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Elon Musk says Trump ‘must win’ election to ‘preserve democracy’

Credit: Forbes | YouTube

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Elon Musk spoke at a Pennsylvania rally for former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Pennsylvania over the weekend, calling the election a “must-win” for Trump, and noting that people needed to vote to preserve the Constitution and democracy as a whole.

It was reported earlier this week that Musk would be speaking at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the former President was shot in an assassination attempt in July. Trump invited Musk onto the stage during the early minutes of his speech, with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO taking up just a couple of minutes of the former President’s stage time.

During the speech, Musk talked about many of the themes he has written about online over the past few months, especially including freedom of speech and the need for everyone to get out and vote. He also called this election the “most important election of our lifetime,” tying it to concerns about voter fraud and California’s recently passed SB 1174, which banned voter ID in response to a previous Huntington Beach voter ID requirement.

Musk continued:

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The other side wants to take away your freedom of speech. They want to take away your right to bear arms, they want to take away your right to vote, effectively. There are 14 states now that don’t require voter ID. California, where I used to live, just passed a law banning voter ID for voting.

Ha, I still can’t believe that’s real.

So how are you supposed to have a good, proper election if there’s no ID? It’s meaningless. And free speech—free speech is the bedrock of democracy.

And if people don’t know what’s going on, if they don’t know the truth, how can you how can you make an informed vote?

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He also went on to share his support for the Second Amendment as a means of protecting the first amendment, before going on to say that a Trump victory was necessary to “preserve the Constitution and democracy.”

You must have free speech in order to have democracy. That’s why it’s the First Amendment, and the Second Amendment is there to ensure that we have the First Amendment.

President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution. He must win to preserve democracy in America. This is a must-win situation. Must-win.

Musk then went on to encourage everyone in the audience, and everyone watching the video, to make sure their loved ones were registered to vote. If they don’t, Musk predicts that this will be the “last election.”

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There’s only two days left to register to vote in Georgia and Arizona, 48 hours. Like text people now, and then, make sure they actually do vote. If they don’t, this will be the last election.

That’s my prediction. Nothing’s more important.

Following Musk’s short speech, Trump continued, going on to talk about recent relief efforts in partnership with SpaceX in North Carolina, in which the company has been working to help deploy Starlink for victims of Hurricane Helene. Trump also aired criticisms of the response of President Joe Biden and election opponent Kamala Harris, while touting Musk and the SpaceX team for getting Starlink out to victims across North Carolina and Georgia.

Musk’s statements echoed many of his recent statements on X, including references to the election as a “must-win” for Trump and running mate JD Vance, and saying the “survival of the Constitution is indeed at risk.”

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Last week, Musk also aired similar claims that this could be the “last election” if Trump does not win, due to claims that enough non-citizens would be able to vote under Harris and running mate Tim Walz and essentially create a “one-party state” nationwide.

Musk officially endorsed Trump in the 2024 election in a post on X in July, immediately following the assassination attempt. Last month, Trump also said that he would appoint Musk to the role of the “Government Efficiency Commission,” adding that the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has already agreed.

You can see Musk’s speech on Saturday from Forbes coverage below.

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What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Elon Musk

Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.

A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:

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We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.

This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.

FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.

Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.

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When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:

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There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.

Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.

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Elon Musk

Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil

By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.

The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.

According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.

“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”

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By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.

“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.

The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.

The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.

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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.

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Credit: SpaceX

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.

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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.

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