Technology
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Technology
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Musk's rock star chainsaw moment at CPAC
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Tech billionaire Elon Musk was one of the main attractions at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this week, embracing a "meme" look as he doubled down on the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) efforts.
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Musk’s appearance began with a bang on Thursday when Argentine President Javier Milei came out to offer the Tesla CEO the chainsaw, which Musk brandished on-stage.
His subsequent interview with Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt touched on everything from DOGE to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Like Milei, who has pledged to make sweeping cuts to Argentina’s government and has reportedly served as an inspiration for DOGE, Musk has embraced Trump’s vision to shake up the status quo in Washington.
But Musk’s appearance at CPAC also underscored the Tesla CEO’s growing influence and power within the GOP.
Musk, once a tech entrepreneur who largely stayed out of the political spotlight, appears to be embracing his newfound prominence in the U.S.
The tech billionaire donned a “rock star” look, wearing blacked-out sunglasses, a black “Make America Great Again” hat and a chain, along with a black graphic t-shirt and pants. He later quipped it was a “dark, gothic MAGA” look.
At one point he said, "I Am Become Meme" — a phrase he has repeated on his social media platform X as he embraces the humor and jokes about him on the platform. His outfit appeared to recreate a popular artificial intelligence-generated meme of him in front of a "DOGE" sign.
Musk thanked the CPAC crowd for its support, saying he is “trying to get good things done but also have a good time doing it and have a sense of humor.”
“There’s living the dream, and then there’s living the meme, and that’s pretty much what’s happening. DOGE started out as a meme,” he said, referring to the popular DOGE memecoin.
We have a full recap of his appearance at TheHill.com.
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Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter, we're Julia Shapero andMiranda Nazzaro — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.
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How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future:
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Arizona state lawmakers advanced a bill Thursday that would ban the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to deny medical claims. The Arizona House of Representatives passed the legislation 58-0, with two lawmakers sitting out the vote, and it now heads to the state senate for consideration. The bill, which was sponsored by state Rep. Julie Willoughby (R), requires a health care provider to review a claim or prior …
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The U.S. Marshals Service has deputized some of tech billionaire Elon Musk’s private security detail, giving them specific rights and protections of federal law enforcement agents, multiple outlets reported Friday. Concerns for Musk’s safety have ramped up in recent weeks as the Tesla CEO faces mounting scrutiny over carrying out President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts at various …
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The Major League Baseball (MLB) robot umpires won’t be rolled out for every game this spring, but they will be in play for Friday’s matchup between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. It’s called the “automated ball-strike challenge system,” or ABS. Think of it like football — referees make a call, and coaches can challenge it for review. There’s still …
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Senate Banking sets its sights on crypto framework
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Welcome to Crypto Corner, a new feature in The Hill's Technology newsletter focused on digital currency and its outlook in Washington.
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The Senate Banking Committee is charging ahead with its new focus on cryptocurrency, teeing up a hearing for next week on "bipartisan legislative frameworks for digital assets."
The Wednesday afternoon hearing held by the Digital Assets Subcommittee will feature:
- Lewis Cohen, partner at law firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel
- Jonathan Jachym, deputy general counsel and global head of policy and government relations at crypto exchange Kraken
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Jai Massari, chief legal officer at Bitcoin startup Lightspark
Lawmakers are chiefly focused on addressing two crypto-related concerns this term — market structure and stablecoins.
Several stablecoin bills have already been put forward in both chambers. However, proposals on market structure remain elusive so far.
Plus: Coinbase said Friday that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) agreed to dismiss its case against the crypto exchange, the latest indication of the Trump administration's shift on digital assets
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News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics:
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OpenAI signals it is shifting alliances from Microsoft to SoftBank (The Information)
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DeepSeek to open source parts of online services code (TechCrunch)
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Branch out with other reads on The Hill:
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Thursday it is planning to drop its lawsuit against Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which alleged the company discriminated against refugees and asylees during the hiring process. In a filing Thursday, the DOJ asked a federal court in Texas to lift a pause on the proceeding of the case to allow the department’s Civil Rights Division to file a dismissal notice. “If the administrative …
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Two key stories on The Hill right now:
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President Trump and Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills briefly quarreled Friday at a National Governors Association session at the White House … Read more
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon is preparing for a hiring freeze and an “aggressive” effort to fire civilian employees as the Trump … Read more
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Opinions related to tech submitted to The Hill:
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!
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Save story
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Argentina's president gifted Elon Musk a chainsaw to symbolise cuts to bureaucracy.
BBC News - 1d
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Elon Musk drives home his rapid shredding of the federal government by hoisting a chainsaw representing the slashing of jobs and spending during a conference. Some Republicans are facing pushback ...
NBC News - 1d
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Facing constituents angry about the impact of sweeping government job cuts, some Republicans are expressing concern.
BBC News - 18h
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Rep. Rich McCormick faced a crowd at a town hall in Roswell, Georgia, that expressed anger about the layoffs and cuts implemented by Elon Musk's DOGE team.
NBC News - 1d
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The Japanese phenom threw 27 pitches across two simulated innings on Wednesday at spring training.
Yahoo Sports - 2d
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Rep. Rich McCormick, who represents a safe GOP district, came under harsh criticism that focused on the Trump administration’s moves to slash federal jobs and budgets.
NBC News - 1d
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The tech mogul’s cost-cutting initiative is seeking sensitive taxpayer data, drawing concerns about privacy, potential political retribution and more.
The New York Times - 3d
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Politico - 4d
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This week, the Uncanny Valley hosts discuss the lawsuits, bidding wars, and power plays over OpenAI.
Wired - 1d
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The recall involves some 2023 Tesla Model 3s and some 2023 Tesla Model Ys, according to the recall report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Hill - 55m
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President Trump ratcheted up his attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, deepening the first real schism of his second term within the GOP. Appearing on the "Brian Kilmeade ...
The Hill - 1h
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President Trump has proven to be a dominant force in politics and other aspects of American life in his first month back in the White House, showcasing how much his influence has grown since he ...
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The FBI told managers that 1,500 personnel will be transferred from the headquarters near Washington headquarters to offices around the country, including around a third being placed in an Alabama ...
The Hill - 8h
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President Trump has fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., a four-star pilot, and named Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to be the country’s next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “I want to ...
The Hill - 8h
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The recall involves some 2023 Tesla Model 3s and some 2023 Tesla Model Ys, according to the recall report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Hill - 55m
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President Trump has proven to be a dominant force in politics and other aspects of American life in his first month back in the White House, showcasing how much his influence has grown since he ...
The Hill - 1h
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President Trump ratcheted up his attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, deepening the first real schism of his second term within the GOP. Appearing on the "Brian Kilmeade ...
The Hill - 1h
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A judge in New York City Mayor Eric Adams' corruption case has appointed an outside attorney to argue over the Department of Justice's request to drop the federal charges.
CBS News - 8h
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The FBI told managers that 1,500 personnel will be transferred from the headquarters near Washington headquarters to offices around the country, including around a third being placed in an Alabama ...
The Hill - 8h
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