Latest news with #SGE
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
Trump Admits ‘Elon's Really Not Leaving' During DOGE Press Conference
President Donald Trump held a bizarre press conference with Elon Musk in the Oval Office of the White House on Friday, ostensibly to wave goodbye to the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). But both Trump and Musk essentially admitted that the billionaire oligarch wasn't really going anywhere, at least when it comes to his influence on the federal government. 'This is not the end of DOGE. This is only the beginning,' Musk said, explaining that his time as a Special Government Employee (SGE) was limited. SGEs can't legally work for more than 130 days in any 365-day period, and that period is indeed coming to an end for Musk. But these guys aren't exactly known for following the rules, and it seems like a convenient way to lower Musk's profile while maintaining his influence. The billionaire has apparently been getting on everyone's nerves, but Musk's exit appears to be largely symbolic, given that many of the young men he's installed throughout the government are still in their positions. And President Trump admitted as much during the press conference. 'Many of the DOGE people, Elon, are staying behind too, so they're not leaving,' Trump said. 'And Elon's really not leaving. He's going to be back and forth.' Trump gave Musk a golden key in a box, something he said he only gives to 'very special people,' and rattled off a list of things DOGE had canceled, including 'making mice transgender' and 'Arab Sesame Street.' Musk has taken credit for cancelling countless programs he had no legal authority to cancel, including all of USAID. 'I look forward to continuing to be a friend and advisor to the president, and I look forward to continuing to support the DOGE team,' Musk said. During the press conference, Musk referred to the 'banal evil of bureaucracy,' a dig at the normal functions of the government that don't benefit him. Musk is a federal contractor, and not a single dollar allocated to his companies has been cut during his tenure taking a chainsaw to the government. Researchers estimate Musk's cuts with DOGE have killed at least 300,000 people around the world and will kill millions more in the coming years, as vital public health services now go unfunded. Musk, who started Trump's second term by giving two Nazi-style salutes, tried to make jokes when asked questions by reporters and whined incessantly after someone mentioned the New York Times. Musk made a big show of denouncing the newspaper in front of Trump, saying they might have to give back their Pulitzer Prize for reporting on the president's ties to Russia, something he referred to as the Russia hoax. Katie Miller, the wife of Stephen Miller who had been working as a spokesperson for DOGE, was spotted in the room during the press conference by a photographer for Getty Images. Miller is leaving her government role to follow Musk in the private sector, though it's not yet clear what role she'll be playing at any of his companies. The Millers have an odd relationship with Musk, according to reports, and people on social media have joked that it may be sexual in nature, given the way Wired magazine characterized it back in February. The official X account for the Democratic Party even shared a photo of a hotel 'cuck chair' while quote-tweeting a story about Katie Miller on Friday. The account tagged Stephen Miller in the tweet. Trump also rambled Friday about his personal grievances and 'transgender for everyone,' a phrase he uses frequently on Truth Social, though it's not clear what he means. The Trump regime has persecuted trans people in a sadistic campaign that shows no sign of ending. Musk is also an anti-trans bigot who claims that words like cisgender are slurs. Musk, who had a black eye, was often gazing at the ceiling and into the distance, sometimes rolling his neck in circles and generally acting very strangely. Asked about the black eye by a reporter, Musk joked that he wasn't in France, a reference to a viral clip of French President Emmanuel Macron who was recently pushed in the face by his wife. Musk said that he told his 5-year-old son X to punch him in the face. 'I said, go ahead, punch me in the face. And he did. Turns out even a 5-year-old punching you in the face actually does…' Musk said, trailing off. Trump laughed, asking if it was really X who had done that. The Tesla CEO confirmed that's what happened with a laugh. 'But I didn't really feel much at the time,' Musk continued. 'And then I guess it bruises up. But I was just horsing around with the kids.' The Daily Mail reported Friday that Musk had an encounter with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that turned 'violent,' citing an interview with Steve Bannon. The article quotes Bannon as saying 'Elon basically shoved him,' referring to the 62-year-old Bessent, though the exact timing of the confrontation wasn't revealed. It's not clear if Musk's black eye may have been a result of the fight, and Bannon doesn't say Bessent fought back, which seems like it would have been an important part of the story if that really was the explanation for Musk's shiner. The incident and Musk's odd behavior in the Oval Office are sure to increase speculation about Musk's purported drug use. The New York Times published a new report on Friday that alleges Musk has been using a number of illicit drugs, including ketamine, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms. Those allegations have been long-standing ever since the Wall Street Journal reported that story in early 2024. The real revelation from the NYT seems to be that Musk has been getting advance notice of drug tests, something he needs to do to maintain his security clearance as a federal contractor for SpaceX. NASA claimed in 2024 there has been 'no evidence' of drug use by Musk, but there might be a very good reason for the lack of evidence if advance warning was given to the billionaire. Musk has previously said he is prescribed ketamine for depression, but the new report from the NYT calls into question the dosing and frequency of his use. Musk's alleged drug use would be ironic, of course, given the way that Trump and his supporters insist the country is being overrun by drugs and drug addicts.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Elon Musk breaks silence on rumours of 'fall out' with Trump after leaving DOGE
