US President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and members of the current administration who are seemingly refusing even to mention the word “Tesla” may soon find their online presence saturated with the EV maker’s name. This was after Tesla CEO Elon Musk poked fun at the Biden administration’s tendency to completely ignore Tesla’s existence or accomplishments during public appearances and on social media.
Last week, the online electric vehicle community was aghast after US President Joe Biden visited General Motors’ Factory Zero in Detroit, Michigan. While speaking to the audience, Biden patted GM CEO Mary Barra’s back, stating that the executive was leading the auto sector’s transition to electric vehicles. “You electrified the entire automotive industry. I’m serious. You led, and it matters,” Biden said. The US President doubled down on this sentiment with a series of posts on Twitter, stating that the future of the US is electric.
Biden’s sentiments were later echoed by VP Kamala Harris, who also noted that the United States would be building electric vehicles, including the batteries and parts that go in them, instead of relying on other countries. Just like the President, she also noted that the “future will be made in America.” This resulted in numerous netizens poking fun at the Vice President, stating that the future is already being made in America by Tesla — for over a decade. Other Twitter users further joked that Harris might have simply never seen a Tesla, despite serving as California’s attorney general from 2011 to 2017.
Considering that Elon Musk’s suggestions for a carbon tax were rejected by the Biden administration for being “too politically difficult,” the fact that Tesla was not invited to the White House’s EV summit earlier this year, the President’s rewriting of modern auto history by giving GM credit for the current EV transition, and the fact that the both Biden and his VP seems adamant not to even mention the word “Tesla” online, Elon Musk opted to poke fun at the White House’s ongoing snub. In a recent post on Twitter, Musk joked that the White House’s leadership might actually be NPCs (non-player characters), so the word “Tesla” may simply be outside their dialogue tree.
In a follow-up comment, Musk playfully urged his followers to see if everyone could get the US President and Vice President to say the word “Tesla.” This suggestion inspired numerous responses on Twitter and other social media platforms, with some EV supporters noting that it would be interesting to have numerous Teslas conduct a drive to Washington. Other suggestions were more humorous, with some noting that Musk should personally invite Biden to Giga Texas’ opening ceremony, and if the President ignores the invitation, the Tesla CEO should simply have a life-sized cardboard cut-out of the politician “attend” the event instead.
Overall, Musk seems to be taking the administration’s evident Tesla snub in stride, which is a pretty good sign on its own. At this point, after all, Tesla appears to have already reached a point where it is already a stable business that could stand on its own two feet, even without the help of regulatory credits. And with more factories opening in the near future in the form of Gigafactory Texas and Giga Berlin, Tesla’s presence would likely be acknowledged worldwide, even if its existence is flat out denied by the US President and the current administration.
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Elon Musk
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.
Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.
The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.
Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.
By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.
Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.
Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.
For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s Starbase, TX included in $84.6 million coastal funding round
The funds mark another step in the state’s ongoing beach restoration and resilience efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Elon Musk’s Starbase, Texas has been included in an $84.6 million coastal funding round announced by the Texas General Land Office (GLO). The funds mark another step in the state’s ongoing beach restoration and resilience efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham confirmed that 14 coastal counties will receive funding through the Coastal Management Program (CMP) Grant Cycle 31 and Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act (CEPRA) program Cycle 14. Among the Brownsville-area recipients listed was the City of Starbase, which is home to SpaceX’s Starship factory.
“As someone who spent more than a decade living on the Texas coast, ensuring our communities, wildlife, and their habitats are safe and thriving is of utmost importance. I am honored to bring this much-needed funding to our coastal communities for these beneficial projects,” Commissioner Buckingham said in a press release.
“By dedicating this crucial assistance to these impactful projects, the GLO is ensuring our Texas coast will continue to thrive and remain resilient for generations to come.”
The official Starbase account acknowledged the support in a post on X, writing: “Coastal resilience takes teamwork. We appreciate @TXGLO and Commissioner Dawn Buckingham for their continued support of beach restoration projects in Starbase.”
The funding will support a range of coastal initiatives, including beach nourishment, dune restoration, shoreline stabilization, habitat restoration, and water quality improvements.
CMP projects are backed by funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, alongside local partner matches. CEPRA projects focus specifically on reducing coastal erosion and are funded through allocations from the Texas Legislature, the Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax, and GOMESA.
Checks were presented in Corpus Christi and Brownsville to counties, municipalities, universities, and conservation groups. In addition to Starbase, Brownsville-area recipients included Cameron County, the City of South Padre Island, Willacy County, and the Willacy County Navigation District.
Elon Musk
The Boring Company wins key approval for Nashville Music City Loop
The approval allows The Boring Company to use state-owned right-of-way along Tennessee’s highway system.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced that the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have jointly approved The Boring Company’s lease application and enhanced grading permit for the Music City Loop.
The approval allows The Boring Company to use state-owned right-of-way along Tennessee’s highway system, clearing a key hurdle for the privately funded tunnel project that aims to connect downtown Nashville to Nashville International Airport in approximately eight minutes, the Office of the TN Governor wrote in a press release.
“Tennessee continues to lead the nation in finding innovative solutions to accommodate growth, and in partnership with The Boring Company, we are exploring possibilities we couldn’t achieve on our own,” Gov. Lee said in a statement.
“The Boring Company is grateful for the leadership and hard work of federal, state, and local agencies in bringing this project to a shovel-ready point,” The Boring Company President Steve Davis said. “Music City Loop will be a safe, fast, and fun public transportation system, and we are excited to build it in Nashville.”
With lease and permitting approvals secured, The Boring Company will move forward with the Loop system’s construction immediately. The first segment of the Loop system is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
The Music City Loop will run beneath state-owned roadways and is designed to connect downtown Nashville to the airport, as well as lower Broadway to West End. The project will be 100% privately funded.
“The Music City Loop shows what’s possible when we leverage private-sector innovation and American ingenuity to solve transportation challenges,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “TDOT’s lease approval will help advance this ambitious project as we work to reduce congestion and make travel more seamless for the American people.”
The Boring Company described the Loop as an all-electric, zero-emissions, high-speed underground transportation system that will meet or exceed safety standards. The Vegas Loop, for one, earned a 99.57% safety and security rating from the DHS and the TSA, the highest score ever awarded to any transportation system.
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
Elon Musk’s Starbase, TX included in $84.6 million coastal funding round
