Musk says he regrets some of his posts on Trump, conceding they "went too far"
Elon Musk, the world's richest person and President Trump's former adviser, said Wednesday he regretted some of his recent criticisms of the president, in the wake of their public falling-out last week.
"I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far," Musk wrote on his social media platform X.
Musk's post came just days after Mr. Trump threatened the tech billionaire with "serious consequences" if he sought to punish Republicans who vote for a controversial spending bill.
Their blistering break-up -- largely carried out on social media before a riveted public on Thursday last week -- was ignited by Musk's harsh criticism of Mr. Trump's so-called "big, beautiful" spending bill currently before Congress.
Some lawmakers who were against the bill had called on Musk -- one of the Republican Party's biggest financial backers in last year's presidential election -- to fund primary challenges against Republicans who voted for the legislation.
"He'll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that," Trump, who also branded Musk "disrespectful," told NBC News on Saturday, without specifying what those consequences would be.
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Washington Post
7 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Not just Mamdani: Centrist Democrats can win on affordability, too
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) still remembers her best tip ever, when she was a college student waiting tables outside Minneapolis for the local NHL team's holiday party. 'Nobody can party like hockey players,' Rosen said, recalling how they showed off their sport's hard-hitting nature by pulling out their fake teeth. 'They drank and spent so much money.' More than 45 years later, Rosen — who moved to Nevada after graduating from the University of Minnesota — has emerged as the biggest Democratic booster of a signature economic proposal from President Donald Trump. She co-sponsored a bill with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to fulfill Trump's 2024 campaign promise for 'no taxes on tips,' the type of issue she experienced firsthand when the Minnesota North Stars left her a nearly $300 tip. A version of that legislation is tucked into the massive tax and immigration bill that Republicans are trying to pass on a party-line vote in the coming days. While every Democrat in Congress, including Rosen, opposes that broad legislation — largely because of its cuts to Medicaid — the Cruz bill won a unanimous vote last month in the Senate. If the massive legislation fails, Rosen will push her allies in the House to move a stand-alone tip bill to the president's desk. Her effort, fresh off a successful reelection bid in 2024, serves as a model for Democrats searching for a moderate approach to winning in swing districts and battleground states. Democrats are deep into internal battles drawn over generational and ideological fault lines and are debating how to use modern communications to get out their message. Many on the left see a model for winning in Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist poised to win the Democratic New York mayoral primary after running an online savvy campaign touting progressive ideas to fight inflation. Some centrist Democrats have pushed back against Mamdani for his far-left proposals, including free bus service and government-owned grocery stores. But similarities in the 33-year-old's mayoral bid and the 67-year-old senator's approach show the path to winning coalitions. Nevada was the only state that had twice voted against Trump but flipped to him last year — from a roughly 2.5 percentage point defeat in 2016 and 2020 to a more than 3 percentage point victory in 2024. But Rosen beat Trump-endorsed Republican Sam Brown by nearly 1.7 percentage points by embracing an aggressive approach to fighting inflation while positioning herself as an authentic voice, someone who didn't run her first political campaign until her late 50s. Rosen has held victory parties at Caesars Palace to remind folks that she was a cocktail waitress there. She gives off the political vibe of an encouraging aunt rather than career politician. 'It was really important to me to be present to people, for people, to listen to their stories,' she said in a recent interview. 'My motto is agree where you can, fight where you must.' In five presidential battleground states that hosted key Senate races, Democrats won four. Rosen was running her second statewide race ever, while Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan) were running their first and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) was running her third. Incumbent Bob Casey, who lost in Pennsylvania, was running his eighth statewide bid in three decades. Two figures from opposite ends of the Democratic ideology spectrum recently noted Mamdani, a state lawmaker since 2021, offered a fresh alternative to former governor Andrew M. Cuomo, 67, with personal scandal baggage. 'The people are clearly asking for generational change,' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York), a liberal icon, told reporters. 'They are looking for a new generation of leadership,' Slotkin said during a policy address touting her centrist vision. Republicans take a different view of Rosen's and Slotkin's victories, blaming their big-money donors for not believing in the GOP nominees until it was too late. 'Many didn't believe we had a chance to win. And the money was late breaking there. But I think had we had the resources earlier, Sam Brown would have won,' Sen. Steve Daines (Montana), who chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee last year, said in a brief interview. Rosen raised about $50 million for her campaign, more than twice as much as Brown's, and outside political groups favored Rosen by an edge of about $55 million to $45 million, according to Open Secrets. Rosen received 4,000 fewer votes than Kamala Harris did at the top of the Democratic ticket, while Brown fell about 75,000 votes shy of Trump's tally. Rosen did have better appeal than Harris in what Nevadans call 'the rurals,' lightly populated conservative areas far from the Las Vegas Strip. Humboldt County, in the northernmost stretch of the state, favored Trump by more than 4,400 votes while Brown won by 3,662 votes. Rosen believes that national Democrats face higher hurdles in rural areas where they never campaign and end up branded with 'all that noise' from conservative media outlets. She overcame some of that as an incumbent senator with time to visit those parts of the state. 