Latest news with #Nazi-related
France 24
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- France 24
Musk's most memorable moments as Trump's advisor
While classified as a "special government employee" and "senior advisor to the president," the South African-born tycoon has left indelible marks on American politics as Trump's most visible backer. The 'Nazi' salute Being Trump's right-hand man took on a new meaning when the world's richest person made headlines by dramatically throwing out his arm -- twice -- at a rally celebrating Trump's January 20 inauguration. Standing at a podium bearing the presidential seal, Musk's right arm was straight, his hand open, his palm facing down. Historians agreed with Democratic politicians that the sharp gesture looked exactly like a Nazi salute. The Tesla boss -- whose electric vehicles were soon dubbed "swasticars" by critics -- dismissed the claims, posting on his X social media platform: "The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired." Whatever the display meant, Nazi-related jokes and memes dominated public reactions to the day meant to mark Trump's triumphant return to office. Endorsing Germany's extreme-right Hot off his salute shock, Musk participated virtually at a January rally for Germany's anti-immigration, ultra-nationalist AfD party. His endorsement of the AfD shook mainstream German parties, which said they viewed it as foreign interference by Trump's advisor. Vandals burned four Teslas in the streets of Berlin afterward. Despite record gains at the polls, AfD ultimately took second place in the election behind Germany's conservatives. Brings kid to work During Musk's first appearance before reporters since his arrival in Washington to run DOGE, the child was trotted out and Trump said: "This is X and he's a great guy." The boy was filmed picking his nose while his father boasted about his cost-cutting exploits while standing next to the Oval Office's Resolute Desk. Brings chainsaw to budget Unelected and unconfirmed by the Senate, Musk has repeatedly bashed the "unelected, fourth unconstitutional branch of government, which is the bureaucracy" and immediately made brutal cuts to the federal workforce and budget. To illustrate his management style, Musk donned sunglasses and brandished a chainsaw on stage at a conservative get-together in Washington. It was handed to him -- not turned on -- by right-wing Argentine President Javier Milei, who made the machine a symbol of slashing bureaucracy and state spending in his own country. Overshadowing Trump's cabinet At Trump's first cabinet meeting on February 26, Musk had a starring role even though he is not part of the cabinet. He stood looming near a doorway, wearing a t-shirt with the words "Tech Support" across the chest as the cabinet met. Even without a literal seat at the table Musk, who helped bankroll Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, overshadowed the country's most powerful officials. Trump downplayed this tension shortly before the meeting, posting on his social media platform: "ALL CABINET MEMBERS ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH ELON." Trump the Tesla salesman With Musk's Tesla car company taking a battering on the stock market and sales dropping sharply, and with vandals targeting his brand, the White House hosted a highly publicized test drive to boost Tesla's reputation. With a Tesla Cybertruck and a Model S parked on the South Portico, Trump and Musk mounted a sales pitch. Trump even said he had purchased one. The stunt didn't ultimately turn around Tesla's plummeting sales, with the electric vehicle maker reporting a 71 percent drop in first-quarter profits. Fails to sway court election Money can't buy you everything, Musk discovered, after pouring $25 million into the most expensive court race in US history to try to get a pro-Trump Republican judge elected to Wisconsin's Supreme Court. Musk paid voters $100 to sign a petition opposing "activist judges" and even handed out $1 million checks to voters, beseeching the public to select the conservative judge. The court's docket was packed with precedent-setting cases over abortion and reproductive rights, the strength of public sector unions, voting rules and congressional district boundaries. The US state instead chose a liberal judge by a wide margin in April, dismaying the billionaire -- who had spent roughly $277 million in 2024 in the national race to help get Trump elected. Tariff dissenter After Trump announced his sweeping US tariffs, deeply affecting major trading partners China and the European Union, Musk made the case for a free-trade zone between the United States and Europe. This clashes with Trump's trade policy. Shortly after, he called Trump's economic advisor Peter Navarro, a longtime advocate for trade barriers, "dumber than a sack of bricks." Navarro had taken aim at Tesla, saying the carmaker mostly sourced assembled major components from factories in Asia. Musk retorted with studies he said showed "Tesla has the most American-made cars." White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt tried to play down the public feud, saying that "boys will be boys." Big, Beautiful Bill Musk said he was "disappointed" by Trump's divisive mega-bill, which offers sprawling tax relief and spending cuts, in a rare split with the Republican president. The tech tycoon said the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" -- which passed the US House last week and now moves to the Senate -- would increase the deficit and undermine the work of DOGE, which has fired tens of thousands of people. Critics warn the legislation will gut health care and balloon the national deficit by as much as $4 trillion over a decade. "I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk told CBS News.
