Trump, Musk hint at reconciliation
The Big Story
President Trump said he thinks he could make amends with tech billionaire Elon Musk, while the Tesla CEO voiced regrets over his public clash with the president.
© AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Less than a week after the blowup between the two men that grew increasingly dramatic as Musk called for Trump's impeachment and linked him to the Jeffrey Epstein files, the president appeared open to making peace.
However, he also suggested that doing so is not a priority for him.
'I guess I could, but you know, we have to straighten out the country,' the president told the New York Post's 'Pod Force One.'
'And my sole function now is getting this country back to a level higher than it's ever been. And I think we can do that. I think we're going to do it easily.'
When asked if there was anything he could do to forgive Musk, the president said he has 'no hard feelings' but was surprised by his former top adviser's public criticism of the House-passed tax and spending bill.
'When he did that, I was not a happy camper,' Trump said.
Musk earlier on Wednesday also voiced regret for his public feud with the president, saying that it 'went too far' on his social media platform X.
The Hill's Alex Gangitano has more here.
Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter, we're Miranda Nazzaro and Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.
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Crypto Corner
Stablecoin bill clears another Senate hurdle
© Greg Nash
Welcome to Crypto Corner, a daily feature focused on digital currency and its outlook in Washington.
The Senate voted Wednesday to advance legislation setting up a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, bringing the crypto bill one step closer to a final vote in the upper chamber.
Eighten Democrats voted with almost every Republican to end debate on an updated version of the GENIUS Act.
The new bill text was reached as part of lengthy negotiations between Republicans and crypto-friendly Democrats last month, ahead of an earlier procedural vote on the Senate floor.
The vote breakdown was largely similar to the May vote, although the bill picked up support from Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) while Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) switched her vote to oppose the measure.
Blunt Rochester had supported the bill both in the Senate Banking Committee in March and on the Senate floor last month.
She voiced some hesitation Tuesday about Senate leadership's decision to forgo an open amendment process on the GENIUS Act, emphasizing she hoped to see additional changes to the bill.
'I was really clear,' she told The Hill. 'I hoped that there would be an open amendment process, and that's what I heard Leader Thune say around last month, so I will take a look at this language, and we'll make a decision from there.'
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) ultimately scrapped the push for so-called 'regular order,' as controversial amendments — most notably, Sen. Roger Marshall's (R-Kan.) Credit Card Competition Act — threatened to upend support for the bill.
The GENIUS Act likely faces a handful more votes before it can clear the Senate and head to the House. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) told The Hill on Tuesday that she expects a final vote on the bill next week.
In Other News
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Walmart expanding drone delivery service to these 5 cities
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Walmart has confirmed that it will be expanding its drone delivery program, allowing customers in five more cities to order items from the retailer and have them flown right to their doorstep. 'Now, millions of customers in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando and Tampa will enjoy the convenience of receiving their orders in just minutes,' the release stated. Walmart drone delivery …
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Judges probe whether immunity decision leads to wipeout of Trump conviction
An appeals court panel took up President Trump's bid to fight his hush money criminal conviction in federal court Wednesday, acknowledging the extraordinary … Read more
Where the 'No Kings' anti-Trump military parade protests are planned
Organizers with the 'No Kings' movement are planning some 1,500 demonstrations across the country to protest the upcoming military parade … Read more
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