Latest news with #SpaceXStarship
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Musk Throws an Epic Self-Pity Party About Everyone Being Mean to Him
Elon Musk is complaining about the firestorm of criticism that has engulfed his work with the Trump administration. After calling out President Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' for undermining the work of his so-called Department of Government Efficiency—which Trump tasked with culling thousands of workers from the federal government—the Tesla billionaire is also claiming that his task force is being unfairly blamed for the failings of others. 'DOGE is just becoming the whipping boy for everything,' Musk told The Washington Post. 'So, like, something bad would happen anywhere, and we would get blamed for it even if we had nothing to do with it.' Speaking on the day that yet another of his SpaceX Starship launches ended in fiery failure, Musk also groused about how his role with DOGE has led to an intense backlash against his companies. 'People were burning Teslas,' Musk told the Post. 'Why would you do that? That's really uncool.' Musk further expressed dismay that his work with DOGE has proven to be more difficult than he anticipated, having only saved a fraction of the $2 trillion he vowed to cut from the federal budget. 'The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized,' he said. 'I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.' Musk's comments came after he expressed disappointment in Trump's beloved 'Big Beautiful Bill' for sabotaging his work with DOGE. '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 said during an interview with CBS News. 'I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful, but I don't know if it could be both.' After initially promising to cut $2 trillion in October, Musk later walked back that figure in January by admitting the goal was a 'best-case scenario.' He nevertheless maintained DOGE had a 'good shot' at saving $1 trillion. Since Musk announced his intention in to 'significantly' reduce his time with DOGE as Tesla sales plummet, the cost-cutting task force is still only claiming to have found $170 billion in savings—though questions remain over how much of the savings can be verified. Meanwhile, Trump's bill—which will partly fund tax cuts for the rich through sweeping cuts to Medicaid—will add around $3.8 trillion to the national deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Despite feeling burned by the administration, Musk has said he still plans to allocate some of his time to working with DOGE, although he has since downgraded the department's aspirations from decimating the federal workforce to improving their tech support. 'There's, like, so many situations where the computers are so broken,' even in the intelligence world,' Musk told the Post. His efforts will now be spent 'a bit more like tackling projects with the highest gain for the pain, which still means a lot of good things in terms of reducing waste and fraud.' Polling data has suggested that Musk is among the least popular figures in Trump's administration. Analysts also say that furious anti-Musk protests in the U.S. and overseas have contributed to severe brand damage for some of his companies. In Europe, where Musk has faced intense blowback for supporting far-right politicians, Tesla sales roughly halved in April compared with last year's figures. In addition to his lack of polling popularity, Musk's bona fides as a political operator have also come into question. After his preferred candidate suffered a crushing loss in the Wisconsin state Supreme Court election despite Musk's record $21 million spend on the race, Musk has vowed to cut back on his political donations in the future. 'I think I probably did spend a bit too much time on politics,' Musk told Ars Technica on Tuesday when asked if he thought his activities over the last year had harmed SpaceX. 'It's less than people would think, because the media is going to over-represent any political stuff, because political bones of contention get a lot of traction in the media.' 'It's not like I left the companies,' he added. 'It was just relative time allocation that probably was a little too high on the government side, and I've reduced that significantly in recent weeks.'