Int'l Business Times
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Int'l Business Times
Musk's Most Memorable Moments As Trump's Advisor
Billionaire Elon Musk has said he is leaving his role in the US government, in which he was tasked with reducing federal spending, shortly after his first major break with Donald Trump over the president's signature spending bill. While classified as a "special government employee" and "senior advisor to the president," the South African-born tycoon has left indelible marks on American politics as Trump's most visible backer. Being Trump's right-hand man took on a new meaning when the world's richest person made headlines by dramatically throwing out his arm -- twice -- at a rally celebrating Trump's January 20 inauguration. Standing at a podium bearing the presidential seal, Musk's right arm was straight, his hand open, his palm facing down. Historians agreed with Democratic politicians that the sharp gesture looked exactly like a Nazi salute. The Tesla boss -- whose electric vehicles were soon dubbed "swasticars" by critics -- dismissed the claims, posting on his X social media platform: "The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired." Whatever the display meant, Nazi-related jokes and memes dominated public reactions to the day meant to mark Trump's triumphant return to office. Hot off his salute shock, Musk participated virtually at a January rally for Germany's anti-immigration, ultra-nationalist AfD party. His endorsement of the AfD shook mainstream German parties, which said they viewed it as foreign interference by Trump's advisor. Vandals burned four Teslas in the streets of Berlin afterward. Despite record gains at the polls, AfD ultimately took second place in the election behind Germany's conservatives. Dressed down in MAGA hats and t-shirts, Musk became a near-constant presence in the White House. For a while, so did his four-year-old son named X. During Musk's first appearance before reporters since his arrival in Washington to run DOGE, the child was trotted out and Trump said: "This is X and he's a great guy." The boy was filmed picking his nose while his father boasted about his cost-cutting exploits while standing next to the Oval Office's Resolute Desk. Unelected and unconfirmed by the Senate, Musk has repeatedly bashed the "unelected, fourth unconstitutional branch of government, which is the bureaucracy" and immediately made brutal cuts to the federal workforce and budget. To illustrate his management style, Musk donned sunglasses and brandished a chainsaw on stage at a conservative get-together in Washington. It was handed to him -- not turned on -- by right-wing Argentine President Javier Milei, who made the machine a symbol of slashing bureaucracy and state spending in his own country. At Trump's first cabinet meeting on February 26, Musk had a starring role even though he is not part of the cabinet. He stood looming near a doorway, wearing a t-shirt with the words "Tech Support" across the chest as the cabinet met. Even without a literal seat at the table Musk, who helped bankroll Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, overshadowed the country's most powerful officials. Trump downplayed this tension shortly before the meeting, posting on his social media platform: "ALL CABINET MEMBERS ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH ELON." With Musk's Tesla car company taking a battering on the stock market and sales dropping sharply, and with vandals targeting his brand, the White House hosted a highly publicized test drive to boost Tesla's reputation. With a Tesla Cybertruck and a Model S parked on the South Portico, Trump and Musk mounted a sales pitch. Trump even said he had purchased one. The stunt didn't ultimately turn around Tesla's plummeting sales, with the electric vehicle maker reporting a 71 percent drop in first-quarter profits. Money can't buy you everything, Musk discovered, after pouring $25 million into the most expensive court race in US history to try to get a pro-Trump Republican judge elected to Wisconsin's Supreme Court. Musk paid voters $100 to sign a petition opposing "activist judges" and even handed out $1 million checks to voters, beseeching the public to select the conservative judge. The court's docket was packed with precedent-setting cases over abortion and reproductive rights, the strength of public sector unions, voting rules and congressional district boundaries. The US state instead chose a liberal judge by a wide margin in April, dismaying the billionaire -- who had spent roughly $277 million in 2024 in the national race to help get Trump elected. After Trump announced his sweeping US tariffs, deeply affecting major trading partners China and the European Union, Musk made the case for a free-trade zone between the United States and Europe. This clashes with Trump's trade policy. Shortly after, he called Trump's economic advisor Peter Navarro, a longtime advocate for trade barriers, "dumber than a sack of bricks." Navarro had taken aim at Tesla, saying the carmaker mostly sourced assembled major components from factories in Asia. Musk retorted with studies he said showed "Tesla has the most American-made cars." White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt tried to play down the public feud, saying that "boys will be boys." Musk said he was "disappointed" by Trump's divisive mega-bill, which offers sprawling tax relief and spending cuts, in a rare split with the Republican president. The tech tycoon said the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" -- which passed the US House last week and now moves to the Senate -- would increase the deficit and undermine the work of DOGE, which has fired tens of thousands of people. Critics warn the legislation will gut health care and balloon the national deficit by as much as $4 trillion over a decade. "I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk told CBS News. Musk announced he was quitting his US government role shortly after. Musk carried his son X around the White House AFP German mainstream political parties see Musk's endorsement of the extreme-right, anti-immigrant AfD as foreign meddling AFP He brandished a chainsaw in reference to the cuts he is making to US federal services AFP Musk has clashed with people in Trump's administration AFP Trump lent his showman aura to Musk's floundering Tesla brand AFP Musk's money did not sway a Wisconsin court vote AFP Musk called Trump's trade adviser and tariff champion Peter Navarro 'dumber than a sack of bricks' AFP
