Iran’s parliament has voted to ban Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service, escalating its crackdown on outside influence following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes. The new law, which also tightens espionage rules, criminalizes Starlink use and introduces severe penalties, including fines, flogging, or up to two years in prison. This move reflects Tehran’s concern over Starlink’s role as a crucial digital connection during internet blackouts, potentially providing a lifeline for dissidents and circumventing state censorship. The legislation is expected to be approved soon, leading to enforcement targeting users and those collaborating with perceived adversaries, such as the U.S. and Israel.
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Elon Musk has criticized President Trump’s proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill” on X, calling it “utterly insane and destructive.” Musk argues the bill will destroy jobs, harm future industries, and lead to unsustainable debt, including a $5 trillion increase to the debt ceiling. He further asserted that the bill is “political suicide” for Republicans, citing polling data reflecting negative public sentiment. Musk’s condemnation follows similar criticism earlier in the month, and contrasts with the bill’s provisions to extend Trump’s tax cuts and raise the government’s borrowing authority.
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Tesla’s European sales experienced a fifth consecutive monthly decline in May, plummeting 28% across 30 countries despite overall electric vehicle market expansion. This poor performance contradicts CEO Elon Musk’s prediction of a “major rebound” following factory retooling, and investors are now anticipating a sales boost from a planned cheaper model later in the year. The sales slump has been particularly notable in Germany, where Musk’s public support for a far-right party has likely impacted sales, and SAIC Motor surpassed Tesla in European sales. Tesla’s recent struggles coincide with the launch of its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, which is under scrutiny following videos of safety issues.
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In an effort to downsize the federal workforce, the Trump administration initiated layoffs and voluntary retirements, but many of these actions have been reversed. Agencies are now rehiring employees and ordering others back from leave to fill critical gaps in services. This backtracking highlights a loss of expertise and capacity within the government, which experts fear could lead to serious issues. Several departments, including Health and Human Services and the National Weather Service, have rehired numerous employees, driven by the need to maintain essential services, while the administration is still implementing its “reduction-in-force” plans.
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Elon Musk accuses President Trump’s aide, Sergio Gor, of committing a federal crime by falsifying his birthplace on federal forms, a claim stemming from a broader feud between Musk and Gor. This accusation follows reports questioning Gor’s own security clearance despite his role in vetting thousands of employees. Musk’s allegations are fueled by a previous falling out with Gor, who allegedly played a role in derailing Musk’s friend’s nomination to lead NASA. The White House maintains Gor is a trusted advisor with proper security clearance.
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Elon Musk publicly denounced White House aide Sergio Gor, calling him a “snake,” following a report revealing Gor’s lack of a full security clearance despite his role in vetting thousands of employees. This feud stemmed from Gor’s alleged role in derailing Musk’s friend’s NASA nomination, fueled by a prior grievance stemming from a public rebuke by Musk. Gor, a close Trump Jr. ally, reportedly celebrated Tesla stock declines and orchestrated the nomination withdrawal after Musk’s White House tenure ended. Musk subsequently worked against Trump’s budget bill, escalating the conflict significantly.
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Elon Musk criticized his AI platform, Grok, for accurately reporting that right-wing political violence has been more frequent and deadly since 2016, citing incidents like the January 6th Capitol riot. Musk labeled Grok’s response a “major fail,” claiming it was parroting legacy media despite Grok acknowledging that left-wing violence, while less lethal, is also rising. Grok’s response included caveats about reporting biases and the difficulty of precise attribution. The criticism followed a recent politically motivated shooting in Minnesota that killed two Democratic lawmakers.
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Anticipating Tesla’s June 22nd Austin robotaxi pilot launch, protests erupted, fueled by concerns over the safety of Tesla’s partially automated driving systems. Critics, citing NHTSA data on hundreds of collisions and fatalities involving Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD features, demonstrated the system’s flaws by showing a Tesla equipped with FSD software failing to stop for a school bus and striking a child-sized mannequin. These demonstrations highlight the protesters’ opposition to the unsupervised FSD technology slated for the robotaxi program. The demonstrations were organized by groups such as the Dawn Project, Tesla Takedown and Resist Austin.
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A new report reveals that Katie Miller, wife of Stephen Miller, pressured the Social Security Administration (SSA) to falsely claim 40% of calls involved fraudulent activity, a figure fabricated by the White House and Elon Musk. This false claim was made to support cuts to the SSA spearheaded by Musk’s initiative, DOGE. The acting SSA administrator, Leland Dudek, initially complied but was later replaced by Frank Bisignano, who contradicted Miller’s statement while simultaneously defending DOGE’s actions. The resulting staffing shortages and claim backlog demonstrate the negative consequences of this politically-motivated manipulation of agency data.
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Following reported internet disruptions in Iran after an Israeli attack, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed Starlink is operational within the country. The disruptions affected multiple Iranian network providers. Musk’s announcement highlights Starlink’s role in providing alternative internet access during periods of government-imposed restrictions. This action underscores the increasing use of satellite internet services to circumvent censorship and maintain communication during crises.
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John Q. Hosedrinker