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Euronews
3 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Trump gives Elon Musk an Oval Office sendoff
US President Donald Trump bid farewell to Elon Musk in the Oval Office on Friday. Musk is leaving his position spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and is rededicating himself to his businesses, including electric car maker Tesla, rocket company SpaceX and social media platform X. The US President credited Musk with 'a colossal change in the old ways of doing business in Washington" and said some of his staff would remain in the administration. Musk left a searing mark on the US federal bureaucracy, including thousands of employees who were fired or pushed out. Some government functions were eviscerated, including the US Agency for International Development, which had provided a lifeline for impoverished people around the world. Boston University researchers estimate that hundreds of thousands of people have already died as a result of the cuts. Trump gifted Musk what appeared to be a gold-coloured key for his work for establishing DOGE, which sought to layoff federal workers and close government agencies to achieve cost savings. Trump said that he would only bestow this gift to "very special people" and that it was a "presentation from our country." In response, Musk said: "I hope to continue to provide advice whenever the president would like." "I hope so," Trump cut in before Musk said he hopes to still achieve $1 trillion in federal spending cuts over time. 'He's going to be back and forth, I imagine,' Trump said. Trump noted that DOGE employees will remain embedded with government agencies and said the billionaire will probably want to keep tabs on 'his baby.' French President Emmanuel Macron warned the US and Indo-Pacific nations on Friday night that they risk a dangerous double standard as they concentrate on a potential conflict with China, if it comes at the cost of abandoning Ukraine. Macron's remarks come as the US considers withdrawing troops from Europe to instead deploy in the Indo-Pacific. He warned abandoning Ukraine would threaten US credibility in deterring potential conflict between China and Taiwan. "If you consider that Russia could be allowed to take a part of the territory of Ukraine without any restriction, without any constraint, without any reaction of the global order, how would you phrase what would happen in Taiwan, what would you do the day something happened?' he asked in a speech. Macron's comments were made during his keynote address at Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore. It is the region's biggest security forum that comes amid concerns of China's growing assertiveness and the global impact of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Notable was the fact that it the speech was delivered with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in the audience. Rhetoric between Beijing and Washington is heightening. The US has threatened China with triple-digit tariffs. There is uncertainty in the region over the commitment of the US to Taiwanese security – which also faces possible 32% American tariffs. China claims Taiwan as its own. Chinese President Xi Jinping hasn't ruled out taking it by force. China regularly sends military aircraft and ships near Taiwan and currently has an aircraft carrier southeast of the island. The US has been pursuing a "free and open Indo-Pacific policy,' which includes regularly sailing warships through the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Target 3,000 per day: Top Trump aides push ICE to triple immigrant arrests in latest crackdown
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanded immigration agents seek to arrest 3,000 people a day in a tense meeting last week, Axios reported citing sources familiar with the matter. This target would significantly escalate the pace of detentions and indicates that the Trump administration have been pushing for a full-fledged mass deportations. Miller, President Donald Trump's top adviser and architect of the administration's aggressive immigration policies, and Noem told agents they needed to up daily arrests and deportations during the meeting at Immigration and Customs Enforcement's headquarters in Washington DC on May 21, the report said. The new target is triple the number of daily arrests that US immigration officials were making in the early days of Trump's term. Stephen Miller used harsh tone According to Axios, Miller urged field office directors and special agents in charge to significantly increase arrest and deportation numbers, citing the influx of unauthorized immigrants who entered the US during the Biden administration. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like San Jose Unsold Cars In 2024 Are Almost Donated. See Price SUV Deals | Search Ads Search Now Undo In contrast, Noem adopted a more mild tone, encouraging more arrests while seeking input from ICE leadership. Corey Lewandowski, a former Trump campaign aide and special government employee, also participated in the discussion. ALSO READ: Alaska horror: Human remains dating 200 years back found by tourists at beach house Live Events According to two sources, Miller's forceful tone left some attendees worried that their jobs could be at risk if the new goals were not met. A third person described his approach as an attempt to motivate through tough rhetoric. Trump pushing for mass deportations During the election campaigns, Trump had promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in the American history. The President's goal so far largely been focused on illegal migrants who have criminal records or deportation orders. But now the fresh target suggests the president's top immigration officials are full-steam ahead in pushing for mass deportations. While Noem took a 'milder approach' during the meeting, Miller adopted a 'harsh' tone with agents and 'had people leaving the meeting feeling their jobs could be in jeopardy if the new targets aren't reached,' according to Axios. It is not the first time Miller has 'yelled' at senior officials about getting arrest numbers up, sources told the outlet. 