Donnell has responded to Donald Trump's latest attack, saying she 'didn't take it personally' after he suggested she should be stripped of her citizenship and remain in Ireland. The long-running feud between the Emmy-winning comedian and the US president reignited after O'Donnell criticised the Trump administration's response to the Texas floods, specifically its handling of weather forecasting agencies. Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, escalated matters by branding her 'a threat to humanity' and saying she 'should remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her.' O'Donnell, who relocated to Ireland earlier this year with her 12-year-old child, appeared unbothered by the remarks. O'Donnell responded on Instagram by posting a photograph of Mr Trump with Jeffrey Epstein. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rosie O'Donnell (@rosie) Speaking on Sunday with Miriam on RTÉ Radio 1, she said a friend alerted her to Trump's comments just as she was settling in to watch Wimbledon. 'I reacted with a little post that I jotted off in five minutes, and that's been getting a lot of attention online,' she said, 'I am very proud to be opposed to every single thing he says and does and represents.' She also noted that she's far from alone in being on the receiving end of Trump's online outbursts: 'There's a long list of celebrities he's threatened, including Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Mark Ruffalo. Pic: Piroschka Van De Wouw//Pool/AFP via Getty Images 'There are activists, artists who have always spoken out in their lives and careers. It's part of their public persona and their essence, and he's against all of us. 'So, I didn't take it personally, but I will tell you the way that he is has emboldened people like him.' Asked why she thinks she gets under Trump's skin, O'Donnell pointed to their shared roots. 'Well, I think it's because we grew up in the same area… I think I remind him of all the kids at school who never liked him. I'm a tough New York tomboy girl – and I think his crap never flew with me or New Yorkers.' While Trump may have implied otherwise, under US law, a president cannot revoke the citizenship of someone born in the United States, and O'Donnell was born in New York. Pic: Virgin Media Television The comedian, who is currently in the process of applying for Irish citizenship, said her move was about protecting her mental health and being the best parent she can be. 'I needed to keep myself healthy and alive and mentally stable enough to raise an autistic child,' she explained. 'And that's the reason I left. I left because I love the United States of America, not because I don't. I love democracy and what it stands for. I love the Constitution. 'I love what our founding fathers represented and made in this world as a beacon of hope and freedom for the rest of the world.' She continued: 'Now, there are many problems with the United States. The fact that we think we can butt into every other country's business and change regimes – you know, we have made tremendous mistakes as a country. 'But until we own what is true about our country and ourselves, we're never going to be able to move forward, and until we own what is true about Donald Trump.'
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
I was inches from death as Trump rally gunman shot at president – moment I shielded my pregnant wife fearing the worst
A LOCAL mayor sitting on the front row of the rally where Donald Trump was almost assassinated has recalled the horror that unfolded a year on from shocking event. 8 Trump's ear was pierced after being shot at the Butler Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024 Credit: AP 8 JonDavid Longo, a local politician, had met Trump less than an hour before the shooting Credit: Facebook/Mayor Jondavid R. Longo Trump ducked as he was being shot at the Butler Fairgrounds in the Pennsylvanian industrial town, prompting his security team to jump to protect him. Trump rose to his feet in an act of defiance, raised his fist, and urged his supporters to fight in what proved to be an iconic moment of not just the 2024 presidential campaign but in US history. However Corey Comperatore, a firefighter, The attempted assassination was the start of a week which culminated in Trump's rival at the time, Read more on Trump But the events sparked the biggest security crisis the US had faced since the shooting of Ronald Reagan in 1981. JonDavid 'JD' Longo, the mayor of Slippery Rock, gave a speech at the rally before Trump took to the stage. He spoke warmly about a conversation he had with Trump 30 minutes before the shooting unfolded. Longo and Trump spoke about the ground campaign in Pennsylvania - one of the key swing states that the 45th president was trying to claw back having lost it in 2020. Most read in The US Sun Longo then went to join his pregnant wife, Nicolina, and his mother-in-law in the rally's front row. Yet minutes later he was ordering them to duck for cover when shots rang out. Iran claims it could assassinate Trump 'while he sunbathes at Mar-a-Lago' amid alert over terrorist sleeper cells in US 'If one of us were tall enough or stood up, there's a good chance we might've fallen victim to this lunatic,' he told The U.S. Sun. 