Musk drops big DOGE bombshell hours before joint press conference with Trump
In a dramatic revelation just hours before Donald Trump's major press conference, Tesla CEO Elon Musk disclosed that he felt 'stuck in a Biden-style bind' during his tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration. In a CBS News interview, Musk admitted he was uncomfortable being held responsible for all of Trump's policies, even though he agreed with many of the administration's goals. Watch for more
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Hindustan Times
13 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
How did things get from bad to worse between Donald Trump and Elon Musk? A step-by-step guide
A no-holds-barred and very public blow-up between the world's richest man and the president of the United States has had social media agog in recent days, with each making serious accusations against the other. And while tech billionaire Elon Musk appears to have cooled the spat somewhat – deleting some of his more incendiary social media posts about Donald Trump – the president still appears to be in no mood to make up, warning Musk of 'very serious consequences' if he backs Democrats at the mid-term elections in 2026. Tensions erupted over Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' (OBBB). The OBBB proposes extensive tax cuts which could add roughly USD 3 trillion (AUD 4.62 trillion) to the US national debt. After stepping down from his role as advisor to Trump, Musk criticised the OBBB as 'disgusting abomination' that would 'burden America [sic] citizens with crushing unsustainable debt'. Trump returned fire, suggesting 'Elon was 'wearing thin', I asked him to leave […] and he just went CRAZY!'. In a dramatic escalation, Musk responded by calling for Trump's impeachment. Musk also tweeted allegations that Trump was implicated in the Epstein files related to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He has since deleted those tweets. Why has the much-hyped 'bromance' between Musk and Trump suddenly ended? And what was the basis of their alliance in the first place? Like many billionaires, Musk had previously been hesitant to get involved in frontline politics. He says he voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020, but claimed in 2021 'I would prefer to stay out of politics'. In early 2024, Musk was still claiming to be politically non-aligned, suggesting he would not donate to either presidential campaign. This apparent neutrality ended following the attempted assassination of Trump at a July 2024 campaign rally, with Musk immediately endorsing Trump. In reality, Musk's conversion to the MAGA movement long predated the assassination attempt. Musk's hyperactive Twitter/X account shows a steady radicalisation. Across 2020-2024, Musk engaged with accounts sharing MAGA and far-right conspiracy theories. These include the antisemitic Great Replacement Theory, and the related South African white genocide conspiracy. Musk's posts also show the obsession with opposing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies characteristic of the MAGA movement. After endorsing Trump, Musk spent USD 288 million (AUD 444 million) supporting Trump's election and appeared at campaign events around the country. Musk's support for Trump was both ideological and pragmatic. From tax cuts to immigration restrictions to opposing DEI, there were clearly many ideological commonalities between Musk and Trump. There were also clear practical benefits for both men. Trump gained the financial backing of the world's wealthiest man. Musk gained not only unparalleled access to the US president, but also a role leading the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Early reporting on the second Trump presidency noted the omnipresence of Musk, who at one point moved into Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort to be close to the president. However, observers were sceptical about the potential effectiveness of DOGE, and Musk's claim it would save the government USD 2 trillion (AUD 3.02 trillion). In the early months of the Trump administration, Musk cut government programmes and employees at a remarkable rate. The USAID programme was particularly hard hit, as were the Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. As the spending cuts picked up pace, Musk began to attract more controversy. Critics questioned the apparent power wielded by the unelected billionaire. Musk's ties to the far right were also in the spotlight after he appeared to perform two 'Roman salutes', which many observers believed to be a Nazi salute. Musk's apparent rampage through government did not last long. As Trump's executive appointees assumed control of their departments, Musk and DOGE experienced increasing resistance. After a series of fractious cabinet meetings, Trump reportedly reduced the power of DOGE in March. Political attention was also clearly affecting Musk's businesses. The negative publicity has significantly damaged the Tesla brand, leading to declining sales around the world and repeated falls in Telsa's share price. On May 1, Musk announced he would be leaving DOGE, claiming the department had saved the government USD 180 billion (AUD 277 billion) in spending. This number is likely an exaggeration, but still falls well short of his original target. Musk has learned a harsh lesson in politics – that the complexities of government resist simple reform and cannot be easily rolled back in the way a CEO might slim down a company. For Trump, his manoeuvring of Musk appears to be another smart political move. As the public face of DOGE, Musk bore the negative rap for early government cuts and chaos. Having used his money and reputation, Trump dispensed with Musk as he has with so many advisers and appointees before. Musk departed his role in a muted White House ceremony, where Trump thanked him for his service and presented him with a ceremonial 'golden key' to the White House. However, behind the public show of civility, tension was brewing over Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill. Trump and Musk had originally claimed the USD 2 trillion (AUD 3.02 trillion) in DOGE savings could be used to fund a substantial tax cut. With the efficiency savings not eventuating, Musk worried the OBBB would significantly increase US public debt. Unable to convince Trump or other Republican legislators, Musk took to X, launching a 'Kill the Bill' campaign that ultimately led to his incendiary showdown with Trump. For his part, Trump has belittled Musk, suggesting Musk only opposed the OBBB because it cut subsidies for electric vehicles. Though the subsidy cuts will affect Tesla, Musk has previously supported eliminating subsidies. Musk's anger at the OBBB is more likely driven by the realisation he has been played by Trump. Trump has used and discarded many other powerful figures in his chaotic political career. Musk has more power than most, and might be able to strike back at Trump. Yet, with his public reputation and brands already tarnished, Musk would be ill-advised to pick further fights with Trump and his adoring MAGA movement. Accordingly, Musk has indicated over the weekend he is open to a détente. Tesla investors will no doubt be relieved if Musk makes good on his pledge to step back from politics and return to his businesses. More concerning are the prospects for democracy. With wealth and power continuing to concentrate in a handful of billionaires, voters appear reduced to the role of viewers forced to watch the reality TV drama unfold. Though Trump appears to have won this round of billionaire battle royale, whatever happens next, democracy is the real loser.