'Keeping President Trump's promise to deport illegal aliens is something the administration takes seriously,' White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement to The Independent. 'We are committed to aggressively and efficiently removing illegal aliens from the United States, and ensuring our law enforcement officers have the resources necessary to do so. The safety of the American people depends upon it.' ALSO READ: California's heatwave could be more dangerous than you think. Stay safe with these recommendations from NWS Trump's border czar Tom Homan said at the end of April that 139,000 people had been deported in the first three months of the administration, and even more had been detained. 'Keeping President Trump's promise to deport illegal aliens is something the administration takes seriously,' White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement to The Post. 'We are committed to aggressively and efficiently removing illegal aliens from the United States, and ensuring our law enforcement officers have the resources necessary to do so. The safety of the American people depends upon it.' Trump's crackdown on immigration The mounting pressure on agents coincides with a sharp decline in border crossings during the first four months of Trump's presidency, highlighting a more aggressive nationwide effort to make arrests in communities away from the border. At the same time, the administration's forceful tactics in targeting unauthorized immigrants — and, in some instances, even legal residents and US citizens — seem to have played a role in the decline of President Trump's approval ratings on immigration. ALSO READ: A list of US states where seniors are most vulnerable to social security cuts In January, the Trump administration gave ICE a quota of 1,800 arrests per day, but Miller reportedly urged officials at the May 21 meeting to increase arrests and deportations even more. At that rate, 650,000 more migrants would be picked up this year. An estimated 8 million people illegally crossed the southern border during the Biden administration. ICE data for fiscal year 2025 indicates that a significant number of arrests and deportations were concentrated in Texas and New Mexico. However, if the proposed 'Big Beautiful Bill' passes the Senate—allocating an additional $147 billion for border enforcement—a nationwide increase in arrests could follow, driven by a heightened focus on deportation efforts. Border crossings have declined sharply since former President Trump ended the Biden administration's catch-and-release policy. Under Trump's directive, ICE agents adopted a more aggressive stance, and the CBP One app—previously used by migrants to register for entry via their smartphones—was repurposed. The Department of Homeland Security has since modified the CBP One app to direct migrants toward voluntary departure. In addition, Trump has introduced an initiative offering undocumented migrants a voucher and a plane ticket to facilitate their exit from the country.
Business Insider
25-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Frustrated job seekers are giving up on their dream roles: 'I'll take almost anything'
Sarah Cevallos misses her old job. The 41-year-old spent much of her career building her own health tech practice in California, helping cancer patients navigate the complexities of their diagnoses. For a while, the role was rewarding — she felt her work was helping people. After she left in 2021, she bounced between opportunities at other health startups. She was laid off from her most recent employer in summer 2024, but was confident her résumé would quickly secure her a C-Suite role elsewhere. For eight months, rejection after rejection wore down her morale. "Being unemployed is not easy," Cevallos said. When she landed her current job — also in health tech, but with a heavier focus on finance instead of patient care — she felt a mix of relief and disappointment. "I am currently at an organization where I am using a fraction of my skills, and I supplement my income with other consulting work," she told Business Insider. She added that she "had to make a decision": wait for the perfect role, or start earning a paycheck. Taking a so-so job because you need the money isn't new, but the 2025 job search is especially characterized by a dwindling number of postings, the threat of artificial intelligence, and a high likelihood of being ghosted. The steady rise since early 2023 in the number of job seekers who count as long-term unemployed is a stark contrast to the quick job-hopping of the pandemic economic recovery. Flip-flopping policy from the White House and tanking economic sentiment mean white-collar industries are wary of hiring. Traditional paths to work at nonprofits, science labs, and government agencies have been hit by sweeping federal funding and staffing cuts. Employees are staying put, even if they aren't happy in their roles. In recent months, BI has heard from over 750 Americans across generations who are on the job hunt. Many don't have the luxury of choosing whether their passion or the money matters most at work. They're taking whatever they can find. "It's got to be very, very difficult to make the