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Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Trump Derides Musk's Third Political Party Plan as Bound to Fail
President Donald Trump derided Elon Musk's announcement that the Tesla and SpaceX chief executive officer is starting a new political party, saying the US has 'always been a two-party system.' 'Third parties have never worked, so he can have fun with it, but I think it's ridiculous,' Trump told reporters on Sunday.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Alaska nonprofit sues Trump administration over canceled grant
Jul. 6—An Alaska nonprofit that supports innovative projects and startup companies is suing the U.S. Navy over a grant that it says was "arbitrarily terminated" by the Trump administration. Launch Alaska argues in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Alaska that there was no substantive explanation or justification for the cancellation of a $5 million grant from the Office of Naval Research. The cut could force the organization to "perform widespread staff layoffs," cancel contracts and ultimately shut down an accelerator program that brings together tech startups and Alaska partners, according to the complaint, filed Tuesday. Isaac Vanderburg, chief executive of Launch Alaska, said in a text that the Anchorage-based company does not have "any comments" on the lawsuit at this time. The U.S. departments of Navy and Defense did not respond to requests for comment. Launch Alaska's decision to legally challenge the grant cancellation comes after the administration of President Donald J. Trump has moved aggressively to cancel grants nationwide, in its effort to downsize the federal government, stamp out former Biden-era initiatives and eliminate policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. [Previous coverage: Trump administration cuts endanger critical science programs in Alaska, researchers say] Wide range of projects Launch Alaska, established in 2016, helps companies create partnerships and develop projects in Alaska, with a focus on energy, transportation and industrial technology, its website says. The projects have included clean energy development, electrified transportation, carbon removal and emissions-reducing industrial solutions, according to its website. With eight employees, Launch Alaska has supported over 105 startups, 90 Alaska projects, more than 73 new Alaska jobs, and over $764 million in Alaska related to program deployment, the complaint says. Launch Alaska efforts have included supporting Kotzebue Electric Association's goal to sharply increase renewable energy use. It has also supported startups such as Texas-based Green Taxi, which is working with Alaska Airlines and other organizations to allow jets to taxi with electric motors instead of main engines. Part of Launch Alaska's work is funded by the Naval Research grant, the complaint says. That work has supported science and technology programs under numerous divisions within the Naval Research office, including computing, communications and intelligence, the complaint says. Launch Alaska is also a partner in the ARCTIC program — Alaska Regional Collaboration Technology Innovation and Commercialization — which supports the Navy's Arctic mission, the complaint says. The ARCTIC program is funded by the Naval Research office and helps meet Alaska's energy research needs, its website says. "Launch Alaska plays a unique role within the ARCTIC program by developing and deploying innovative technologies and supporting scalable startups addressing challenges in the Arctic and Pacific regions," the complaint says. [Previous coverage: Numerous Alaska projects worth over $1B remain uncertain weeks after Trump order froze funds, consumer advocacy group reports] Navy points to Hegseth memo The payments for the five-year grant were made starting in 2022, according to the complaint. In association with the incremental payments, the Office of Naval Research expressed "no concerns with Launch Alaska's use of grant money," the complaint argues. On April 30 of this year, the Naval Research office notified Launch Alaska that the award was "terminated in its entirety as it no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities as set forth" by a March 20 memo from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, according to the complaint. The notice also says Launch Alaska should terminate "further actions" related to spending under the grant, according to the complaint. The lawsuit argues that Hegseth's memo doesn't mention the Launch Alaska grant and doesn't discuss why Launch Alaska's performance under the grant "no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities." The complaint says Hegseth's memo only generally references grant awards. The memo says, "We identified over $360 million in additional grants across the Department which fund research efforts and other activities — in areas of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and related social programs, climate change, social science, Covid-19 pandemic response, and other areas — that are not aligned with DoD priorities." When the Naval Research office terminated the grant, it was required to show why it "no longer effectuates program goals or agency priorities," the lawsuit argues. But it has provided no "substantive explanation" for