The Hill
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
AI looms over Google case
The Big Story A federal judge on Friday grappled with the way artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the internet, as he weighed what penalties Google will ultimately face for illegally monopolizing search. © Jeff Chiu, Associated Press Google and the Department of Justice (DOJ) presented their closing arguments following a three-week hearing to determine the proper remedies, after the tech giant was found to have improperly maintained its search monopoly through a series of exclusive agreements. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta peppered both sides with questions over eight hours Friday, focusing heavily on what AI means for Google and the search market. The DOJ has argued that Google's dominance over search gives it a leg up in the AI race. It has pushed for more forward-looking remedies, including forcing the company to sell its Chrome browser. Google has contested this assertion, underscoring the competition it faces in the AI space from the likes of ChatGPT, Grok and DeepSeek. It has suggested a much more limited set of remedies that would bar the company from entering into the exclusive agreements the court deemed anticompetitive. Mehta appeared skeptical of Google's proposed remedies, noting that they 'could have all closed up shop' if he simply needed to issue an injunction blocking the company's exclusive agreements with device manufacturers and browsers. However, the judge didn't seem entirely convinced by the DOJ's wide-reaching proposal either, pushing the government to explain how AI fits into the search case. David Dahlquist, the government's lead attorney, dismissed Google's proposal Friday as 'milquetoast remedies that it knows will maintain the status quo.' He argued the remedies can go beyond the confines of the search market identified in the case to prevent Google from taking advantage of its existing market power, underscoring the way generative AI could drive more users to its search engine. 'We do not have to have complete blinders as to what's going on in the rest of the world and we should not,' Dahlquist said. Read more in a full report at Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter, I'm Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future: O'Leary: Musk just learned Washington 'an incredibly nasty place' 'Shark Tank' star Kevin O'Leary said Elon Musk learned Washington is 'an incredibly nasty place' after completing his tenure as a White House advisor. The tech CEO led operations for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency responsible for slashing federal spending and reducing the government's workforce. 'I learned a lesson that Elon just learned. No one goes to Washington and returns unscathed. It … FAA demanding investigation after SpaceX Starship breaks up in flight The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is asking SpaceX for an investigation into this week's Starship test flight that ended up spinning out of control and breaking apart. The FAA said the Starship's vehicle and booster debris landed within the designated hazard areas and there were no reports of injuries or damage to public property during Tuesday's flight. 'The mishap investigation is focused … Musk says 'this is not the end of DOGE,' vows to remain adviser to Trump Tech billionaire Elon Musk vowed the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would carry on and he would remain an adviser to President Trump as he bid farewell to his official government role. Musk joined Trump in the Oval Office for a press conference on Friday for what was his final day as a special government employee. That title carries a time limit of 130 days, meaning Musk will no longer serve in an official … The Refresh News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics: Crypto Corner SEC dismisses Binance case © AP Photo/Matt Slocum Welcome to Crypto Corner, a daily feature focused on digital currency and its outlook in Washington. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is dropping its case against crypto exchange Binance, as the agency continues to pull back on enforcement against the digital asset industry under President Trump. The SEC asked a judge Thursday to dismiss the case, which accused the company and its founder, Changpeng Zhao, of operating an unregistered exchange, artificially inflating its trading volume and misleading investors about its surveillance and controls. Binance has had a checkered history with U.S. regulators. Zhao spent four months in prison last year for violating anti-money laundering laws, and his company paid $4 billion to settle a case with the Justice Department in 2023. The exchange has found itself in the news once again in recent weeks, after a Trump family crypto venture announced that its new stablecoin would be used to complete a $2 billion transaction between an Emirati firm and Binance. Binance and the SEC initially asked the court to put the proceedings on hold in February, shortly after Trump took office and Republican commissioner Mark Uyeda took the reins of the agency as acting chair. The case was one of the final remaining Biden-era crypto lawsuits. Binance touted the decision to dismiss the case as a 'landmark moment.' 'We're deeply grateful to Chairman Paul Atkins and the Trump administration for recognizing that innovation can't thrive under regulation by enforcement,' a spokesperson said in a statement. 'The U.S. is back – leading from the front in the future of blockchain. What Others are Reading Two key stories on The Hill right now: Musk appears in Oval Office with black eye Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk appeared in the Oval Office on Friday with a black eye, which he said was the result of his young son punching … Read more Ernst responds to jeers on Medicaid cuts: 'Well, we're all going to die' Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst (R) pushed back against constituents who shouted out at her recent town hall meeting that cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental … Read more What Others are Reading Opinion related to tech submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you next week!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