'You can't be everywhere. But in Nevada and some other states, people can really get to know you. So it is absolutely an advantage,' Rosen said. Rosen instantly knew the moment Trump started talking about 'no taxes on tips' that it would resonate in a state where roughly 1 in 4 workers are in the hospitality industry. They probably either receive tips or have close friends and family working for tips. That industry got crushed during the pandemic, and now inflation has prompted another decline in tourist visits to Las Vegas. 'It's such a variable job. You don't know what your tips are going to be day in and day out. One day good, one day not so good,' Rosen said. While Harris also supported eliminating taxes on tips, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada) was the only other Democrat to join Rosen in co-sponsoring Cruz's bill. Culinary Workers Union Local 226, Nevada's largest union, also endorsed the proposal. Some Democrats on Capitol Hill have been hesitant to embrace the no-tax-on-tips policy, worried it is unfair to workers who receive a regular hourly wage. Critics of the proposal say the biggest beneficiaries of such a policy are staff at high-end restaurants who are already making high salaries, not the lowest-paid workers in the service industry. It could create a rush on employers shifting their workers into a tipped-wage system, leading to customers facing tip requests in places that rarely used to have them. But Rosen knew that Nevada, with the lowest percentage of college graduates of any battleground state, would embrace a proposal that appealed to its working-class image. 'We're always trying to find ways to put more money back into people's pockets,' the onetime culinary union member said. Without a deeply partisan background, she doesn't hesitate to break from her party's orthodoxy on issues including crime and border security. Rosen used her financial edge to start airing ads at least six months ahead of the election that ref far-left ideas such as defunding the police and open borders. 'I work with both parties on things like helping veterans exposed to burn pits and stood up to my own party to support police officers and get more funding for border security,' she said in one ad. Many of these positions run counter to the ideas embraced by Mamdani, Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). But some Democrats point to issues Mamdani highlighted as appealing to most voters, allowing swing-district candidates to graft their own policy prescriptions into what fits their voters. 'It's not the left versus the middle — to win, it must be both. Mamdani's focus helps preview many of the issues liberals and moderates can embrace: affordability, quality of life and opposing slashing health care,' Steve Israel, the former New York Democratic congressman who ran the party's House campaign operation for four years, wrote in his Substack after the mayoral primary. For Rosen, that lesson goes all the way back to the time a bunch of professional hockey players got rowdy and left her a massive pile of cash. Rosen, who can't remember if she reported that tip on her taxes, moved away a few years later, and the North Stars became the Dallas Stars. But she always remember that lesson, one that resonates with a huge amount of voters in Nevada. 'Your tips were everything,' she said.
Newsweek
23 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Thousands Gather in Tehran to Mourn Dead from Israel Strikes
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets of Iran's capital on Saturday for a state funeral honoring about 60 Iranians killed in Israeli strikes over the past few weeks, including top military commanders and nuclear scientists. Why It Matters In what President Donald Trump has called the "12 Day War," in mid-June Israel initially struck Tehran and several other cities in "Operation Rising Lion," a campaign it said was meant to preempt a planned Iranian attack and disrupt Iran's nuclear capabilities. Iran, which has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, retaliated, though Israeli defense systems—bolstered by U.S. military technology—intercepted nearly all incoming missile fire, according to Israeli officials, although Iran did strike a hospital southern Israel last week. More than 600 Iranians were reported killed by Israeli strikes, and 28 Israelis killed by Iranian strikes, with thousands wounded it both countries. Last weekend, the U.S. joined Israel in its war against Iran by bombing three nuclear sites, Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz, in the largest B-2 operation in U.S. history. There were no reported casualties. Israeli strikes killed civilians, nuclear scientists, and high-level military officials, such as Hossein Salami who served as the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, and Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC's Air Force. Thousands of Iranians attend the funeral ceremony for approximately 60 people killed in Israeli strikes on Iran, including high-ranking military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians, during a state funeral service in Enqelab Square on June... Thousands of Iranians attend the funeral ceremony for approximately 60 people killed in Israeli strikes on Iran, including high-ranking military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians, during a state funeral service in Enqelab Square on June 28, 2025 in Tehran, Iran. MoreWhat To Know On Saturday, thousands of mourners dressed in black flooded the streets of Tehran in a state funeral procession for about 60 of those killed in the strikes, with IRGC-affiliated outlet Tasnim News Agency describing them as "martyred." Caskets of the dead were covered in Iranian flags. The outlet reported the procession, in which participants were seen carrying flags and banners, commenced near the University of Tehran in Enghelab (Revolution) Square and ended at the Azadi (Freedom) Square. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian marched in the procession and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was seen giving his prayers, while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not spotted. Mourners attend the funeral ceremony of the Iranian armed forces generals, nuclear scientists and their family members who were killed in Israeli strikes, at Islamic Revolution Square (Enghelab Square) square, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June... Mourners attend the funeral ceremony of the Iranian armed forces generals, nuclear scientists and their family members who were killed in Israeli strikes, at Islamic Revolution Square (Enghelab Square) square, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June 28, 2025. More AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency shared photos of various models of Iran's ballistic missiles showcased during the funeral procession. Pictures also showed Israeli and American flags being walked over and some burned, while the Associated Press reported that some people chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." Salami, who was honored on Saturday, had leveled a threat to the United States in May, saying Iran would "open the gates of hell" if attacked by Israel or America. He was a defiant voice against Israel and had praised Hezbollah's operations in its war against the country in 2024. Bagheri had warned for years that his forces were ready for military action against the country. Others commemorated included women, children and nuclear physicists involved in Iran's nuclear energy and enrichment activities. The state funeral comes days after a fragile ceasefire was agreed upon between Israel and Iran. People hold flags near posters displaying assassinated military leaders, including Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC Hossein Salami (C), as thousands of Iranians attend the funeral ceremony for approximately 60 people killed in Israeli strikes on Iran,... People hold flags near posters displaying assassinated military leaders, including Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC Hossein Salami (C), as thousands of Iranians attend the funeral ceremony for approximately 60 people killed in Israeli strikes on Iran, including high-ranking military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians, during a state funeral service in Enqelab Square on June 28, 2025 in Tehran, Iran. MoreWhat People Are Saying Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote in a Persian in an X, formerly Twitter, post on Saturday: "From the bottom of my heart, I thank you dear people; With love, you bid farewell to the martyrs of our homeland, and our voice of unity reached the ears of the world. We have learned from Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him) not to submit to humiliation and not to bow our heads before oppression. Serving such a noble nation is the honor of my life. Forever Iran " Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote in Persian on X on Saturday: "The Iranian nation should know that the reason for the opposition to America is that they want Iran to surrender, and this is a great insult to the Iranian nation by the Americans, and such a thing will never happen." President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that the U.S. would "absolutely" consider bombing Iran against if it is found enriching uranium to "concerning" levels. What Happens Next The ceasefire between Israel and Iran, which went into effect on June 24, remains fragile. Trump said the U.S. and Iran are due to hold new talks about the country's nuclear capabilities. "We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran," Trump said at the NATO summit in the Netherlands on Wednesday. "We may sign an agreement. I don't know." On Saturday, Araghchi posted on X, "If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers."
Politico
27 minutes ago
- Politico
Louisiana hospitals warn Mike Johnson of 'devastation' from megabill
Senate Republicans released updated megabill text late Friday that would make sharp cuts to the Inflation Reduction Act's solar and wind tax credits after a late-stage push by President Donald Trump to crack down further on the incentives. The text would require solar and wind generation projects seeking to qualify for the law's clean electricity production and investment tax credits to be placed in service by the end of 2027 — significantly more restrictive than an earlier proposal by the Senate Finance Committee that tied eligibility to when a project begins construction. The changes came after Trump urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune to crack down on the wind and solar credits and align the measure more closely with reconciliation text, H.R.1, that passed the House, as POLITICO reported earlier on Friday. The changes are likely to put some moderate GOP senators, who have backed a slower schedule for sunsetting those incentives, in a tough position. They'll be forced to choose between rejecting Trump's agenda or allowing the gutting of tax credits that could lead to canceled projects and job losses in their states — something renewable energy advocates are also warning about. 'We are literally going to have not enough electricity because Trump is killing solar. It's that serious,' Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) responded on X early Saturday. 'We need a bunch of new power on the grid, and nothing is as available as solar. Everything else takes a while. Meantime, expect shortages and high prices. Stupid.' The revised text would retain the investment and production tax credits for baseload sources, such as nuclear, geothermal, hydropower or energy storage, as proposed in the Finance Committee's earlier proposal. But it would make other significant changes, including extending a tax credit for clean hydrogen production until 2028. The panel's earlier proposal would have eliminated the credit after this year. And despite vocal lobbying by the solar industry, the proposal would maintain an abrupt cut to the tax incentive supporting residential solar power. The committee's earlier proposal would have eliminated that credit six months after the enactment of the bill; now the updated draft proposes repealing it at the end of this year. It would also deny certain wind and solar leasing arrangements from accessing the climate law's clean electricity investment and production tax credits, but, in a notable change, removed earlier language specifically disallowing rooftop solar. And it would move up the timeline for certain rules barring foreign entities of concern from accessing those credits. The bill would move up the termination date for electric vehicle tax credits to Sept. 30, compared to six months after enactment in the earlier Finance text. The credit for EV chargers would extend through June 2026. The new text also provides a bonus incentive for advanced nuclear facilities built in communities with high levels of employment in the nuclear industry. And the bill makes metallurgical coal eligible for the advanced manufacturing production tax credit through 2029. Sam Ricketts, co-founder of S2 Strategies, a clean energy policy consulting group, said the new draft is going to 'screw' ratepayers, kill jobs and undermine U.S. economic competitiveness. 'All just to give fossil fuel executives more profits,' he said. 'Or to own the libs. Insanity.' Josh Siegel contributed to this report.
