Page 29 - Elon Musk

USAID workers get 15 mins to clear out workspaces as agency gets dismantled

Thousands of US Agency for International Development workers who have been fired or placed on leave as part of the Trump administration's dismantling of the agency were being given a 15-minute window Thursday and Friday to clear out their workspaces. The first USAID workers arrived under heavily overcast skies for what appears likely to be their final visit to the now-closed Washington headquarters of the 6-decade-old aid agency. A small and sombre group of supporters greeted them. Large numbers of federal officers also were waiting outside, with at least seven intercepting one of the first workers who appeared, rolling a suitcase behind him, to escort him inside. While larger bureaus at the agency are urging supporters to turn up to clap out staffers over the next two days, a Trump administration ban on USAID staffers speaking publicly also has many fearing retaliation if they speak publicly. USAID placed 4,080 staffers who work across the globe on leave Monday. That was joined by

Providing 'tech support,' fixing US 'govt computer systems', says Elon Musk

Musk added that he had received "a lot of death threats," over the work he has been doing, which has involved hundreds of people losing their jobs

Musk, his tech support effort get star turn at Trump's Cabinet meeting

Elon Musk took a star turn at the first Cabinet meeting of President Donald Trump's new term, holding forth in a black Make America Great Again campaign hat on Wednesday about his role as humble tech support for the federal government and laying out dire stakes if his cost-cutting efforts fail. If we don't do this, America will go bankrupt, Musk told department heads assembled around a large wooden table in the Cabinet Room. Trump, not one to easily share the spotlight, seemed happy to turn the top of the hour-plus meeting over to Musk for a little summary of what the Department of Government Efficiency has been up to, saying that Musk's team had found evidence of horrible things afoot in the government. He's sacrificing a lot, Trump said of Musk, referencing the time the world's richest man is taking away from his many business ventures. He's also getting hit." Musk, for his part, said his lightning-fast efforts to right-size the government had drawn death threats and he jokingly

US federal workers who ignore Musk risk their jobs, President Trump warns

The president suggested some agencies could see dramatic job reductions, saying Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin was considering eliminating 65 per cent of his staff

Wisconsin SC candidates spar over Musk, Soros donations in high-stakes race

The Republican-backed candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court race who has received the support of Elon Musk said Wednesday that it's more concerning that his Democratic-supported opponent is benefiting from donations by liberal philanthropist George Soros. I don't think these two things compare, Brad Schimel told reporters. I don't think they equate at all. The race for ideological control of the battleground state's highest court is nonpartisan in name only, with Republicans lining up behind Schimel and Democrats backing Susan Crawford. The election on April 1 will determine whether liberals maintain their 4-3 majority on the court with major cases dealing with abortion, union rights, election law and congressional redistricting already under consideration by the court or expected to be argued before it soon. It could be the most significant US election since November, as it will serve as an early litmus test for Republicans and Democrats after President Donald Trump won every swin

Trump administration orders more layoffs as Musk meets with cabinet

The memo calls for a "significant reduction" in headcount, but does not specify how many workers should be laid off, beyond the 100,000 who have already taken a buyout or been fired

Trump shares Gaza plans through AI video: Gold statues, cocktails, luxury

Trump's AI Gaza video stirs controversy with Netanyahu, men in bikinis & luxury, reimagining the war-torn region as a futuristic paradise with golden skyscrapers

280,000 Canadians want Elon Musk's citizenship revoked: Here's why

Elon Musk's ties to Donald Trump have raised concerns in Canada, especially as the US President has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports

Elon Musk tops superbillionaires index; Ambani, Adani join exclusive club

Superbillionaires hold over 16 per cent of the total wealth among billionaires, a sharp rise from just 4 per cent a decade ago in 2014, according to Altrata data

Trump's approval rating tops Biden; support for immigration policy grows

The poll also revealed that 38% of those surveyed held a favourable opinion of tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has been actively involved in Donald Trump's government restructuring efforts

Elon Musk in politics? His father Errol says 'he will struggle to connect'

Speculation about Elon Musk's political ambitions has grown post-Trump era, fuelled by his presence at key government meetings and informal political gatherings

Tesla sales plunge globally as anti-Elon Musk backlash takes hold

In California, Tesla sales fell 12 per cent last year as Musk attacked leaders of a state that played a pivotal role in the carmaker surviving its tumultuous early years

Who is Amy Gleason, DOGE's acting administrator named by White House?

The White House has clarified that billionaire Elon Musk, despite his involvement in overseeing the initiative, does not hold the legal role of DOGE head

US lawmakers warn that China could use Elon Musk to influence Trump

China's Washington embassy said China welcomed mutually beneficial cooperation" with people from all walks of life in the United States

Musk's new ultimatum spurs fresh confusion among US federal workers

The confusing back-and-forth has rippled through the federal bureaucracy, with some agencies instructing workers to comply and others not

Federal technology staffers resign rather than help Elon Musk, DOGE

More than 20 civil service employees resigned Tuesday from billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, saying they were refusing to use their technical expertise to dismantle critical public services. We swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations, the 21 staffers wrote in a joint resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. However, it has become clear that we can no longer honour those commitments. The employees also warned that many of those enlisted by Musk to help him slash the size of the federal government under President Donald Trump's administration were political ideologues who did not have the necessary skills or experience for the task ahead of them. The mass resignation of engineers, data scientists and product managers is a temporary setback for Musk and the Republican president's tech-driven purge of the federal workforce. It comes amid a flur

Federal employees may get more demands to justify work at Musk's direction

The turmoil that enveloped the federal workforce over the last few days is unlikely to cease anytime soon as the US government's human resources agency considers how to fulfil Elon Musk's demands. The Office of Personnel Management told agency leaders Monday that their employees did not have to comply with a Musk-inspired edict for workers to report their recent accomplishments or risk getting fired. But later that evening, OPM sent out another memo suggesting that there could be similar requests going forward and workers might be sanctioned for noncompliance. Agencies should consider whether the expectation for employees to submit activity and/or accomplishment bullets should be integrated into the agency's Weekly Activity Report, wrote acting director Charles Ezell. He added that agencies should consider any appropriate actions regarding employees who fail to respond to activity/accomplishment requests. OPM originally sent employees an email over the weekend with the subject line

Elon Musk isn't running DOGE but Amy Gleason is, says White House official

Gleason, a health care technology executive, is serving as the acting administrator of DOGE, according to a White House official, who requested anonymity to discuss a matter that is not public

Elon Musk's India move shows the cracks in Donald Trump's coalition

Tesla has long wanted to sell cars in India, but Musk has balked at the high tariffs that would be applicable on imported high-end EVs

Musk has inside track to modernise air traffic communications system

A satellite company owned by Elon Musk has the inside track to potentially take over a large federal contract to modernize the nation's air traffic communications system. Equipment from Musk's Starlink has been installed in Federal Aviation Administration facilities as a prelude to a takeover of a $2 billion contract held by Verizon, according to government employees, contractors and people familiar with the work. Musk said that the network used by air traffic controllers is aging and requires drastic and quick action to modernize it. The Verizon system is not working and so is putting air travelers at serious risk, Musk on Monday posted on X, the social media site he has owned since 2022. The emergence of Starlink as a potential replacement for the Verizon-led effort underscores the extraordinary conflicts of interest inherent in Musk's position as both a senior White House adviser to President Donald Trump and a business mogul in charge of a sprawling array of companies. It is no