SpaceX mogul, Elon Musk, has broken his silence on his alleged "falling out" with Donald Trump after stepping down from his role as a Special Government Employee in the Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk has broken his silence amid an alleged "falling out" with Donald Trump, following his exit from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It comes after the billionaire admitted he was "disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases" in a CBS interview set to air in full on Sunday (June 1), in which he discussed the president's self-proclaimed "Big, Beautiful Bill". Musk had previously led the Trump administration's initiative to cut wasteful expenditure in his DOGE role and was frequently seen alongside the president during his election campaign and initial days in office. However, the SpaceX tycoon seemed to grow frustrated after being compelled to lower his spending cuts target from $2trillion to $1trillion, and later to $150billion. When questioned about Musk's critique of the bill - which narrowly passed with a 215-214 vote - Trump informed reporters at the White House on Wednesday that his party simply "had to get it through the House", adding: "I'm not happy about certain aspects of it, but I'm thrilled by other aspects of it." The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that over the next decade, the bill is likely to add $3.8 trillion to the national debt. Musk criticised the magnitude of the bill and its potential contribution to the already substantial national debt. "I think a bill can be big, or it can be beautiful, but I don't know if it can be both. My personal opinion," Musk pointed out, as signs of disagreement between the two began to emerge. Although the 53-year old hasn't directly addressed any "falling out", he took to his own platform, X on Wednesday evening to share a statement that contained those exact words. There, he retweeted a tweet from a user with the bio "American Supremacist", stating: "Legacy media is trying to frame Elon's departure from DOGE as the result of a falling out with Trump. "Elon was a special govt employee. Special govt employees can serve 130 days. 130 days after January 20th is May 30th, this Friday." Following that up later, however, Musk penned a tweet of his own, which read: "As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President Donald Trump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending. The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." According to the Federal Labor Relations Authority, and its ethics guidelines for Special Government Employees (SGEs), an SGE is defined as "an officer or employee who is appointed to perform temporary duties, with or without compensation, for a period not to exceed 130 days during any period of 365 consecutive days". The guidance further clarifies: "Any work done on any given day means that day is counted as a work day." Responding to Musk's tweet, one critic blasted: "Thanks for destroying the government. You failed miserably. You claimed you found waste, fraud and abuse and you couldn't quantify or prove it." Whilst a second X user hit out: "Everyone wants to cut waste, left, right and centre. But you barged in with a chainsaw where we needed a precision. No plan, no clue, just chaos sold as reform. "You don't trim fat, while slashing muscle, just to bankroll tax breaks for billionaires. That was the problem, and people saw right through it." Others, however, thanked the mogul for his efforts, including an individual who responded: "Thank you for your service Mr Musk. You will go down in history." And echoing this sentiment, another wrote: "Thank you Elon. You are my hero and so sad and disappear Congress still haven't codify the cuts after all you went through and the sacrifices you and DOGE team have made... I don't think I can vote Republicans anymore."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Elon Leaves Trail of Destruction, Corruption … and No Financial Disclosure
Elon Musk's time in the Trump administration was short, but by no means merciful. As the 130 days of Musk's 'special employee' status in the White House expire, the world's richest man is leaving the government with shattered public approval, furious investors, and a to-go bag of grift and corruption to ensure the whole ordeal was worth his time. On Wednesday night, Musk wrote on X: 'As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.' 'The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,' Musk added. The full legacy of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its role in the early days of Trump's second administration will likely take years to articulate in full. As of now, what is clear is that Musk overpromised, under delivered, and executed his mandate to 'reduce wasteful spending' in such a manner that the cost of the resulting chaos, backtracking, lawsuits, and downstream damage may end up wiping out any theoretical gains made by the 'department.' Even harder to pinpoint will be the extent of Musk's personal and corporate opportunism while elbow deep in the viscera of the federal government. Excluding English kings, it's hard to conceive of any figure in the history of American governance who was granted such wide-reaching, unchecked, and unaccountable power to meddle with the mandates of elected representatives. Despite acting as a superseding Cabinet official — to the point where the president was forced to clarify that members of his Cabinet did actually have authority over their agencies — as a Special Government