Latest news with #GodBlesstheUSA
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
The real winners from Trump's ‘AI action plan'? Tech companies
Donald Trump's AI summit in Washington this week was a fanfare-filled event catered to the tech elite. The president took the stage on Wednesday evening, as the song God Bless the USA piped over the loudspeakers, and then he decreed: 'America must once again be a country where innovators are rewarded with a green light, not strangled with red tape, so they can't move, so they can't breathe.' The message was clear – the tech regulatory environment that was once the focus of federal lawmakers is no longer. 'I've been watching for many years,' Trump continued. 'I've watched regulation. I've been a victim of regulation.' As Trump spoke to the crowd, he addressed them as 'the group of smart ones … the brain power'. In front of him were tech leaders, venture capitalists and billionaires, including Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang and Palantir's chief technology officer Shyam Sankar. The Hill and Valley Forum, an influential tech industry interest group, co-hosted the confab, along with the Silicon Valley All-in Podcast, which is hosted by White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks. Dubbed 'Winning the AI Race', the forum was an opportunity for the president to deliver what he called the 'AI action plan', which aims to loosen restrictions on the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. The cornerstone of that plan are three executive orders that Trump said will turn the US into an 'AI export powerhouse' and roll back some of the rules put in place by the Biden administration, which included guardrails around safe and secure AI development. 'Winning the AI race will demand a new spirit of patriotism and national loyalty in Silicon Valley – and long beyond Silicon Valley,' Trump said. One executive order targets what the White House calls 'woke' AI and requires any company receiving federal funding to maintain AI models free from 'ideological dogmas such as DEI'. But the other two focus on deregulation, a major demand of American tech leaders who have taken an increasingly bullish stand on government oversight. One of those promotes the export of 'American AI' to other countries and the other eases environmental rules and expedites federal permitting for power-hungry data centers. To get to this moment, tech companies have been forging a friendly relationship with Trump. The CEOs of Alphabet, Meta, Amazon and Apple donated to the president's inauguration fund and met with him at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, which makes ChatGPT, has become a close ally of Trump, and Nvidia's Huang has also cozied up with the president with promises of investing $500bn in AI infrastructure in the US over the next four years. 'The reality is that big tech companies are still spending tens of millions of dollars to curry favor with lawmakers and shape tech legislation,' said Alix Fraser, the vice-president of advocacy for the nonprofit Issue One. In a report released on Tuesday, Issue One looked at lobbying spending in 2025 and found that the tech industry has spent record-breaking sums. Eight of the largest tech companies spent a combined $36m – that's an average of about $320,000 per day when Congress is in session, according to Issue One. Meta spent the most, $13.8m, and has hired 86 lobbyists this year, according to the report. And Nvidia and OpenAI saw the biggest increases, with Nvidia spending 388% more than the same time last year, and OpenAI spending 44% more. In the lead-up to Trump's unveiling of his AI plan, more than 100 prominent labor, environmental, civil rights and academic groups countered the president and signed a 'People's AI action plan'. In a statement, the groups stressed the need for 'relief from the tech monopolies' that they say 'sacrifice the interests of everyday people for their own profits'. 'We can't let big tech and big oil lobbyists write the rules for AI and our economy at the expense of our freedom and equality, workers and families' wellbeing, even the air we breathe and the water we drink – all of which are affected by the unrestrained and unaccountable rollout of AI,' the groups wrote. Meanwhile, tech companies and industry groups celebrated the executive orders. Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Meta, Palantir, Nvidia, Anthropic, xAI and others praised the plan. James Czerniawski, the head of emerging technology policy at the Consumer Choice Center, a pro-business lobbying group, heralded Trump's AI plan as a 'bold vision'. 'This is a world of difference from the hostile regulatory approach of the Biden administration,' Czerniawski concluded.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
The real winners from Trump's ‘AI action plan'? Tech companies
