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On the ground in Ukraine using Starlink to stay connected On the ground in Ukraine using Starlink to stay connected

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On the ground in Ukraine using Starlink to stay connected

Credit: Starlink

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Starlink is helping many people in Ukraine, including a friend of mine who is on the ground helping to train the military. Gia Santos shared her story of how Starlink has helped her to stay connected.

She recently wrote an article in Vocal titled, Don’t forget how Starlink helped Ukraine since the beginning of the war. That article has been something she’s been working on as a way to share her story and the story of the Sons of Liberty International, (SOLI) a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has members in Ukraine helping to train the military.

In her article, Gia shares how Starlink is helping her, her fellow volunteers, and Ukrainians stay online. She writes, “A young Ukrainian volunteer shared with me recently… how Starlink is being used in towns and remote areas in Ukraine which help Ukrainians stay in touch.”

When she first told me she was going to Ukraine to help, I feared for her life and safety. However, I support her and know that she is following her heart. Starlink enables her to stay in contact with me and others. Since I’ve been writing about Starlink and interviewing users, I thought it would be great to include her story as well.

Gia told me,

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“The nonprofit military organization which I’m doing volunteer work with here in Ukraine had the opportunity to utilize Starlink for a podcast interview with Judge Napolitano who spoke with the founder of SOLI, Matt Van Dyke about the Ukraine-Russia war.”

SOLI is providing free training-advising to the Ukrainian military and has been since March 2022. I asked her how it felt knowing that Starlink is helping to keep her connected online in a situation where without it, she’d be disconnected. Gia told me,

“I feel less anxious knowing that Starlink can keep me connected here to chat, and communicate with family, and friends back in the U.S. Simultaneously… it helps us do the work we need to do here while maintaining encrypted communication and supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”

“I have anxiety so I wanted to share that above because I felt anxious while traveling, and slightly anxious after arriving due to the obvious differences in language, culture, etc., until I got connected to the internet again, thanks Starlink! being connected is important for safety, work, and keeping connected to loved ones and friends back home,” Gia added.

Her article also emphasized the importance of not forgetting how Elon Musk helped Ukraine. Although his recent tweets were the equivalent of ripping a bandaid off an open wound, I think he was only trying to help. Elon has said plenty of times that he loves humanity.

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His concern is for the loss of lives on both sides of the war. Many often forget about Elon’s love of humanity and his fear of us as a species going extinct. The light of consciousness is something he wants to preserve and this, I believe, is what motivates him.

He founded SpaceX to make humans a multi-planetary species. His other companies such as Tesla are focused on helping the earth with clean vehicles and renewable energy. His foundation has helped many people in need especially those impacted by climate change.

Yet his tweets were very hurtful to many in Ukraine and he was mistaken as someone who supports Russia. His message for peace would require a huge sacrifice from Ukraine, a nation that has given up a lot already.

I don’t blame Ukraine for not wanting to make those sacrifices. After all, it was Russia that started this senseless war. Yet if it continues, Elon is right. There will be massive losses of life on both sides.

There is no easy solution. People like my friend Gia are putting their lives on the line to help. And she wanted to emphasize that it’s because of Elon Musk, whose kind donations of Starlink are why she and her fellow volunteers as well as the Ukrainians they are helping are able to stay connected.

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Your feedback is important. If you have any comments, concerns, or see a typo, you can email me at johnna@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter at @JohnnaCrider1.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk is now a remote DOGE worker: White House Chief of Staff

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is no longer working from the West Wing.

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Credit: Elon Musk/X

In a conversation with the New York Post, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles stated that Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is no longer working from the West Wing.

As per the Chief of Staff, Musk is still working for DOGE—as a remote worker, at least.

Remote Musk

In her conversation with the publication, Wiles stated that she still talks with Musk. And while the CEO is now working remotely, his contributions still have the same net effect. 

“Instead of meeting with him in person, I’m talking to him on the phone, but it’s the same net effect,” Wiles stated, adding that “it really doesn’t matter much” that the CEO “hasn’t been here physically.” She also noted that Musk’s team will not be leaving.

“He’s not out of it altogether. He’s just not physically present as much as he was. The people that are doing this work are here doing good things and paying attention to the details. He’ll be stepping back a little, but he’s certainly not abandoning it. And his people are definitely not,” Wiles stated.

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Back to Tesla

Musk has been a frequent presence in the White House during the Trump administration’s first 100 days in office. But during the Q1 2025 Tesla earnings call, Musk stated that he would be spending substantially less time with DOGE and substantially more time with Tesla. Musk did emphasize, however, that DOGE’s work is extremely valuable and critical.

“I think I’ll continue to spend a day or two per week on government matters for as long as the President would like me to do so and as long as it is useful. But starting next month, I’ll be allocating probably more of my time to Tesla and now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done,” Musk stated.

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Elon Musk

Tariff reprieve might be ‘Tesla-friendly,’ but it’s also an encouragement to others

Tesla stands to benefit from the tariff reprieve, but it has some work cut out for it as well.

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tesla employee
(Photo: Tesla)

After Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick made adjustments to the automotive tariff program that was initially announced, many quickly pointed to the reprieve as “Tesla-friendly.”