'All I could do was to lay on top of her and yell to those to get down. 'I feared for my pregnant wife, my-mother-law and my friends. 'I found out my wife was pregnant with our first child days before the rally. "She was 9 to 10 weeks pregnant at the time. The idea of pregnancy was very fragile.' Longo, who has formerly served in the Marine Corps and Afghanistan, said the temperatures on July 13 last year were close to 100F, describing the weather as 'brutally hot.' He revealed how some of those in attendance didn't duck for cover when being ordered to. 'Many people had their cell phones up recording the president,' he said 8 Lone wolf shooter Thomas Crooks pictured before opening fire at the rally Credit: Obtained via FOIA by Judicial Watch Inc. 8 Cops found improvised devices in his car Credit: AP Longo recalled how many of those in attendance were in disbelief when he instructed them to take cover. 'Many decided to go from standing to sitting but still looking at Trump, refusing to go onto the deck to make themselves a smaller target , as would be the expected response to a violent act like that,' he said. Crooks fired eight rounds and Longo admitted he didn't think the noise was gunshots. He recalled how his brain struggled to compute that it could be a firearm. Sue Tidwell, who lives in northwest She said supporters had waited for several hours trying to get into the Butler fairgrounds. "We were in there like sardines - just jammed in there," she said. "It was so hot - people were passing out left and right." Donald Trump Rally Shooting Timeline Donald Trump was shot at during his Pennsylvania rally on July 13. 1 pm: Doors open at the Butler Farm Show grounds where Trump was expected to speak at 5 pm. 4:11 pm: Sean Parnell gave the opening speech. 4:35 pm: David McCormick rallied the crowd. 5:10 pm: Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, later identified as the shooter, was first identified as a person of interest. 5:30 pm: Crooks was spotted with a rangefinder. 5:30 pm: Crowds were still waiting for Trump. 5:52 pm: Crooks was spotted on the roof by Secret Service. 6:02 pm: Trump takes the stage. 6:09 pm: Two sniper teams posted on buildings to the north and south behind the rally stage repositioned and were locked on Crooks. 6:12 pm: Gunshots were fired toward the stage as Trump delivered remarks. 6:12 pm: Secret Service returns fire, confirming the shooter is dead. 6:12 pm: Trump was ushered off stage by Secret Service agents. 6:42 pm: Secret Service confirmed Trump is safe. 7:24 pm: The shooter and one rally attendee are confirmed dead by law enforcement officials. 8:42 pm: Trump confirms he was shot in the ear, sharing a statement on Truth Social. 8:49 pm: The Secret Service confirms the shooter and a rally attendee are dead. Two others remain critically injured. Tidwell had waited in line for between two and three hours before getting into the fairgrounds. She and her friend then faced another three hour wait before the main event - Trump. Like Longo, she didn't initially realize it was the sound of gunshots when she heard the popping noise. 'At first, you just think it's fireworks. You just think your mind doesn't comprehend it,' she said. 'We just kind of heard the shots and we went to the ground. 'It was instantaneous. When you heard the shots, suddenly we were laying on the ground.' She admitted she couldn't see what had happened to Trump. Trump was referring to a chart and was criticizing Biden's immigration policies before Crooks started firing. Crooks was armed with an assault rifle and crawled into position before unleashing a volley of shots. Who was Thomas Matthew Crooks? Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, tried to kill Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. Who is Thomas Matthew Crooks? Thomas Matthew Crooks left few clues about his identity, and investigators said he did not have a social media presence. What is known is Crooks was from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, a small suburb about 30 minutes south of Pittsburgh. He lived with his parents, Mary Elizabeth Crooks and Matthew Brian Crooks. The Crooks have been licensed professional counselors since 2002, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State Licensing System Verification service. Thomas Matthew Crooks attended and graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. In May 2024, Crooks graduated from the