SpaceX Starship breaks up over Indian Ocean in latest bumpy test
Another SpaceX Starship prototype broke up over the Indian Ocean on Tuesday, capping the latest bumpy test flight for the rocket central to billionaire Elon Musk's dream of colonising Mars. The biggest and most powerful launch vehicle ever built lifted off at 6.36pm local time from the company's facility near a southern Texas village that earlier this month voted to become a city also named Starbase. The first signs of trouble emerged when the first-stage Super Heavy booster blew up instead of executing its planned splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. A live feed then showed the upper-stage spaceship failing to open its doors to deploy a payload of Starlink satellite 'simulators'. Though the ship flew farther than on its two previous attempts, it sprang leaks and began spinning out of control as it coasted through space on a suborbital path before re-entering the atmosphere out of control and eventually breaking apart. Related: Fear, hope and loathing in Elon Musk's new city: 'It's the wild, wild west and the future' 'Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly,' SpaceX posted on X, using a familiar euphemism for failure, adding it would learn from the setback. Musk, meanwhile, vowed to pick up the pace: 'Launch cadence for the next three flights will be faster – approximately one every three to four weeks,' he said. He did not say, however, whether he still planned to deliver a live stream about Mars that SpaceX had been promoting. Federal regulators granted SpaceX a licence for Starship's latest flight attempt just four days ago, capping a mishap investigation that had grounded Starship for nearly two months. Its last two test flights – in January and March – were cut short moments after liftoff as the vehicle blew to pieces on its ascent, raining debris over parts of the Caribbean and disrupting scores of commercial airline flights in the region. The Federal Aviation Administration expanded debris hazard zones around the ascent path for Tuesday's launch. Ahead of the launch, dozens of space fans gathered at Isla Blanca Park on nearby South Padre Island hoping to catch a glimpse of history. Several small tourist boats also dotted the lagoon, while a live feed showed Musk sitting at ground control in Starbase, wearing an 'Occupy Mars' T-shirt. Piers Dawson, 50, an Australian, told AFP he was 'obsessed' with the rocket and planned his family vacation around the launch – his first trip to the United States, with his wife and teenage son whom he took out of school to be there. Another enthusiast Joshua Wingate, a 33-year-old tech entrepreneur from Austin, said after the launch: 'I know in science there's never a failure, you learn everything from every single test so that was still super exciting to see.' With Reuters and Agence France-Presse
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Elon Musk's 4-word reply to question on 'Mars 2026 presentation'
A day after postponing his planned address to thousands of employees, Elon Musk has clarified that the much-anticipated Mars 2026 presentation -- which was supposed to happen following the launch of Starship -- is not cancelled. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The SpaceX CEO confirmed that the presentation, which focuses on his vision to make life multiplanetary, will be shared soon. Replying to a question, "when's the Mars 2026 presentation you were supposed to give after the launch? Is it cancelled? Literally everyone is confused and waiting for a response from SpaceX or you," Musk replied, "Will be posted tomorrow (May 30)." Elon Musk's address on Mars was scheduled for May 27 Musk's address on Mars was scheduled for the evening of Tuesday (May 27), however, it was postponed to Wednesday morning (May 28) for SpaceX's launch of its ninth Starship flight. "This talk is postponed until after the Starship Flight 9 launch tonight," Musk said in a post. Previously, Musk and X (formerly Twitter) provided a link to watch the address live, however, in the latest post, Musk did not clarify whether the address will be streamed live on the platform. SpaceX Starship rocket explodes for the third time SpaceX's ambitious Starship rocket faced another setback this week when a leak led to an uncontrolled descent in space, resulting in an explosion during its test flight. This marks the third consecutive major challenge for Elon Musk's aerospace company. The launch system, consisting of the Starship upper stage and its Super Heavy booster, blasting off from SpaceX's South Texas launchpad. Shortly after liftoff, the Super Heavy booster, which had been reused from previous missions, successfully detached from Starship and ignited its engines. However, as it attempted to reposition itself for reentry, a critical issue arose, causing the booster to explode mid-flight. Despite the incident, SpaceX commentators noted that the booster was already expected to make a hard splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. Lost keys? Not anymore! Best Bluetooth trackers for Android under Rs 1,500!
