Salutes, Maga hats and mass layoffs: Elon Musk at Doge – a timeline

In his 130 days as a special government employee, the world’s richest man slashed his way through federal agencies, laying off government employees and gaining access to data that will underpin a dismantling of the federal government.Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration is without modern precedent. Here’s a look at some key moments in the brief tenure Musk had as a federal employee.Musk is at Trump’s side, as are a host of other tech billionaires, as he is inaugurated. He also issues an apparent fascist-style salute on stage at an inauguration celebration, twice

Is every memecoin just a scam? Experts on whether Andrew Tate and Trump are fleecing their followers

After I was turned into a memecoin, I looked into the hype behind the crypto that only a tiny percentage of people profit fromIn November last year, I was turned into a memecoin. Several, in fact.Someone alerted me that a memecoin called Dork Nerd Geek ($DNG) had been minted with a picture of my face, and it already had a market cap (the total value of all coins in circulation) of $29,000. Twenty minutes later it was $100,000. An hour later it was $800,000

The chaos Elon Musk and Doge are leaving behind in Washington

Elon Musk formally exited his role in the Trump administration on Wednesday night, ending a contentious and generally unpopular run as a senior adviser to the president and de facto head of the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge). Though he promised efficiency and modernization, Musk leaves behind a trail of uncertainty and reduced functionality.The timing of Musk’s departure lines up with the end of his 130-day term limit as a “special government employee” but also plays a part in an effort by the billionaire to signal a wider shift away from Washington as he faces backlash from the public and shareholders. Musk has recently made a show of refocusing his efforts on his tech companies in interviews, saying that he has spent too much time focused on politics and plans to reduce his political spending in the future.As Musk moves on, he consigns a mess of half-realized plans and gutted agencies to his acolytes installed in key positions across the federal government

Fight to stop Tesla project in South Australia to continue after council approval

An anonymous group of Adelaide activists will keep fighting to stop Elon Musk’s Tesla from setting up a battery factory in the suburbs.Tesla has been targeted globally by protesters furious at Musk’s work with the Trump administration, and at his ideology which the billionaire often espouses through his social media platform, X.This week that anger boiled over in the South Australian capital, half a world away from Washington DC.About 95% of the nearly 1,000 submissions were opposed to a proposal to build a Tesla showroom and battery recycling and repurposing factory. Many expressed “anti-Tesla and anti-Elon Musk sentiment”

Tech shares climb after strong Nvidia results despite warning over rise of Chinese rivals

Technology shares climbed on Thursday, buoyed by strong results from Nvidia, despite the AI chip company’s boss issuing a warning about the rise of Chinese rivals.The Stoxx Europe tech index rose by 0.8% on Thursday following Nvidia’s financial report, with the Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML rallying by 2.4%.In the US, futures for the tech-focused Nasdaq climbed 2%, and shares in Nvidia itself jumped 6% in pre-market trading

Elon Musk announces exit from US government role after breaking with Trump on tax bill

Elon Musk has announced on social media that he is leaving his role in the Trump administration, a departure the White House confirmed was in process on Wednesday evening.“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” the billionaire wrote on X, his social media platform.“The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” he said, referring to his “department of government efficiency.”A White House official told Reuters it was accurate Musk is leaving the administration and his “off-boarding will begin tonight.”The departure of a man who once appointed himself Trump’s “first buddy” was quick and unceremonious