Employee (SGE), Musk was spared the rigors of a confirmation hearing. While some SGEs are required to submit public financial disclosures, Musk's was filed confidentially. This despite his known financial relationships with the Trump campaign, his foreign business relationships, and his various disputes with government oversight agencies that interact with his companies. When asked how the administration would handle any potential conflicts of interest, the White House claimed that Musk would self-police should any arise. He did not. In 130 days, Musk's team at DOGE fired a slew of employees at federal departments and agencies investigating his companies — including Tesla, Neuralink, and SpaceX — on a variety of issues, including safety violations, employee lawsuits, violations of securities laws, and medical research malpractice. Musk has also worked to intertwine the work of various federal agencies with the products produced by his companies. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that DOGE had been using a customized version of Musk's AI bot 'Grok' to analyze government data. In March, the Federal Aviation Administration began approving the use of Starlink on commercial aircraft, and reports emerged claiming the FAA was considering cancelling a $2 billion dollar contract with Verizon in favor of the Musk-owned company. In one of the most unforgettable moments of the new administration, Trump staged an improvised Tesla showroom in front of the White House and vamped like a used car salesman when Musk's government antics began to tank the stock price of his electric vehicle company. The billionaire is leaving government not only because the time he can legally spend as a SGE has expired, but because the leadership of his flagship companies — Tesla and SpaceX — have seemingly demanded he stop using his 'chainsaw for bureaucracy' to destroy their public image and refocus his attention on their needs. As Musk slithers away from his stint as the effective co-president of the nation, his social media pontification about the need for 'transparency' in government rings hollower than ever. The billionaire has installed a web of loyalists throughout the federal government that will continue to work on his behalf even as he attempts to lay low for the sake of his tech empire, and there is still no oversight mechanism to ensure public accountability. It may have only been 130 days, but Musk will likely go down in history as one of the most destructive unelected bureaucrats in American history. More from Rolling Stone 'Disappointed' Musk Slams Trump's Not-So-Beautiful Tax Bill How the Class of 2025 Got Screwed by DOGE MTG Argues With Elon Musk's AI, Calls It 'Left Leaning' Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Alphabet (GOOGL) Looks to Checkmate OpenAI With AI Search Strategy
As an investor in Alphabet (GOOGL), I've noticed the growing narrative: that Google is in 'managed decline,' threatened by OpenAI's rapid rise with ChatGPT. This perspective, popularized across podcasts and media, paints Alphabet as bloated, slow, and vulnerable to being overtaken. However, I believe these claims are premature. Confident Investing Starts Here: Rather than merely facing competition, Alphabet is quietly evolving its Search business with Gemini AI. Far from declining, the company appears to be strengthening its competitive edge, positioning itself for sustained growth and long-term outperformance. Google's Gemini Is Far More than a Clone Alphabet has launched the Search Generative Experience (SGE), an AI-powered update to incorporate directly into traditional Search results. Unlike ChatGPT, which runs independently from typical Search behavior, the Gemini-driven SGE is seamlessly integrated into the conventional Search page we've all known for decades. In Alphabet's latest quarterly update for Fiscal 2025, SGE already has over 1.5 billion active users each month, which serves as evidence of extremely rapid adoption. It's clear to me that Alphabet understands its users well: instead of fully reinventing the Search experience, they have enhanced it, drawing from decades of user experience and data. This hybrid version deepens user trust, providing an engaging user experience while limiting incentives for users to migrate to competing products and services. Gemini Doesn't Just Maintain Revenue, It Increases It Another significant aspect of Google's Gemini integration is the clear presence of monetization. Alphabet purposely kept advertising in the mix of SGE. Right in the AI-generated Search responses, you get relevant sponsored responses and product placements. This keeps Google's precious ad chassis model intact without breaking income from it. For instance, searching for 'best running headphones' features prominently sponsored product recommendations and advertisements. The most recent reports from Alphabet show near-double-digit year-over-year increases in Search ad revenue, confirming that this monetization strategy works well for Alphabet. Gemini increases the user's Search experience, verifying this monetization strategy without detracting from the core Alphabet revenue stream. Therefore, it not only maintains Google's current cash flow but also potentially opens up additional opportunities for highly targeted advertising, solidifying Alphabet's lead. Why OpenAI May Face Problems Competing Long-Term OpenAI, while exciting to the market with AI-driven Search via ChatGPT, will face more significant structural limitations compared to Alphabet. It seems that most of the monetization OpenAI will do revolves around subscriptions or application fees, which is far less lucrative, sticky, and sustainable than Alphabet's ad revenue model. This will potentially be a long-term competitive disadvantage for OpenAI when competing with Alphabet, which is underpinned by deeper financial capital and infrastructure. That said, I do think there is enough room for many successful players in this industry. OpenAI's models shouldn't be underestimated, and