Calling it a day: From Elon Musk to Donald Trump
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WASHINGTON: Billionaire Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration after leading a tumultuous efficiency drive, during which he upended several federal agencies but ultimately failed to deliver the generational savings he had sought.His "off-boarding will begin tonight," a White House official told Reuters late Wednesday, confirming Musk's departure from government. Musk earlier on Wednesday took to his social media platform X to thank President Donald Trump as his time as a special government employee with the Department of Government Efficiency draws to an end.Tesla shares rose more than 2% on Thursday after after the news, fueling hopes that he will sharpen focus on the automaker as it gears up for its hotly anticipated robotaxi debut.Musk's departure was quick and unceremonious. He did not have a formal conversation with Trump before announcing his exit, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, who added that his departure was decided "at a senior staff level."While the precise circumstances of his exit were not immediately clear, he leaves a day after criticising Trump's marquee tax bill, calling it too expensive and a measure that would undermine his work with the US DOGE Service Some senior White House officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, were irked by those comments, and the White House was forced to call Republican senators to reiterate Trump's support for the package, a source familiar with the matter said.While Musk remains close to the President, his exit comes after a gradual, but steady slide in standing.After Trump's inauguration, the billionaire quickly emerged as a powerful force in Trump's orbit: hyper-visible, unapologetically brash and unfettered by traditional norms. At the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, he brandished a red metallic chainsaw to wild cheers. "This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy," he declared. On the campaign trail, Musk had said DOGE would be able to cut at least $2 trillion in federal spending. DOGE currently estimates its efforts have saved $175 billion so far, a number that could not be verified independently. Musk did not hide his animus for the federal workforce, and he predicted that revoking "the Covid-era privilege" of telework would trigger "a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome."But some cabinet members who initially embraced Musk's outsider energy grew wary of his tactics, sources said.
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The Wire
12 minutes ago
- The Wire
‘Only Saying What Trump Has Said 11 Times', Says Rahul As He Repeats Claim of Modi's ‘Surrender'
Menu हिंदी తెలుగు اردو Home Politics Economy World Security Law Science Society Culture Editor's Pick Opinion Support independent journalism. Donate Now Politics 'Only Saying What Trump Has Said 11 Times', Says Rahul As He Repeats Claim of Modi's 'Surrender' The Wire Staff 9 minutes ago The prime minister is unable to say that Trump is lying because the latter has spoken the truth, Gandhi claimed on Friday. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Photo: PTI Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute now New Delhi: Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi, who has once again claimed that US President Donald Trump compelled Prime Minister Narendra Modi to 'surrender' during the India-Pakistan conflict, said he was only saying the same thing Trump has repeated '11 times'. 'Trump … has said 11 times that Modi stopped due to pressure from him. I am only saying what Trump is saying and has said 11 times,' Gandhi said on Friday (June 6) to mediapersons. He continued: 'Modi has not made any statement on Trump's comments. Modi should say that Trump is lying.' Earlier in the day, Gandhi claimed while addressing an event in Bihar's Rajgir that Trump had repeatedly said he made Modi surrender and that the latter was unable to say that the US president was lying because he was speaking the truth. 'You know that he has a habit of surrendering,' Gandhi said referring to the Union government's decision to enumerate castes during the next population census, something that had been a demand of opposition parties in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 'Trump has said 11 times – 11 times – that 'I made Narendra Modi surrender'. He's said it 11 times, in public. Modi is not able to object to this. Modi is not able to say that Trump is lying. Because it is the truth,' the Congress MP alleged. On Tuesday, Gandhi while addressing a function in Bhopal claimed that Modi obeyed Trump's diktat to 'surrender'. 'Trump gestured from there [the US], picked up the phone and asked Modi 'what are you doing?' 'Narendra…surrender'. Aur, ji hazoor karke, Narendra Modi ji ne Trump ke ishaare ka paalan kiya. ['Saying yes sir, Modi followed Trump's instructions'],' Gandhi said. As the four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan ended on May 10, Trump was the first to announce the cessation of hostilities, claiming also that the US mediated the ceasefire between the two South Asian nations. He has since repeated this stance and also claimed to have used trade as leverage during a mediation effort: 'I said, come on, we're gonna do a lot of trade with you guys. Let's stop it. Let's stop it. If you stop it, we'll do trade. If you don't stop it, we're not gonna do any trade. 'People have never really used trade the way I used it, that I can tell you, and all of a sudden, they said, I think we're gonna stop.' Since then the US government has said in a court filing that Trump used trade access as incentive to 'avert a full-scale war' between India and Pakistan. The Modi government has denied claims that the US mediated the cessation of hostilities or that trade came up in discussions between Indian and American officials during the conflict. Modi has not personally addressed the claims. Meanwhile, the BJP has called Gandhi's mentality 'sick' and 'dangerous'. 'By making extremely cheap, low-level statements, the self-proclaimed, self-styled, supreme leader, the leader of opposition, Rahul Gandhi, is telling the world that even after becoming the LoP, he lacks seriousness and maturity that the post requires,' BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said on Wednesday. He added: 'The manner in which Rahul Gandhi compared our armed forces' valour and the briefing given by our armed forces on Operation Sindoor's success with surrender, shows how sick and dangerous his mentality has become.' The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments. Make a contribution to Independent Journalism Related News Russian President's Aide Credits Trump for Halting India-Pakistan Hostilities 'Narendra … Surrender': Rahul Gandhi in Swipe at Modi on Trump's Claims of Mediating Ceasefire 'Stopped India and Pakistan From Fighting': Trump Once Again Reiterates Claim of Mediating Ceasefire India Rejects Claim That Trump's Trade Threat Averted War With Pakistan Pakistan's Slick US Strategy: It's Deja Vu All Over Again Why a Special Session of the Parliament is Critical to Discuss the Disclosure Made by CDS Chauhan Four Things the CDS said at Pune that Deserve Our Attention The Opposition Owes the Indian public Some Answers 'Trade Offer Averted India-Pakistan War': Trump Administration Tells US Court View in Desktop Mode About Us Contact Us Support Us © Copyright. All Rights Reserved.
Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
UP Congress workers, close to state chief Ajay Rai, arrested for 'harassing' woman over shop; party cries fowl
Two local Congress workers, said to be close to party's Uttar Pradesh unit chief Ajay Rai, were arrested on charges of molestation, robbery, and theft, police said on Friday. The arrest came after a woman lodged a complaint against the two and alleged she was harassed and forcibly evicted from her shop in Varanasi's Chetganj area. Local Station House Officer (SHO) Dilip Kumar Mishra said that the complainant, Chetganj resident Sachina Khatoon, had rented a shop in Hathua Market from Sanjay Singh and ran a boutique there, news agency PTI reported. Khatoon alleged that following Singh's death during the Covid-19 pandemic, two of his friends, Anand Pandey and Amit Pathak, began intimidating her and extorting money in the name of protection fees. "When she refused, they allegedly pressured her to vacate the shop and subjected her to various forms of harassment," SHO Mishra added. Khatoon reportedly claimed that she even got a stay order on the eviction from the court. Despite this order, in May last year, Pandey and Pathak planned a break-in into her shop and made off with all her belongings, she added. When she and her daughters resisted this, the two men berated and harassed them, police said as per her complaint. "Both Anand Pandey and Amit Pathak are said to be close associates of Congress state president Ajay Rai. A case of robbery, theft, and molestation has been registered against them. Both were arrested on Thursday and presented before the court, which subsequently sent them to jail," said the SHO. Meanwhile, the allegations were dismissed by Congress Metropolitan president Raghavendra Chaubey, who said that the arrests are a "premeditated conspiracy by the BJP government" to discredit their state chief Rai and the entire Congress party. Chaubey also defended the two arrested persons, describing them as "strong activists" of the Congress and instead accusing Khatoon of having filing a similar cases against "almost half a dozen individuals" in Varanasi. "This is her profession," Chaubey alleged, the news agency report mentioned.
New Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Rahul Gandhi says PM Modi gave in on caste census, questions silence on Trump's ceasefire claim
Rahul also targeted Modi over his silence on former US President Donald Trump's repeated claims that he helped broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan under Operation Sindoor. 'Trump has made the statement of brokering peace between India and Pakistan many times. Trump has said publicly 11 times, 11 times, that I made Narendra Modi surrender. Narendra Modi is unable to respond, and unable to say that Trump is lying because it's the truth,' he said. He alleged that the Modi government would never conduct a proper caste census, as it would end their style of politics. 'I doubt the government conducting caste census properly with no officers from the OBC, tribal community finalising the questionnaire,' he added. Rahul also criticised the Nitish Kumar-led state government over what he called a rising crime rate in Bihar. 'Bihar was once considered the land of truth, justice, and non-violence. It showed the path to the entire world; people from across the globe used to come to study at Nalanda University,' he said. 'People from Bihar are now forced to migrate to other states and even abroad because there are no employment opportunities here. Bihar has now become the crime capital of the country,' he said. Earlier, Rahul visited Dashrath Nagar village in Gaya district as part of his outreach campaign in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. He met the family of the late Dashrath Manjhi, famously known as the 'Mountain Man' for carving a road through a hill in Gehlor village to connect it with Wazirganj block. Rahul was received by Manjhi's son Bhagirath Manjhi, who reportedly expressed his interest in contesting the upcoming Assembly elections from Bodh Gaya, although no formal announcement was made. Rahul later went to Gehlor village and garlanded the statue of Dashrath Manjhi. This was his sixth visit to Bihar in six months. He also held a Mahila Samvad in Gaya and interacted with women.