Express Tribune
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Argentina Supreme Court discovers 83 boxes of Nazi archives in its basement
A person holds Nazi-related material that was originally confiscated by local authorities when it was shipped to Argentina in 1941, after several boxes containing the material were recently discovered by chance in the archives of the Supreme Court of Argentina, in Buenos Aires, PHOTO:REUTER Listen to article Argentina's Supreme Court has uncovered 83 boxes of Nazi propaganda and materials in its basement, more than eight decades after they were first confiscated during World War II, court officials announced on Sunday. The boxes, originally shipped in June 1941 by the German embassy in Tokyo aboard the Japanese steamship Nan-a-Maru, were intercepted by Argentine authorities who feared the contents could compromise the country's wartime neutrality. A random inspection of five boxes revealed Nazi propaganda, photographs, postcards, and thousands of notebooks linked to the Nazi Party. Though confiscated by a federal judge and referred to the Supreme Court at the time, the fate of the boxes remained unknown until court staff rediscovered them while preparing for a new judicial museum. "Upon opening one of the boxes, we identified material intended to consolidate and propagate Adolf Hitler's ideology in Argentina during the Second World War," the court said in a statement. The materials have now been moved to a secure location and will be examined by experts from the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum. Historians hope the cache will shed light on lesser-known aspects of the Holocaust, including Nazi international funding networks and ideological efforts in South America. Argentina remained neutral in WWII until 1944, eventually declaring war on Germany and Japan in 1945. From 1933 to 1954, the country welcomed over 40,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution, making it home to the largest Jewish population in Latin America.
Deccan Herald
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Deccan Herald
May 12, 2025: Best photos from around the world
Aircraft of the Mexican Air Force perform during an aerial and skydiving show called 'The Great Force of Mexico' in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. A person holds Nazi-related material that was originally confiscated by local authorities when it was shipped to Argentina in 1941, after several boxes containing the material were recently discovered by chance in the archives of the Supreme Court of Argentina, in Buenos Aires, Argentina in this handout picture released on May 11, 2025. Credit: Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Republica Argentina/Handout via REUTERS Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Argentina's top court finds 80 boxes of Nazi materials in its basement
A person holds Nazi-related material that was originally confiscated by local authorities when it was shipped to Argentina in 1941. PHOTO: REUTERS Argentina's top court finds 80 boxes of Nazi materials in its basement BUENOS AIRES - Dozens of boxes of Nazi material confiscated by Argentinean authorities during World War II were recently rediscovered in the Supreme Court's basement, the court said on May 11. The 83 boxes were sent by the Germany embassy in Tokyo to Argentina in June 1941 aboard the Japanese steamship "Nan-a-Maru," according to the history that the court was able to piece together, it said in a statement. At the time, the large shipment drew the attention of authorities, who feared its contents could affect Argentina's neutrality in the war. Despite claims at the time from German diplomatic representatives that the boxes held personal items, Argentine customs authorities searched five boxes at random. They found postcards, photographs and propaganda material from the Nazi regime, as well as thousands of notebooks belonging to the Nazi party. A federal judge confiscated the materials, and referred the matter to the Supreme Court. It was not immediately clear why the items were sent to Argentina or what, if any, action the Supreme Court took at the time. Eighty-four years later, court staffers came across the boxes as they prepared for a Supreme Court museum. "Upon opening one of the boxes, we identified material intended to consolidate and propagate Adolf Hitler's ideology in Argentina during the Second World War," the court said. The court has now transferred the boxes to a room equipped with extra security measures, and invited the Holocaust Museum in Buenos Aires to participate in their preservation and inventory. Experts will also examine them for any clues about still-unknown aspects of the Holocaust, such as international financing networks used by the Nazis. Argentina remained neutral in World War II until 1944, when it broke relations with Axis powers. The South American country declared war on Germany and Japan the following year. From 1933 to 1954, according to the Holocaust Museum, 40,000 Jews entered Argentina as they fled Nazi persecution in Europe. Argentina is home to the largest population of Jews in Latin America. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