Donald Trump's AI summit in Washington this week was a fanfare-filled event catered to the tech elite. The president took the stage on Wednesday evening, as the song God Bless the USA piped over the loudspeakers, and then he decreed: 'America must once again be a country where innovators are rewarded with a green light, not strangled with red tape, so they can't move, so they can't breathe.' The message was clear – the tech regulatory environment that was once the focus of federal lawmakers is no longer. 'I've been watching for many years,' Trump continued. 'I've watched regulation. I've been a victim of regulation.' As Trump spoke to the crowd, he addressed them as 'the group of smart ones … the brain power'. In front of him were tech leaders, venture capitalists and billionaires, including Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang and Palantir's chief technology officer Shyam Sankar. The Hill and Valley Forum, an influential tech industry interest group, co-hosted the confab, along with the Silicon Valley All-in Podcast, which is hosted by White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks. Dubbed 'Winning the AI Race', the forum was an opportunity for the president to deliver what he called the 'AI action plan', which aims to loosen restrictions on the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. The cornerstone of that plan are three executive orders that Trump said will turn the US into an 'AI export powerhouse' and roll back some of the rules put in place by the Biden administration, which included guardrails around safe and secure AI development. 'Winning the AI race will demand a new spirit of patriotism and national loyalty in Silicon Valley – and long beyond Silicon Valley,' Trump said. One executive order targets what the White House calls 'woke' AI and requires any company receiving federal funding to maintain AI models free from 'ideological dogmas such as DEI'. But the other two focus on deregulation, a major demand of American tech leaders who have taken an increasingly bullish stand on government oversight. One of those promotes the export of 'American AI' to other countries and the other eases environmental rules and expedites federal permitting for power-hungry data centers. To get to this moment, tech companies have been forging a friendly relationship with Trump. The CEOs of Alphabet, Meta, Amazon and Apple donated to the president's inauguration fund and met with him at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, which makes ChatGPT, has become a close ally of Trump, and Nvidia's Huang has also cozied up with the president with promises of investing $500bn in AI infrastructure in the US over the next four years. 'The reality is that big tech companies are still spending tens of millions of dollars to curry favor with lawmakers and shape tech legislation,' said Alix Fraser, the vice-president of advocacy for the nonprofit Issue One. In a report released on Tuesday, Issue One looked at lobbying spending in 2025 and found that the tech industry has spent record-breaking sums. Eight of the largest tech companies spent a combined $36m – that's an average of about $320,000 per day when Congress is in session, according to Issue One. Meta spent the most, $13.8m, and has hired 86 lobbyists this year, according to the report. And Nvidia and OpenAI saw the biggest increases, with Nvidia spending 388% more than the same time last year, and OpenAI spending 44% more. In the lead-up to Trump's unveiling of his AI plan, more than 100 prominent labor, environmental, civil rights and academic groups countered the president and signed a 'People's AI action plan'. In a statement, the groups stressed the need for 'relief from the tech monopolies' that they say 'sacrifice the interests of everyday people for their own profits'. 'We can't let big tech and big oil lobbyists write the rules for AI and our economy at the expense of our freedom and equality, workers and families' wellbeing, even the air we breathe and the water we drink – all of which are affected by the unrestrained and unaccountable rollout of AI,' the groups wrote. Meanwhile, tech companies and industry groups celebrated the executive orders. Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Meta, Palantir, Nvidia, Anthropic, xAI and others praised the plan. James Czerniawski, the head of emerging technology policy at the Consumer Choice Center, a pro-business lobbying group, heralded Trump's AI plan as a 'bold vision'. 'This is a world of difference from the hostile regulatory approach of the Biden administration,' Czerniawski concluded.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hulk Hogan dies at 71: Tributes pour in for WWE legend — follow live updates
The professional wrestling icon and entertainer died in Clearwater, Fla., on Thursday morning. Hulk Hogan, the professional wrestling icon and entertainer, has died. He was 71. Paramedics were dispatched to Hogan's Clearwater, Fla., home on Thursday morning following a call about a cardiac arrest, police wrote in a Facebook post. The wrestling legend was treated before being brought to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan gained fame as a member of the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) and was known for dramatically ripping off his shirt as he entered the ring. Follow the blog below for the latest updates and reactions to Hogan's death. Fellow professional wrestler Jake "the Snake" Roberts reacted to the news of Hogan's death on X, saying it was "hard to put into words what Terry 'Hulk Hogan' Bollea meant to professional wrestling and entertainment." "He may be gone," Roberts wrote, "but his memory and legacy will live forever." U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson posted a tribute to Hogan on social media, recalling fond childhood memories of the wrestling star, to recently campaigning with him as a supporter of President Trump during his 2024 presidential run. "I always saw him as a giant in stature and in life," Johnson wrote. Lee Greenwood, singer-songwriter of "God Bless the USA" that has been played at Trump rallies, also paid tribute to the