CNN
4 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Exclusive video shows escape from alleged NYC crypto kidnapping
Exclusive video shows escape from alleged NYC crypto kidnapping New video obtained exclusively by CNN shows a man escaping the New York City townhouse where he was allegedly kidnapped, tortured and held hostage for weeks in a crypto extortion scheme. 01:31 - Source: CNN Trump responds to Wall Street term 'TACO': Trump Always Chickens Out President Donald Trump was asked about "TACO," an acronym that means "Trump Always Chickens Out," which is used by Wall Street workers for his on-and-off approach to tariffs. Calling it "the nastiest question," Trump defended his tariff policy by calling it "negotiation." 01:13 - Source: CNN Combs' team seeks mistrial over evidence CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister explains what caused Sean "Diddy" Combs' defense team to request a mistrial in court on Wednesday. The motion was denied by the judge. 01:49 - Source: CNN Trump voter may lose his job because of Trump policies CNN's John King visits one of the country's top targets of the 2026 midterms — Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District — and speaks to a Trump voter who is in danger of being laid off due to the President's tariffs. 01:11 - Source: CNN Finland's president responds to Russian military activity along border CNN's Erin Burnett speaks with Finland's President Alexander Stubb about his country ramping up its military to deter potential Russian aggression. 02:16 - Source: CNN SpaceX Starship outperforms previous missions this year Regrouping after two consecutive explosions, SpaceX launched the 9th test flight of Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built. The mission marks the first time the company reused a Super Heavy booster from a previous flight. 01:55 - Source: CNN Former 'Diddy' employee describes alleged abuse Former employee for Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Capricorn Clark, took the stand to testify in the federal trial against her long-time boss, seemingly corroborating accounts from witnesses Cassie Ventura and rapper Kid Cudi. Capricorn alleges Combs made threats and carried out acts of violence against her, including forced lie-detector tests Capricorn claims to have been administered by Combs' security guard while she was held. 02:37 - Source: CNN Should Sean 'Diddy' Combs testify? CNN's Laura Coates speaks with Benjamin Chew, co-lead counsel for Johnny Depp in his defamation trial, about whether Sean "Diddy" Combs should testify in his high stakes criminal trial. 01:55 - Source: CNN Palestinians desperate for food rush US-backed aid site Scores of people rushed over fencing and through barricades in southern Gaza on the first day a US-Israeli-backed aid site was opened. CNN's Jeremy Diamond explains the desperate humanitarian situation that remains in the region. 01:22 - Source: CNN NYC Mayor Eric Adams defends Trump relationship New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks with CNN's Maria Santana about his controversial relationship with President Donald Trump, which has garnered close attention after the Department of Justice recommended his criminal charges be dropped. 01:07 - Source: CNN Trump pardons reality TV couple Todd and Julie Chrisley President Donald Trump has signed full pardons for imprisoned reality show couple Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in 2022 for a conspiracy to defraud banks out of more than $30 million, according to a White House official. CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports. 01:07 - Source: CNN New Orleans escapees lead police on high-speed chase Authorities have captured eight escapees after 10 prisoners escaped through a wall behind a toilet in a New Orleans jail cell. Two inmates were arrested in Texas after being involved in a high-speed chase with authorities. 01:02 - Source: CNN Vehicle plows into crowd in Liverpool Police in the United Kingdom say a man has been arrested after a car plowed into Liverpool fans celebrating during the soccer club's Premier League trophy parade. 01:14 - Source: CNN Trump visits Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day President Donald Trump honors fallen service members at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day. 00:27 - Source: CNN Trump: 'I don't know what the hell happened to Putin' Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, President Donald Trump said that he was 'not happy with what Putin is doing', after Moscow launched its largest aerial attack of its three-year full-scale war on Ukraine overnight. 00:50 - Source: CNN 'Duck Dynasty' star dies at 79 Phil Robertson, patriarch of the reality show 'Duck Dynasty,' has died at 79, according to a family statement. Robertson founded Duck Commander, a business making duck hunting supplies, which later became the center of A&E's hit show. 01:06 - Source: CNN Video of President Macron's wife 'pushing' him goes viral A video of French President Macron's wife pushing him as they disembarked a flight has caught the attention of Russian trolls after going viral. While Macron himself tried to downplay the video saying it merely showed a couple 'bickering,' it's not the first time Russian troll accounts and state media outlets have tried to use videos of the French president to spread disinformation. CNN's Saskya Vandoorne has more. 01:35 - Source: CNN Truck explodes after possible propane leak A home security camera caught the moment when a box truck driving through a residential neighborhood exploded in Addison, Illinois. The driver walked away with only minor injuries, CNN affiliate WLS reports. 00:36 - Source: CNN