choice of paying the bills or finding purpose at work," Kyle M.K., a talent strategy advisor at the job-search platform Indeed told BI. "Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, that is a decision that many people have to make." Of course, there are still some bright spots in the overall economic outlook. The US added a higher-than-expected number of jobs in April, and inflation cooled. Some economists are also rolling back their predictions of a 2025 recession. For now, Cevallos is grateful she earns enough money to afford expenses and save for her daughter's college education. Someday, she hopes to pivot back to helping oncology patients — the "industry that I dedicated my life to." From dream job to 'I'll accept almost anything' While many Americans do have a dream job in mind, some are finding that the work they feel most excited about isn't what pays the bills. A February report by the HR platform Nectar found that less than 40% of Americans are excited about their roles and responsibilities at work, and Gallup reported that employee engagement dropped to its lowest level in a decade last year. "Unfortunately, sometimes people start a job and they realize it's not right for them, and they're either stuck or they're back in the job market," M.K. said. "Either way, not a great position for anyone to be in. It's not good for the job seeker. It's not good for the employer." M.K. added that finding purpose in the work you do is "a very important part about being a human." Still, he said the economic climate has changed, and it's more common now for employees to focus on their foundational needs — like paying rent and affording groceries — over their psychological needs. This differs from a few years ago during " The Great Resignation," when Americans were quitting more often and prioritizing emotional fulfillment in their jobs, he said. Herb Osborne, 71, can relate. Unable to afford retirement, he works full-time for a Bay Area business that makes olive oil and charcuterie accessories and combs through financial documents as a hotel auditor on weekends. His hours often stretch across seven days a week, leaving Osborne exhausted. "I have not had a four- or five-day span of vacation in 10 years, and that tears at you," he said. In an ideal world, Osborne wishes he were spending his 70s traveling and spending time with friends. He doesn't mind his current job, but he said the lack of PTO and work-life balance can feel crushing. He misses the joy he felt interacting with customers and leading staff in his early career — he held a string of managerial roles at Sharper Image, Little Caesars, and a jewelry store, and speaks of each one fondly. "Financially, for me, it is really almost imperative that I work," he said, adding that he needs to bring home over $5,000 a month on top of his roughly $2,000 in Social Security to cover expenses. "I do work every day in order just to survive. And it's scary now at the age I'm at, because Social Security doesn't cover anything." Abbey Owens, 21, is in a different life phase but facing a similar dilemma. The New York resident graduated this month with her bachelor's degree and, in a perfect scenario, she'd land a role in social media marketing. She's fascinated by marketing strategies, and after four years of studying and internships, she's "really good at it," she said. Since this past fall, she has applied to nearly 100 marketing and communications jobs, with no luck yet. Because she wants to be financially independent postgrad, Owens said she's now open to taking any job she's "even somewhat" qualified for and would accept "any amount as long as it paid the bills." "What I look for in a job has gotten so much broader in this process," she said. "It was very specific originally, and it's just really grown into: 'I'll accept almost anything.'" Her backup plan is to be a bartender. However, M.K. said working a job you aren't happy doing has emotional consequences, even if it's necessary to earn a paycheck. He advised job seekers to prioritize jobs that best fit their skills and areas of interest, even if the job title or company itself is different from their initial goal. And, while people are hanging onto stability right now, M.K. said it doesn't necessarily mean they don't care about finding purpose at work. Some are likely biding their time until it feels safer to make a change. "In a world of uncertainty, there is less movement between jobs and people are sticking around," he said. "But they haven't stopped searching for well-being." Do you have a story to share? If so, contact this reporter at allisonkelly@ or via Signal at alliekelly.10;.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Update on Entek project after federal funding paused
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Entek's single largest investment is set to transform Terre Haute, Vigo County and the surrounding are, but the project hasn't gone entirely to plan. The Entek factory, which will employ more than 600 people, is starting to get back on track after its $1.2 billion loan from the federal government was paused. Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun said the company has been in constant contact with the government to get the project completed. 'Any time there is a federal shutdown or pause in large funding like that, there is a ripple effect. Usually construction timeline, employment concerns for that company,' said Sakbun. Entek is the only maker of wet process lithium-ion battery separators that is owned and operated in the United States. Steve Witt, President of the Terre Haute Economic Development Corporation, said even though the funding has been paused, the project is still making good progress. 