late wrestler. Hulk Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, ventured outside the wrestling ring in the mid 2000s. The '80s wrestling star had a reality TV show with his family called Hogan Knows Best. The VH1 series debuted in 2005 and took viewers inside the Hogan home, capturing marital tension with his then-wife Lynda and teenage growing pains as a protective father to his son, Nick, and daughter, Brooke. The series ran for four seasons until 2007. Fellow WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter reacted to the news on X, saying he was "saddened" to hear about Hogan's passing. "I Guess God Needed An Incredible Angel," he wrote. Fellow wrestling legend and longtime friend Ric Flair reacted in a post on X saying he was "absolutely shocked" to hear the news about Hogan's death. "Hulk Has Been By My Side Since We Started In The Wrestling Business. An Incredible Athlete, Talent, Friend, And Father!" he wrote, adding that Hogan was among those who visited him in the hospital when he was ill. "No One Will Ever Compare To You!" Hulk Hogan and his wife, Sky Daily Hogan, were baptized in December 2023. Hogan shared a post on Instagram that the pair were baptized during a ceremony at Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Florida. The wrestling icon, who was 70 years old at the time, wrote in the caption: "Total surrender and dedication to Jesus is the greatest day of my life. No worries, no hate, no judgment… only love!" Days before Hulk Hogan's death, Jimmy Hart, his longtime manager, refuted reports of Hogan's declining health. "Hulk is doing great, doing phenomenal!" Hart wrote in a post on X on July 22. "Last night at karaoke with Nick was absolutely fantastic, baby!!!" Last month, radio host Bubba the Love Sponge said that he was told Hogan was near death. 'It's not good,' the host said on June 18. "There are phone calls being made to various family members about getting to town to come say your goodbyes." Donald Trump Jr. and Republican Reps. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Elise Stefanik of New York paid tribute to Hogan by sharing photos from the Republican National Convention last year. Hogan spoke at the event, calling Donald Trump a "gladiator" and his "hero," and brought the theatrics of the wrestling ring to the convention stage when he shredded his shirt. "Let Trumpamania run wild, brother!" Hogan shouted. The Clearwater, Fla., police department posted a statement to its Facebook page confirming Hulk Hogan's death. "A 71-year-old resident, Terry Bollea, also known as Hulk Hogan, was treated by Clearwater Fire & Rescue crews before being taken by Sunstar to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased," authorities wrote. According to the Yahoo Sports combat website Uncrowned, Hogan died after suffering from cardiac arrest Thursday morning. WWE posted a brief statement on X in response to the news of Hulk Hogan's death. TMZ is reporting that Hulk Hogan was found unresponsive by paramedics who were dispatched to his Clearwater, Fla., home on Thursday morning for what was described as a "cardiac arrest." Solve the daily Crossword
Extra.ie
11-07-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
Trump launches new smell of success perfumes
You would think that trying to bring about world peace would be enough to keep U.S President Donald Trump busy and with little or no time on his hands. Well, think again, as the Commander-in-chief has launched another business venture in the form of a range of fragrances which he claims are 'all about winning'. The billionaire businessman's most recent money-making scheme, which of course bears the president's moniker is 'Trump Fragrances,' a range of perfumes and colognes that cost in and around €220.00 a pop. US president Donald Trump has launched a new range of fragrances. Pic: Trump Fragrances The fragrances, called 'Victory 45-47- a nod to his two terms in the White House, are, according to Trump 'all about Winning, Strength, and Success.' The newest merchandise from Trump Inc, joins a lengthy list of 'The Donald' branded products that includes the $69.99 'God Bless the USA' Bible and €299 'Trump Landslide' boots and of course his iconic fire-hydrant red MAGA baseball caps. US president Donald Trump. Pic: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Shutterstock In December last year Trump promoted a 'Fight! Fight! Fight' fragrance collection, cashing in on the attempt on his life before the most recent U.S Presidential elections. And Trump, who has claimed he doesn't take a salary for his role as U.S President, is certainly making a small fortune with his extra curricular commercial activities. According to a financial disclosure report released in June, Trump made €2.2million from Trump sneakers and fragrances last year alone. The fragrances are called Victory 45-47, a nod to his two terms in the White House. Pic: Trump Fragrances But what does the sweet scent of success actually smell like? According to fragrance expert Elena Knezevic, Victory 45-47 smells like success in a bottle describing the men's version as a fougère—a term for a blend of oakmoss and wood—with touches of geranium and cardamom. A fougère, while classic, is something of an antiquated style of scent—in line with Trump's aggressive agenda. As for Victory 45-47 for Women, a description on the fragrance's website says it's 'designed to capture confidence, beauty, and unstoppable determination, offering a sophisticated and subtly feminine scent.'