doing so, the complaint says. Navy rejects appeal Launch Alaska appealed the cancellation in May. "Indeed, Launch Alaska has successfully administered the Award from September 27, 2022 through present and believes that the agency's goals and priorities remain well served by the Award," the appeal from Launch Alaska said. "Launch Alaska is otherwise unable to discern and respond to the Agency's contention as no substantive reasons for the termination were provided." The Naval Research office replied in June, upholding the termination but providing "no additional substantive facts or analysis explaining why the Grant Award was terminated," the complaint says. The Office of Naval Research said no further administrative appeals were available to Launch Alaska. The Naval Research office also said the Administrative Procedure Act that governs administrative law does not apply to the grant's termination. Launch Alaska said it disagrees with that view and it is asking the court to overturn the termination under that act, according to the complaint. Launch Alaska also reached out for help from Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, the complaint said. His office contacted Naval Research but was unable to get a substantive explanation for the decision, or to reinstate the grant, the complaint said. "Importantly, in response to Senator Sullivan, (Naval Research) indicated that no alternatives lesser than grant termination were considered, and (Naval Research) failed to conduct a 'programmatic review of the consequences of terminating this project' or perform a 'risk assessment or cost-benefit analysis associated with halting the project,' " the complaint says. The loss of the grant has forced Launch Alaska to move money from other initiatives, halting their progress, the complaint says. "In addition, the unexpected and unplanned cash shortfalls have severely reduced the financial stability of Launch Alaska," it says. Launch Alaska argues in the complaint that its activities under the grant "align with the goals and policies of the current Presidential Administration, the Department of the Navy, and (Naval Research)." The cancellation lacks "a legal basis because the explanation does not attempt to link actual activities performed under the Grant Award as impeding or no longer" carrying out Naval Research goals or priorities, the complaint says. The Naval Research office "does not make this showing because it cannot," the complaint says.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why Donald Trump's Trump Steaks Failed After Just 2 Months
Before Donald Trump became president -- back when the thought of running hadn't even crossed his mind and "The Apprentice" excelled in the reality television world -- he briefly headed a company selling one of America's favorite dinners: steaks. Trump Steaks got its welcome to the world back in 2007, selling various steak cuts, hamburger patties, and hot dogs. You couldn't just go into your local Walmart and pick up one of "The World's Greatest Steaks" (the tagline of Trump Steaks). Instead, you could only order through Sharper Image -- a website, store, and catalog ordering service focused on home and lifestyle products -- and the QVC shopping channel. This added an element of exclusivity to Trump's product before even getting into the specifics of the beef's certification and origin. Trump Steaks did have the certifications that generally mark a quality steak. When picking steak at the grocery store, you're looking for Prime grading -- the best you can get in terms of USDA grades of beef. All products from Trump Steaks carried the USDA Prime seal and were supplied by Sysco-owned Buckhead Beef. So with a reputable source and such a great certification, there's no reason why this company wouldn't take off, right? Read more: 7 Costco Meats You Should Buy And 5 You Should Avoid After about two months on the Sharper Image site beginning in May 2007, Trump Steaks had sold virtually no steaks for such a large project. As a result, the steaks were pulled from Sharper Image's catalog and from QVC shortly thereafter. Trump Steaks' availability, which depended directly on Sharper Image, ended up being a hindrance. Without being able to pick up the steaks at local stores, not everyone could easily purchase the product. There also didn't seem to be a lot of desire from existing Sharper Image customers to shell out big bucks for frozen steaks. Additionally, Sharper Image filed for bankruptcy just a year after the Trump Steaks stunt. At the end of the day, Trump Steaks genuinely did not wow its consumers as Donald Trump promised. Looking back on the reviews of Trump Steaks, many people bought a cut and were disappointed by the bland taste and grainy texture. One anonymous consumer even noted, "Nothing in this collection seems to justify the asking price. There are better steaks out there" (via GQ). Even folks that felt the products weren't too bad still thought they were way overpriced. When you're paying at least $100 (plus shipping) for Donald Trump's product, you at least deserve an experience that matches the description. Otherwise, it makes complete sense to toss Trump Steaks to the side and opt for something reliable, like shopping for meats with your local butcher for a better quality steak. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout.