Community College of Allegheny County with an associate degree in engineering science, the school revealed. Crooks was previously employed as a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He was a registered Republican but made a small $15 donation to a progressive political group in January 2021. Crooks did not have a criminal history in Pennsylvania. How did Thomas Crooks obtain the rifle used in the shooting? Federal investigators believe the AR-15-style rifle Thomas Crooks used in the shooting on July 13 was legally purchased and registered to his father. Matthew Brian Crooks purchased the weapon at least six months before the Trump rally shooting, according to It's unknown how the younger Crooks took possession of the firearm. The Crooks family is cooperating with federal investigators. Thomas Crooks also had a membership at the local shooting club, the Clairton Sportsmen's Club, for at least a year, according to What were Thomas Matthew Crooks' final moments? On July 12, federal investigators learned Thomas Crooks visited the Clairton Sportsmen's Club. On July 13, the day of the Trump rally in Butler, Crooks went to a Home Depot and purchased a five-foot ladder that investigators believe he used to scale a rooftop about 430 feet outside the Secret Service's perimeter. That same day, investigators said Crooks purchased 50 rounds of ammunition at a gun store and drove his Hyundai Sonata an hour north to Butler. Crooks fired at least eight shots at Donald Trump and rally-goers at 6:11 pm, less than 10 minutes after the presidential candidate took the stage. A Secret Service counter-sniper positioned near the stage where Trump was delivering his remarks returned fire within seconds, killing Crooks. What was his motive behind the shooting? The FBI is still working on determining a motive behind the shooting. The federal agency is viewing the act as domestic terrorism. Crooks is believed to have acted alone. Federal officials have been able to gain access to Crooks' cell phone, but it has yielded no clues about a motive, according to the Crooks' cell phone and laptop have been sent to the FBI's lab in Quantico, Virginia, for further analysis. 8 8 Crooks went to a gun store buying 50 rounds of ammunition in the hours before the rally Credit: AFP 8 Snipers returned fire at Crooks after he unleashed the volley of shots Credit: AP 8 Sue Tidwell, who attended the rally, told how r Credit: The U.S. Sun Kevin Rojek, an FBI special agent, said Crooks was 'hyper-focused' on carrying out the shooting, labeling his plot as a 'sustained and detailed effort.' Trump tried to clamber to his feet in a bid to reassure his supporters, while his security personnel tried to shield him. The top of his ear had been pierced with blood smeared on his cheek, but Trump told his supporters to fight. Crooks was shot by a counter sniper but the Secret Service's competency was immediately called into question as many demanded to know how he was able to get in a position to fire at Trump. Comperatore's sister, Kelly Comperatore Meeder, is leading the calls for the agency to be held accountable. 'They have my brother's blood on their hands and they are able to return to work and go back to living their lives,' she told 'Our family is furious.' The agency has seen major changes over the past year, with boss Kimberly Cheatle stepping down 10 days after the assassination attempt. Six Secret Service agents have also since been suspended over what unfolded in Butler. Officials for the agency revealed the suspensions ranged from 10 to 42 days, but most details have been kept under wraps. Myosoty Perez was one of the agents suspended, her lawyer told Matt Quinn, the Secret Service's deputy director, has revealed how Butler was an 'operational failure.' 'Secret Service is totally accountable for Butler.' Butler was the first assassination attempt against Trump. Weeks later, Trump was the target of a second plot at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida . 10 Days that Changed America AN attempted assassination of a former US president, the standing down of a current president, and a political speech by a former wrestler. Senior News reporter Anthony Blair looks back on a crazy 10 days in American politics. Saturday, July 13 - Sunday, July 14 - President Joe Monday, July 15 - The Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump is formally nominated as the Republican candidate. An Tuesday, July 16 - The FBI warns of more potential violence in the wake of Trump's shooting. Intelligence claims Wednesday, July 17 - Joe Thursday, July 18 - Donald Friday, July 19 - President Saturday, July 20 - Donald Sunday, July 21 - Joe Monday, July 22 - Kamala Harris raises a record $81 million in 24 hours as she secures the Democratic candidacy. She also inherits some $91 million in leftover campaign funds from Biden.