The Herald Scotland
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans?
Trump formally kicked off the yearlong celebration on July 3 with a boisterous rally in at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Trump campaigned on an "America first" platform, and he's long invoked symbols of patriotism during his rallies, from having Lee Greenwood sing his hit "God Bless the USA," to literally embracing Old Glory. "This Fourth of July our magnificent destiny is closer than ever before. We are one people, one family and one united American nation," he said to cheers. "We will fight, fight, fight, we will win, win, win, because we are Americans and our hearts bleed red, white, and blue." Trump also reaffirmed his plans to hold a "Great American State Fair" with exhibits from all 50 states that will begin in Iowa, along with other national celebrations. And while there will be parties and parades aplenty for the nation's semiquincentennial, some scholars are also urging Americans to spend time thinking deeply about the country's past and future: The anniversary comes at a time of deep partisan divisions, particularly about the role of immigrants in this nation of them. Trump directly addressed the nation's divide facing the nation in his Iowa appearance, criticizing Democrats who he says "hate" America, and offering the same sentiment in return. Trump made the comments in connection with final passage earlier in the day of his "big, beautiful bill," which implements tax and Medicaid cuts while dramatically expanding immigration enforcement, and was unanimously opposed by Congressional Democrats. "I really do. I hate them. I cannot stand them because I really believe they hate our country, you want to know the truth." Trump said at what was billed as a nonpartisan semiquincentennial kickoff event. Polls show Americans are less patriotic today than ever before recorded: A new Gallup poll found that 58% of U.S. adults say they are either "extremely" or "very" proud to be an American, a record low compared to almost total unity following the 9/11 attacks 24 years ago. Strikingly, the poll found that younger Americans were far less likely to be patriotic than older generations: only 41% of Gen Z is extremely or very proud to be American, compared to nearly 75% of Baby Boomers. The poll also found that Democrats in particular are the source of the drop: Across all ages, just 36% said they are extremely or very proud, down from 62% a year ago. Independents also showed a loss, falling to a record-low 53%, the poll found. In contrast, 92% of Republicans said they were extremely or very proud of the country, Gallup found. "Patriotism is now polarized - to some degree it depends on whoever is the president and that hasn't always been the case," said conservative author and former Republican National Committee staffer John J. Pitney Jr., a government professor at California's Claremont McKenna College. "People in the other party are not just mistaken but are enemies." But Pitney said real American patriotism is alive and well: Everyone who volunteers to serve in the military or a local fire department, who helps out at a food bank or tithes to their local church is helping make good on the promise of America, he said. "Parades are great, all the celebrations are terrific, but that's not really what patriotism is about," Pitney said. "It's certainly possible to take criticism of the country too far. The trouble with Trump's plans is they sound awfully superficial. His patriotism doesn't run any deeper than the cloth of the flag." Celebrating the triumphs of the past While celebrations of the country's 250th anniversary by necessity invoke the past, Trump has signaled he wants a historical focus that boosts his vision of patriotism, loyalty and liberty. In conjunction with the anniversary, Trump has ordered the creation of a $34 million National Garden of American Heroes, featuring life-size statues of notable figures from American history, including the second president, John Adams, Red Cross founder Clara Barton, airplane inventors Orville and Wilbur Wright, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and astronaut Christa McAuliffe, along with former President Ronald Reagan and former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Only American citizens are eligible to create the statues. "America owes its present greatness to its past sacrifices. Because the past is always at risk of being forgotten, monuments will always be needed to honor those who came before," Trump said in announcing the statue garden. "These statues are silent teachers in solid form of stone and metal. They preserve the memory of our American story and stir in us a spirit of responsibility for the chapters yet unwritten." In announcing the garden, Trump also ordered the Justice Department