Indian Express
19 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Los Angeles burns as Trump deploys National Guard amid immigration crackdown
Protests erupted across Los Angeles over the weekend as thousands gathered to oppose the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and the unprecedented federal deployment of National Guard troops without the state's consent. Here are the key developments: 1. On the third day of protests over the US administration's crackdown on immigration, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets Sunday in response to President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles. 2. About 300 federal troops were deployed in the city—reportedly the first time in decades that the National Guard was activated without a governor's consent. 3. Groups of protesters, many carrying Mexican flags and signs denouncing US immigration authorities, gathered in multiple areas around the city. 4. As protests turned violent near the Metropolitan Detention Center, demonstrators blocked the 101 Freeway and Alphabet's Waymo self-driving vehicles were on fire. Demonstrators shouted 'Shame on you!' at police and some appeared to throw objects, video images showed. In return, law enforcement responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bangs to disperse the crowd. 5. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, 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. 6. Federal authorities said the weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the Los Angeles area surpassed 100. Many more were arrested during protests, including a prominent union leader accused of impeding law enforcement. 7. Calling the deployment unlawful, California Governor Gavin Newsom requested the Trump administration to withdraw the order. Newsom accused Trump of trying to manufacture a crisis and violating the state's sovereignty. 'These are the acts of a dictator, not a president,' he wrote on X. The White House dismissed Newsom's comments, saying in a statement, 'Everyone saw the chaos, violence and lawlessness.' 8. In a social media post Sunday, Trump called the demonstrators 'violent, insurrectionist mobs' and said he had directed Cabinet officers 'to take all such action necessary' to stop what he called 'riots'. Speaking to reporters in New Jersey, Trump threatened violence against protesters: 'They spit, we hit.' 9. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum criticised the US government over the immigration raids and National Guard deployment. 'We do not agree with this way of addressing the immigration issue,' Sheinbaum said at a public event. 'The phenomenon will not be addressed with raids or violence. It will be by sitting down and working on comprehensive reform.' 10. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out the largest single-day immigrant arrest operation in its history this week, detaining more than 2,200 people, according to NBC News. Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of undocumented immigrants and set a goal for ICE to arrest at least 3,000 migrants a day. –With inputs from AP and Reuters
Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Musk's father says Elon made a mistake 'under stress' and that Trump will prevail
MOSCOW, - The row between Elon Musk, the world's richest man, and U.S. President Donald Trump was triggered by stress on both sides and Elon made a mistake by publicly challenging Trump, Musk's father told Russian media in Moscow. Musk and Trump began exchanging insults last week on social media with Musk denouncing the president's sweeping tax and spending bill as a "disgusting abomination." "You know they have been under a lot of stress for five months - you know - give them a break," Errol Musk told the Izvestia newspaper during a visit to the Russian capital. "They are very tired and stressed so you can expect something like this." "Trump will prevail - he's the president, he was elected as the president. So, you know, Elon made a mistake, I think. But he is tired, he is stressed." Errol Musk also suggested that the row "was just a small thing" and would "be over tomorrow." Neither the White House nor Musk could be reached for comment outside normal U.S. business hours. Trump said on Saturday his relationship with billionaire donor Musk was over and warned there would be "serious consequences" if Musk decided to fund U.S. Democrats running against Republicans who vote for the tax and spending bill. Musk, the world's richest man, bankrolled a large part of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Trump named Musk to head a controversial effort to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending.