'They are working very closely with the Department of Energy to free up those funds, but they're working with their other funders, in regard to what they're doing today. So, they are very excited about their project. It continues to move along. They're still shooting for late Q3, early Q4 to go into production,' said Witt. Once the project is complete, the plant will not only make battery separators for electric cars and other electronics, but it will also bring new job opportunities for the community. 'Just since they have been under construction since early last year, there has been a lot of economic activity that has accrued in our community and the surrounding area as a result of Entek's project. So, it's a pretty good thing to see,' said Witt. Mayor Sakbun said the project will also help students in the higher education institutions around the valley. 'Any time we bring in business or industry, we want to connect it to our four institutes of higher education, and frankly, that includes K-12 education. I think you've seen the city announce a partnership with the airport, with the Vigo County School Corporation, that is a great example, that and this, of how we connect employment opportunities to young Hoosiers. We've got to do more as a state, frankly, to retain the best and the brightest, whether they choose to get an associate's degree, a graduate degree or no college degree, your future can be made right here in the city of Terre Haute,' said Sakbun. WTWO/WAWV has reached out to the Department of Energy for comment regarding the loan pause. A spokesperson for the DOE had this to say: 'The Department is conducting a department-wide review to ensure all activities follow the law, comply with applicable court orders and align with the Trump administration's priorities. The American people provided President Trump with a mandate to govern and to unleash 'American Energy Dominance.' The Department of Energy is hard at work to deliver on President Trump's promise to restore affordable, reliable, and secure energy to the American people.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
For Trump, adulation and no risk of protests made the Gulf a dream trip
In Saudi Arabia, he received a standing ovation from business elites as he announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria. In Qatar, he took home an investment pledge of billions of dollars in American goods and services. In the United Arab Emirates, he was awarded the country's highest civilian honor. 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Husband Sold Son's Car After Bad Grades. Parents Turned Pale When He Did This As Revenge Beach Raider Undo If President Donald Trump has been dogged at home by backlash over his tariff policies, protests over his immigration crackdown and questions over his ethics, a week in the Arabian Peninsula produced nothing but wins for the president. "The last four days have been really amazing," Trump said Thursday, as he was leaving a palace in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where he had just been feted. He added, looking rueful, "Probably going back to Washington, D.C., tomorrow." Live Events On Friday, the president reflected on his trip on Air Force One: "The respect shown to our country was incredible. Nobody's treated like that. Nobody's treated well like that." At every step of Trump's whirlwind tour of the Middle East, he was treated with the kind of honor and respect he has long desired. Escorts of fighter jets. Extravagant welcoming ceremonies. Red and lavender carpets. Arabian horses. Glitzy chandeliers. Camels. Sword dancers. White marble palaces. In the United Arab Emirate of Dubai, the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, lit up with an image of the American flag. All in his honor. "As a construction person, I'm seeing perfect marble. This is what they call perfecto," Trump said at one point, admiring the royal court in Doha, the capital of Qatar. "We appreciate those camels. I haven't seen camels like that in a long time." Such a welcome would have been unlikely in most other corners of the world, where governments, including the United States' closest allies, are reeling from Trump's aggressive tariffs and bellicose rhetoric toward Canada, Greenland and Panama. But in the Gulf, Trump's every move was lauded. Trump was able to announce what he said was more than $2 trillion in economic investments between the United States and the three nations he visited: Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, each longtime purchasers of American military equipment. Trump said that the investments from those three nations could reach as high as $4 trillion -- roughly the size of all their sovereign wealth funds combined. While much of that total comes in the form of long-term pledges that may or may not materialize and counts some deals that were already underway, leaders of the Gulf nations were all too happy to supply Trump with the eye-popping figures. At a business event in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Trump was treated to a tour of deals underway between American and Emirati companies, including purchases of Boeing jets and General Electric engines. Trump marveled at the wealth of his hosts, who can pay upfront for whatever deals they undertake. "They don't say 'subject to financing,'" Trump said. "They have no problem." At each step of the trip, Trump surrounded himself with friendly audiences and often turned his events -- such as a stop at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East -- into campaign-style rallies: blasting his favorite playlists ("Gloria," of course), bashing Democrats and falsely claiming he