to vigorously prosecute anyone caught damaging or defacing memorials and statues. And he has ordered the National Park Service and national museums to focus on history that unites and inspires Americans, rather than on what he considers issues that would "divide Americans based on race." "The Golden Age of America is upon us," Trump said in Iowa on July 3. "This incredible national resurgence is happening just in time for one of the biggest events in the history of our country. Exactly one year from tomorrow, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's founding with this birthday party, the likes of which you have never seen before." Eric Foner, a retired Columbia University history professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, said countries have long struggled to balance an honest assessment of their history with the push for patriotism. He said the reality is every country has both good and bad on its ledger, and talking about all aspects help build a stronger nation. Some historians have noted that while Trump is willing to acknowledge the end of slavery in the United States, he's been reluctant - if not outright hostile - to talking about the structural racism that remains as a legacy of that enslavement. "It's a self-defeating set of events when you try to just create a patriotic history and glorification," Foner said. "What we remember is also related to what we forget." 'Daring experiment in democracy' Trump's 250th celebration plans will operate in conjunction with the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, which has been working on the celebrations since 2016. The nonpartisan commission known as America250 is honorarily co-chaired by former First Couples: President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, and President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, and is the country's official birthday party planner, with the backing of all three co-equal branches of government. America250, which has corporate sponsors including Walmart, Palantir, Amazon and Goldman Sachs, is planning the biggest single-year volunteer effort in the country's history, along with sponsoring field trips and oral history recordings. The commission is also organizing a playlist of musical anthems celebrating America, a tech expo to highlight innovation, and a series of concerts celebrating American composers, performers, musicians and dancers. Its new executive director is a former FOX News producer and deputy director of communications for First Lady Melania Trump. "America250 is working to provide the most inspiring celebration that is 'of the people, by the people, and for the people' of this great nation," the commission promises. "America250's mission is to commemorate the 250th anniversary with inclusive programs that inspire Americans to renew and strengthen our daring experiment in democracy." Envisioning a different kind of world Tamika Middleton traces her American heritage though the family's graveyard on a dirt road in South Carolina. One ancestor fought for the Union during the Civil War, and her mom still lives on the land that's been in their family since the 1800s. As the descendent of formerly enslaved people, Middleton wants to see the United States live up to the promises it has always made. For her, that means talking honestly and openly about the country's racist past, and about how exclusionary policies have hurt people who look like her. "I have a right to this country. No matter what people think about my critiques or the work that I do, my folks' blood is in the soil." Middleton, 41, said. "I have a right to this country and I have a right to its best self." The managing director of the Women's March, Middleton said organizers have been talking regularly about the importance of an "honest look" at the country's history at the time of its 250th, and what it would take to reach that perfect union where all people are truly equal. Organizers of the 2017 Women's March against Trump organized "Free America" counter-protests during this year's Independence Day celebrations. "What good is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without healthcare?" Middleton asked. "What good is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without housing?" Middleton said the Women's March is still deciding how it will approach the country's 250th anniversary, but encouraged Americans to consider the words of Civil Rights-era activist Fannie Lou Hamer: "Nobody's free until everybody's free." Said Middleton: "I would be love for people to be thinking about how to bring that to fruition - what does it require every day, the kind of depth, the kind of accountability, the kind of unity. What does it require of us to ensure we are building a different kind of world and a different kind of country?"