While that may be the case right now, it was also a nudge of encouragement to other companies, Tesla included, to source parts from the U.S. in an effort to strengthen domestic manufacturing. Many companies are close, and it will only take a handful of improvements to save themselves from tariffs on their cars as well.

Yesterday, Sec. Lutnick confirmed that cars manufactured with at least 85 percent of domestic content will face zero tariffs. Additionally, U.S. automakers would receive credit up to 15 percent of the value of vehicles to offset the cost of imported parts.

Big Tesla win? Sec Lutnick says cars with 85% domestic content will face zero tariffs

“This is ‘finish your cars in America and you win’,” Lutnick said.

Many were quick to point out that only three vehicles currently qualify for this zero-tariff threshold: all three are Teslas.

However, according to Kelley Blue Book’s most recent study that revealed who makes the most American cars, there are a lot of vehicles that are extremely close to also qualifying for these tariff reductions.

Tesla has three vehicles that are within five percent, while Ford, Honda, Jeep, Chevrolet, GMC, and Volkswagen have many within just ten percent of the threshold.

Tesla completely dominates Kogod School’s 2024 Made in America Auto Index

It is within reach for many.

Right now, it is easy to see why some people might think this is a benefit for Tesla and Tesla only.

But it’s not, because Tesla has its Cybertruck, Model S, and Model X just a few percentage points outside of that 85 percent cutoff. They, too, will feel the effects of the broader strategy that the Trump administration is using to prioritize domestic manufacturing and employment. More building in America means more jobs for Americans.

Credit: Tesla

However, other companies that are very close to the 85 percent cutoff are only a few components away from also saving themselves the hassle of the tariffs.

Ford has the following vehicles within just five percent of the 85 percent threshold:

  • Ford Mustang GT automatic (80%)
  • Ford Mustang GT 5.0 (80%)
  • Ford Mustang GT Coupe Premium (80%)

Honda has several within ten percent:

  • Honda Passport All-Wheel-Drive (76.5%)
  • Honda Passport Trailsport (76.5)

Jeep has two cars:

  • Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (76%)
  • Jeep Wrangler Sahara (76%)

Volkswagen has one with the ID.4 AWD 82-kWh (75.5%). GMC has two at 75.5% with the Canyon AT4 Crew Cab 4WD and the Canyon Denali Crew Cab 4WD.

Chevrolet has several:

  • Chevrolet Colorado 2.7-liter (75.5%)
  • Chevrolet Colorado LT Crew Cab 2WD 2.7-liter (75.5%)
  • Chevrolet Colorado Z71 Crew Cab 4WD 2.7-liter (75.5%)

These companies are close to reaching the 85% threshold, but adjustments need to be made to work toward that number.

Anything from seats to fabric to glass can be swapped out for American-made products, making these cars more domestically sourced and thus qualifying them for the zero-tariff boundary.

Frank DuBois of American University said that manufacturers like to see stability in their relationships with suppliers and major trade partners. He said that Trump’s tariff plan could cause “a period of real instability,” but it will only be temporary.

Now is the time to push American manufacturing forward, solidifying a future with more U.S.-made vehicles and creating more domestic jobs. Tesla will also need to scramble to make adjustments to its vehicles that are below 85%.

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Tesla Cybertruck RWD production in full swing at Giga Texas

Videos of several freshly produced Cybertruck LR RWD units were shared on social media platform X.

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer/X

It appears that Tesla is indeed ramping the production of the Cybertruck Long Range Rear Wheel Drive (LR RWD), the most affordable variant of the brutalist all-electric pickup truck.

Videos of several freshly produced Cybertruck LR RWD units were shared on social media platform X.

Giga Texas Footage

As per longtime Tesla watcher Joe Tegtmeyer, Giga, Texas, was a hotbed of activity when he conducted his recent drone flyover. Apart from what seemed to be Cybercab castings being gathered in the complex, a good number of Cybertruck LR RWD units could also be seen in the facility’s staging area. The Cybertruck LR RWD units are quite easy to spot since they are not equipped with the motorized tonneau cover that is standard on the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast.

The presence of the Cybertruck LR RWD units in Giga Texas’ staging area suggests that Tesla is ramping the production of the base all-electric pickup truck. This bodes well for the vehicle, which is still premium priced despite missing a good number of features that are standard in the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast.

Cybertruck Long Range RWD Specs

The Cybertruck LR RWD is priced at $69,990 before incentives, making it $10,000 more affordable than the Cybertruck AWD. For its price, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD offers a range of 350 miles per charge if equipped with its 18” standard Wheels. It can also add up to 147 miles of range in 15 minutes using a Tesla Supercharger.

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Much of the cost-cutting measures taken by Tesla are evident in the cabin of the Cybertruck LR RWD. This could be seen in its textile seats, standard console, seven-speaker audio system with no active noise cancellation, and lack of a 9.4” second-row display. It is also missing the motorized tonneau cover, the 2x 120V and 1x 240V power outlets on the bed, and the 2x 120V power outlets in the cabin. It is also equipped with an adaptive coil spring suspension instead of the adaptive air suspension in the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast.

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