Feuding Trump and Musk are now not expected to speak on Friday
[WASHINGTON] US President Donald Trump and his one-time close ally billionaire Elon Musk were now not expected to talk on Friday (Jun 6), despite efforts by White House aides to get a truce after a huge public clash the previous day.
A White House official told Reuters that no call was planned for Friday.
A White House official had said earlier that the two men would speak on Friday.
A call could ease the feuding after an extraordinary day of hostilities – largely conducted over social media – that marked a stark end to a close alliance.
Shares in Musk's Tesla closed down over 14 per cent on Thursday, losing about US$150 billion in market value in the largest single-day decline in value in the electric vehicle maker's history. In pre-market trading on Friday they pared some of those losses, rising as much as 5 per cent after the early news that the two men were scheduled to speak.
Musk had bankrolled a large part of Trump's presidential campaign and was then brought as one of the president's most visible advisers, heading up a sweeping and controversial effort to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending.
The verbal punches erupted on Thursday after Trump criticised Musk in the Oval Office and the pair then traded barbs on their social media platforms: Trump's Truth Social and Musk's X.
The falling-out had begun brewing days ago when Musk, who left his role as head of the Department of government Efficiency a week ago, denounced Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending Bill. REUTERS
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Straits Times
22 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Trump says he has no plans to speak to Musk as feud persists
President Donald Trump may get rid of the red Tesla Model S that he bought in March after showcasing Mr Elon Musk's electric cars on the White House lawn. PHOTO: DOUG MILLS/NYTIMES Trump says he has no plans to speak to Musk as feud persists WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said on June 6 that he has no plans to speak with Mr Elon Musk, signalling the president and his former ally might not resolve their feud over a sweeping tax-cut Bill any time soon. Addressing reporters aboard Air Force One, Mr Trump said he wasn't 'thinking about' the Tesla CEO. 'I hope he does well with Tesla,' Mr Trump said. However, Mr Trump said a review of Mr Musk's extensive contracts with the federal government was in order. 'We'll take a look at everything,' the president said. 'It's a lot of money.' Mr Trump may get rid of the red Tesla Model S that he bought in March after showcasing Mr Musk's electric cars on the White House lawn, a White House official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Earlier on June 6, Mr Trump said that Mr Elon Musk had 'lost his mind' but insisted he wanted to move on from the fiery split with his billionaire former ally. 'You mean the man who has lost his mind?' Mr Trump said in a call with ABC when asked about Mr Musk, adding that he was 'not particularly' interested in talking to the tycoon. Mr Trump later told Fox News that Mr Musk had 'lost it,' while CNN quoted the president as saying: 'I'm not even thinking about poor guy's got a problem.' Mr Musk, for his part, did not directly address Mr Trump but kept up his criticism of the massive Republican tax and spending Bill that contains much of Mr Trump's domestic agenda. On his social-media platform X, Mr Musk amplified remarks made by others that Mr Trump's 'big beautiful Bill' would hurt Republicans politically and add to the nation's US$36.2 trillion (S$46.6 trillion) debt. He replied 'exactly' to a post by another X user that said Mr Musk had criticised Congress and Mr Trump had responded by criticising Mr Musk personally. Mr Musk also declared it was time for a new political party in the United States 'to represent the 80 per cent in the middle!' People who have spoken to Mr Musk said his anger has begun to recede and they think he will want to repair his relationship with Mr Trump, according to one person who has spoken to Mr Musk's entourage. The White House statements came one day after the two men battled openly in an extraordinary display of hostilities that marked a stark end to a close alliance. Tesla stock rose on June 6, clawing back some losses from the June 5 session, when it dropped 14 per cent and lost US$150 billion in value, the largest single-day decline in the company's history. Mr Musk's high-profile allies have largely stayed silent during the feud. But one, investor James Fishback, called on Mr Musk to apologise. 'President Trump has shown grace and patience at a time when Elon's behaviour is disappointing and frankly downright disturbing,' Mr Fishback said in a statement. Mr Musk, the world's richest man, bankrolled a large part of Mr Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Mr Trump named Mr Musk to head a controversial effort to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending. Mr Trump feted Mr Musk at the White House a week ago as he wrapped up his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Mr Musk cut only about half of 1 per cent of total spending, far short of his brash plans to axe US$2 trillion from the federal budget. Since then, Mr Musk has denounced Mr Trump's tax-cut and spending Bill as a 'disgusting abomination'. His opposition is complicating efforts to pass the Bill in Congress where Republicans hold a slim majority. Mr Trump's Bill narrowly passed the House of Representatives in May and is now before the Senate, where Republicans say they will make further changes. Nonpartisan analysts say the measure would add US$2.4 trillion in debt over 10 years. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he has been texting with Mr Musk and hopes the dispute is resolved quickly. 'I don't argue with him about how to build rockets and I wish he wouldn't argue with me about how to craft legislation and pass it,' Mr Johnson said on CNBC. 'Very disappointed' Mr Trump had initially stayed quiet while Mr Musk campaigned to torpedo the Bill, but broke his silence on June 5, telling reporters he was 'very disappointed' in Mr Musk. Mr Musk, who spent nearly US$300 million in the 2024 elections, said Mr Trump would have lost without his support and suggested he should be impeached. Mr Trump suggested he would terminate government contracts with Mr Musk's businesses, which include rocket company SpaceX and its satellite unit Starlink. The billionaire then threatened to decommission SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, the only US spacecraft capable of sending astronauts to the International Space Station. Mr Musk later backed off that threat. Mr Musk had been angered when Mr Trump over the weekend revoked his nomination of Musk ally Jared Isaacman to head the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Two sources with direct knowledge of the dispute said White House personnel director Sergio Gor had helped turn Mr Trump against Mr Isaacman by highlighting his past donations to Democrats. Mr Musk and Mr Gor had been at odds since the billionaire criticised Mr Gor's pace of hiring at a March Cabinet meeting, the two sources said. A White House spokesperson, Mr Steven Cheung, praised Mr Gor's efforts to staff the administration but did not address his relationship with Mr Musk. A prolonged feud could make it harder for Republicans to keep control of Congress in next year's midterm elections if Mr Musk withholds financial support or other major Silicon Valley business leaders distance themselves from Mr Trump. Mr Musk had already said he planned to curtail his political spending, and on June 3 he called for 'all politicians who betrayed the American people' to be fired in 2026. His involvement with the Trump administration has provoked widespread protests at Tesla sites, driving down sales while investors fretted that Mr Musk's attention was too divided. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Business Times
31 minutes ago
- Business Times
BYD Sealion 7 vs Tesla Model Y: Which should you buy?
[singapore] This fight was bound to happen. Once the world's single bestselling car, Tesla's Model Y has been the electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) to beat for years. So it's only natural that Chinese juggernaut BYD, now the world's leading electric vehicle (EV) maker, would come out swinging with the Sealion 7, a five-seat, battery-powered SUV designed to knock the crown clean off the Tesla's glass roof. In top Performance spec, BYD's Sealion 7 serves up 530 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a 0 to 100 kmh time of 4.5 seconds. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING BYD's Sealion 7 (above) is a five-seat, battery-powered SUV designed to knock the crown clean off the Tesla's glass roof. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING On paper, it's a close fight. In top Performance spec, the Sealion 7 serves up 530 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a 0 to 100 kmh time of 4.5 seconds. You can get similar pace from the Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive, which has 507 horsepower and takes 4.8 seconds to hit 100. Tesla's Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive has 507 horsepower and takes 4.8 seconds to hit 100. The new rear-wheel drive Juniper version sneaks under the Category A COE bar by offering just 150 horsepower. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING But for this test, I drove the new Juniper version of the Model Y in its most popular form, the rear-wheel drive (RWD) Singapore special that sneaks under the Category A Certificate Of Entitlement (COE) bar by offering just 150 horsepower. It accounts for some 80 per cent of local Model Y sales, which reveals how smart it was of Tesla to cull a few horses. The RWD version costs S$205,977 with COE, while the Sealion 7 Performance tested here costs S$219,888 with a Category B COE. The Tesla and BYD deliver nearly identical range (466 km and 460 km, respectively), and would make it to Kuala Lumpur on a single charge. Without leaving the country, most drivers here could comfortably go a week between plugging them in. Testing the least powerful Model Y against the most powerful Sealion 7 sounds like an unfair comparison, but in our market, the BYD would be more competitive if it came in tamer Category A form, not less. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Tesla has given the Model Y a raft of changes to keep it fresh for 2025, starting with clean new looks. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING Performance figures aside, what matters is what these cars are like to live with. Tesla has given the Model Y a raft of changes to keep it fresh for 2025, starting with clean new looks. The first Model Y's frog-like face is gone, replaced by sleeker, more angular lines and a full-width light bar at the front that gives it a faint whiff of Cybertruck. Interestingly, there's no Tesla badge on the nose anymore. Presumably, you're meant to just know. If you don't, you could always tuck behind the Model Y. The rear now sports a tidy design with Tesla lettering that's nicely illuminated by indirect lighting. The aerodynamics have improved slightly, too, with drag slipping from 0.23 Cd to 0.22 Cd, which is one reason the car's range has inched up. Next to it, the Sealion 7 looks overdesigned, with creases, curves and busy details like faux intakes and wheel arch cladding. But the panel gaps are tight and the bodywork lines up nicely, suggesting that quality is a priority at BYD. Unlike the Tesla, the Sealion 7 wears its brand's logo on its nose, but you could tell it's a BYD without it, with C-shaped LED headlights giving it a clear resemblance to the brand's latest cars. The Sealion 7's (above) cabin feels traditional in comparison to the Tesla's, with quilted leather, soft padded surfaces and a bank of actual buttons. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING Inside, the differences are just as stark. The Sealion 7's cabin feels traditional in comparison to the Tesla's, but that's not a bad thing. There's quilted leather, soft padded surfaces and a bank of actual buttons. You get a full driver display and a head-up display that helpfully shows sat-nav directions, so you never need to take your eye off the road. Both cars have huge, 15.6-inch touchscreens, but the Sealion's is easier to use, with more intuitive menus and a better navigation system. You can rotate it into portrait mode, a typical BTD move, unless you're using Apple CarPlay, which the Tesla doesn't support at all. The Tesla Model Y's interior is, as ever, minimalist to the point of abstraction. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING The Tesla interior is, as ever, minimalist to the point of abstraction. It's like someone took a regular car and shaved off every single extraneous detail with a scalpel. You don't even see the air-con vents, which are hidden behind a panel. The turn signal is a stalk (unlike the confusing button setup on the Model 3), and storage is thoughtfully designed, with covered compartments to keep everything looking tidy. Materials have improved slightly, and there's now ambient lighting and a new steering wheel that feels better to hold. But nearly everything still runs through that central screen. It handles drive modes, climate, media and your main driving info, all crammed into one space. There's no standalone display for a speedometer, to say nothing of a head-up display. It's clean, calming, even elegant, but if you want to see how fast you're going and look straight ahead at the same time, you're out of luck. In contrast, the Sealion 7 mixes tech with old-school convenience. There are physical toggles for the drive modes and regenerative braking levels, plus proper air-con vents that actually work. A clever shortcut lets you swipe three fingers across the screen to adjust temperature or fan speed instantly. If you're new to EVs, you'll find the BYD more familiar, and probably nicer to live with. There's more to get used to in the Tesla. That theme continues on the road. With its plush suspension, soft brake pedal and steering that's light to the point of vagueness, the BYD feels like a car tuned for comfort above all else. Yet, when you prod the accelerator it turns into a cannonball, flying down the road with an effortless whoosh, building speed rapidly and relentlessly. The Model Y, despite its modest output, feels surprisingly lively at lower speeds. Tesla's engineers clearly calibrated the torque delivery to give you a strong initial shove before things taper off, which makes city driving feel brisk. Overtaking on the highway takes commitment, but the chassis oozes class. Where the previous Model Y felt crashy and brittle, the Juniper rides with far more compliance and comfort. Despite being slower, it's the Tesla that is actually more engaging. There's more tautness to the way it turns and tracks through corners, it feels more composed, and it gives you more confidence. That said, the Sealion 7 claws back points in usability. It has a tighter turning circle, a 360-degree camera (useful in tight car parks) and noticeably stronger air-conditioning. When the weather turns infernal, as it seems to do so often these days, that alone might sway the vote, but the BYD does one better because its panoramic glass roof has a powered sunshade. The Model Y does without one, but Tesla claims its new coating rejects more heat than before. Your gently roasted scalp may disagree. The BYD (above) wins on rear seat space, with slightly more room, but the Tesla counters with fun stuff like a small screen in the back so kids can stream YouTube or Netflix. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING Both rear benches of the BYD and Tesla recline, but the Model Y's (above) seats do so electrically. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING The BYD wins on rear seat space, with slightly more room, but the Tesla counters with fun stuff like a small screen in the back so kids can stream YouTube or Netflix. Both rear benches recline, but the Model Y's seats do so electrically. That's useful in either car, because you can make more boot space by sitting upright, or recline for comfort when luggage isn't a priority. The Tesla's (above) boot is enormous for the car's size, with loads of underfloor storage and a front trunk that dwarfs the BYD's. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING The BYD Sealion 7's (above) boot is smaller than the Tesla's. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING And luggage is one area where the Tesla shines. Its boot is enormous for the car's size, with loads of underfloor storage and a front trunk that dwarfs the BYD's. Tesla's efficiency with packaging is genuinely impressive, and shows just how well they've nailed the art of arranging compact EV components to optimise space. All of which points to why the Model Y has been the benchmark EV for so long. It feels pared down and smart in how it approaches the idea of what a car should be. But it's equally clear that BYD has caught up. The Sealion 7 may not be as sleek or glamorous, but it's supremely usable. Features like the head-up display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, physical switches, stronger climate control system, parking camera, sunshade and greater cabin space all make daily life more pleasant than in the Tesla. It's a less daunting prospect in terms of ownership, too, with a 10-year warranty for the battery, 10 years' free servicing and a six-year mechanical warranty. For its part, Tesla guarantees the battery for eight years, and the rest of the car for four. If the Performance version seems like overkill, the single-motor Sealion 7 Premium hits a sweet spot. It's less swift but nearly as well-equipped, and is the one that makes the most sense for day-to-day life. The Model Y (left) has been the benchmark EV for so long, but it's clear that BYD has caught up. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING Either way, this is a punch-up with a clear outcome. In overall terms the Model Y feels better to drive, but the Sealion 7 feels like it would be better to live with. BYD Sealion 7 Performance AWD Motor power/torque 530 hp/690 Nm Battery type/net capacity Lithium iron phosphate (LFP)/82.5 kWh Charging time/type Approx. 9 hours (11 kW AC), approx. 1 hour 10 to 80 per cent (150 kW DC) Range 460 km (WLTP) 0 to 100 kmh 4.5 seconds Top speed 215 kmh Efficiency 21.4 kWh/100 km Agent Vantage Automotive Price S$219,888 with COE Available Now Tesla Model Y RWD 110 Motor power/torque 150 hp/350 Nm Battery type/net capacity Lithium iron phosphate (LFP)/60 kWh (estimated) Charging time/type Approx 7.5 hours (11 kW AC), approx 25 minutes 10 to 80 per cent (175 kW DC) Range 466 km (WLTP) 0 to 100 kmh 9.6 seconds Top speed 201 kmh Efficiency 15.3 kWh/100 km Agent Tesla Singapore Price S$205,977 with COE Available Now
Straits Times
37 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Trump can bar AP from some White House events for now, US appeals court says
The Associated Press in a statement said it was disappointed by the decision and weighing its options. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Trump can bar AP from some White House events for now, US appeals court says WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump is free to bar the Associated Press from some White House media events for now, after a US appeals court on June 6 paused a lower court ruling mandating that AP journalists be given access. The divided ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit temporarily blocks an order by US District Judge Trevor McFadden, who ruled on April 8 that the Trump administration must allow AP journalists access to the Oval Office, Air Force One and White House events while the news agency's lawsuit moves forward. The 2-1 ruling was written by US Circuit Judge Neomi Rao, joined by fellow Mr Trump appointee US Circuit Judge Gregory Katsas. Ms Rao wrote that the lower court injunction 'impinges on the President's independence and control over his private workspaces' and that the White House was likely to ultimately defeat the Associated Press' lawsuit. The Associated Press in a statement said it was disappointed by the decision and weighing its options. A White House spokesman, Mr Taylor Budowich, in a statement on the social media platform X said the Associated Press has no 'right to unfettered access to limited spaces, like the Oval Office and Air Force One.' In a dissent, Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said her two colleagues' ruling cannot be squared with 'any sensible understanding of the role of a free press in our constitutional democracy.' The AP sued in February after the White House restricted the news outlet's access over its decision to continue referring to the Gulf of Mexico in its coverage despite Trump renaming the body of water the Gulf of America. The AP's lawyers argued the new policy violated the First Amendment of the Constitution, which protects free speech rights. Mr McFadden, who was appointed by Mr Trump during his first term, said in his ruling that if the White House opens its doors to some journalists, it cannot exclude others based on their viewpoints. Mr Trump administration lawyers said the president has absolute discretion over media access to the White House and that Mr McFadden's ruling infringed on his ability to decide whom to admit to sensitive spaces. 'The Constitution does not prohibit the President from considering a journalist's prior coverage in evaluating how much access he will grant that journalist,' lawyers for the administration said in a court filing. On April 16, the AP accused the Trump administration of defying the court order by continuing to exclude its journalists from some events and then limiting access to Mr Trump for all news wires, including Reuters and Bloomberg. Reuters and the AP both issued statements denouncing the new policy, which puts wire services in a larger rotation with about 30 other newspaper and print outlets. Other media customers, including local news organisations that have no presence in Washington, rely on the wire services' real-time reports of presidential statements, as do global financial markets. The AP says in its stylebook that the Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years and, as a global news agency, the AP will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Mr Trump has chosen. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