had won the 2020 election. Speaking to U.S. troops as their commander in chief, he was greeted with chants of "USA." "We won three elections, OK? And some people want us to do a fourth. I don't know. I'll have to think about it," Trump told the troops, yet again floating the idea of an unconstitutional third term in office. "The hottest hat is, it says, 'Trump 2028.' We're driving the left crazy." If Trump hoped to avoid controversy about his family's business dealings in the region, the Gulf leaders helped with just that -- highlighting deals with private firms that are unrelated to Trump's personal business interests. There was no visit to the site of the Trump Organization's deal with a Saudi real estate company to build a residential high-rise in Jeddah; no presentation of a $400 million luxury jet that Trump is seeking as a gift from Qatar; and no promotion of the Abu Dhabi-backed fund that is making a $2 billion business deal using the Trump firm's digital coins. On Air Force One, taking questions from reporters, Trump denied knowledge of the crypto deal. "I really don't know anything about it," he said. "But I'm a big crypto fan, I will tell you." If a Democratic president did what Trump has done -- praising a former jihadis, welcoming Qatar's friendship with Iran and accepting a "gift" of a $400 million airplane -- Republicans would have been howling in protest and ordering up congressional investigations. What transpired, instead, was mostly an uncomfortable silence. A few Trump allies, like Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and far-right activist Laura Loomer made clear they did not like the plane gift, but contorted themselves to express their discomfort in ways that would be least likely to offend Trump. Loomer preceded her criticism by saying she would "take a bullet" for the president, and Hawley avoided the implication of corruption and simply said he would prefer "if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America -- that would be ideal." Trump's declaration that the United States was shifting its policy toward the Middle East away from judgment and confrontation toward peace and profit was praised repeatedly. "It's crucial for the wider world to note this great transformation has not come from Western interventionists or flying people in beautiful planes, giving you lectures on how to live and how to govern your own affairs," Trump said at a gathering of Saudi royalty and business elites in Riyadh. Even back home in the United States, Democrats and Republicans approved of Trump's announcement that he was removing sanctions from Syria in an effort to give the war-torn country a fresh start. "We commend President Trump's decision to lift all sanctions on Syria," the leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said in a joint statement. The trip was intended to deliver a series of economic, diplomatic and public relations wins for the countries involved, said Andrew Leber, an assistant professor at Tulane University in Louisiana, who focuses on the U.S.-Saudi relationship. Saudi Arabia got the opportunity to highlight the changing nature of its society and economy, and present itself as a leader in global affairs, both in terms of business opportunities and diplomacy. Trump got a trip that essentially could not go wrong for him, Leber said. "This was the one place that's guaranteed to give him a very enthusiastic, warm and tightly controlled welcome," Leber added. "If he went anywhere in Latin America, there would be protests. If he went anywhere in Europe, there would be protests. This is a place that's going to speak with him and deal with him on very transactional terms, that's going to put on a big show and where there's not going to be any domestic protests whatsoever." That was indeed the case, as Gulf leaders adopted Trump's favorite phrases. Each nation talked about their trade deficits with the United States and how they buy more from the United States than they sell -- a favorite topic of the president's. At a business forum in Saudi Arabia, panelists talked of "making aviation great again," playing off Trump's campaign theme. At the meeting in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Trump walked into a large rotunda where five large screens showed various kinds of investment -- starting with "Making Energy Great Again." There, he was gifted a box containing a drop of oil. In Doha, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, adopted Trump's energy slogan, "Drill, baby, drill." "The U.S. and Qatar are feeding and fueling the world," the emir said, before turning to Trump. "Glad to have you back on board." Trump is also a relief for Gulf leaders: They now have a U.S. president who breezes past their human rights records as he chases high-dollar deals. "Governments and publics throughout the Gulf like Trump a lot," said Jon B. Alterman, a global security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "They feel Western liberals want to shame them on their domestic issues, everything from LGBT rights to abuse of migrant workers," Alterman added. "While there certainly are rising liberal voices in the Gulf, most people there see Trump as a common-sense, like-minded leader." As he ended his trip in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Trump worried aloud to the news media that whoever becomes president after him would get credit for the deals once they reach fruition. "I'll be sitting home, who the hell knows where I'll be, and I'll say, 'I did that,'" he said. "Somebody's going to be taking the credit for this. You remember, press," he said, pointing to himself, "this guy did it." This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