it is currently the market-leading company for generative AI. The field is still open to play for, and I see many dominant companies winning big, with both Google and OpenAI claiming the limelight similarly. Margins Under Fire Shouldn't Deter GOOGL Investors That said, Alphabet faces significant challenges in managing the substantial costs associated with operating the computing infrastructure necessary for Gemini. AI-powered Search is likely to be significantly more expensive than traditional search, which could put long-term pressure on profit margins. To mitigate this, Alphabet must continue diversifying its revenue streams. Waymo, part of the 'Other Bets' segment, offers one promising avenue. Its autonomous ride-hailing service is already operational in parts of the U.S., though it faces steep competition from Tesla's (TSLA) emerging autonomy network. There's also uncertainty around user behavior. As AI tools—including Google's own subscription-based chatbots—gain traction, they could begin to siphon traffic away from traditional Search. This shift could reduce ad-driven revenue and lead to further margin pressure, potentially forcing Alphabet to lean more heavily on subscription-based models similar to ChatGPT. As a result, some degree of valuation multiple compression may be warranted over the longer term. Still, these risks seem manageable when viewed in light of Alphabet's strong history of adapting its business model to generate durable long-term returns as markets evolve. Is GOOGL a Buy, Sell, or Hold? On Wall Street, GOOGL has a consensus Strong Buy rating, based on 29 Buys, nine Holds, and zero Sells over the past three months. The average GOOGL price target is $199.14, indicating a 15% upside potential over the next 12 months. Alphabet's Moat Isn't Shrinking, It's Evolving The narrative that Alphabet is in 'managed decline' strikes me as an overblown reaction to broader shifts in the tech landscape. In truth, Alphabet is actively leveraging its vast distribution network, proprietary data assets, and mature monetization infrastructure to carve out a defensible position in the evolving AI ecosystem. Rather than showing signs of weakness, Alphabet is executing a strategic evolution—methodically and without premature fanfare. For long-term growth investors seeking both innovation and resilience, Gemini is a strong indicator that Alphabet remains a formidable force. It's not just keeping pace with change; it's positioning itself to deliver sustained, high-quality alpha in a rapidly transforming market.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senator presses Trump admin on DOGE staffers potentially profiting from Americans' data
If you are concerned about what Elon Musk — or any of the right-wing trolls, bigots and other people he hired at the dubiously titled Department of Government Efficiency — may do with the treasure trove of Americans' data they've accessed, you're not the only one. Data that can be used for things like training artificial intelligence tools is extremely valuable — it's practically a currency of its own these days. And having written about Musk's data-hungry enterprises, including Tesla and Twitter, I've been worried about DOGE'S widespread access to federal data. Those worries aren't limited to what DOGE staffers could theoretically do with that data, but also what Musk could do with it once he leaves. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Wednesday urging the administration to require that every 'special government employee' (like Musk) sign a certification that says they agree not to use any governmental data for personal gain. 'I write to request that you require each Special Government Employee (SGE) to sign a certification that the SGE understands and agrees that no SGE may ever use non-public information from the federal government for their own personal benefit, especially after leaving government service,' she said. Shaheen listed the broad access Musk's team already has: I make this request because there have been numerous reports of SGEs accessing some of the U.S. government's most sensitive information, including but not limited to data from the Social Security Administration, the Department of the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Office of Personnel Management and Departments of Commerce, Education, Energy, Labor, Health and Human Services and Transportation. The letter references The Washington Post's recent reporting about an alarming Trump administration plan to create a centralized system to house Americans' private information as collected by various federal agencies. Shaheen notes that right-wing, pro-Trump influencer Steve Bannon has also expressed concerns about what Musk and his team could do with the data and has called for Musk to sign a certification agreeing not to use the data for personal gain. Even FBI Director Kash Patel expressed concern, prior to Musk's involvement with the government, about the billionaire's ambition to acquire people's data. Asked about those remarks by Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota during his confirmation hearing, Patel equivocated but didn't attempt to walk them back. I imagine Trump will ultimately put Shaheen's letter in the same place he's put other strongly worded letters Democrats have sent the administration. Which is to say, I don't imagine a president who has shown no aversion to self-enrichment whatsoever and who vowed during his 2024 campaign to 'make life good' for Musk and other 'smart people' is going to do anything to prevent Musk or DOGE staffers from doing whatever they want with Americans' data. The point here is that what is to come from DOGE's access to Americans' data should be top of mind for us all. Americans need to familiarize themselves with the concept of 'data dignity' and to internalize the importance of protecting their personal information from those who would use it to influence the public or to profit personally. This article was originally published on
