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Elon Musk Touts Grok 4 as ‘Smarter Than Grad Students’ Days After AI’s Nazi Meltdown

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Elon Musk’s announcement of Grok 4’s debut arrived with all the bravado and drama one might expect from the tech mogul, complete with celebratory music, delayed streaming, and lofty claims of world-changing potential. But amid the flash and fanfare, controversy loomed large after the AI assistant’s tumultuous week.

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Trump Suggests Elon Musk’s White House Tenure Nearing End Amid GOP Concerns

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President Donald Trump has informed close advisers, including Cabinet members, that Elon Musk is set to step back from his high-profile role in the administration in the coming weeks. Musk has been a key figure in the administration—spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), championing Trump’s agenda, and making waves as an unapologetically aggressive political operative in Washington.

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Elon Musk Downplays Hitler’s Role in the Holocaust, Blames Public Workers Instead

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Early Friday morning, Elon Musk briefly shared and then quickly deleted a controversial post on X, which falsely argued that dictators like Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, and Mao Zedong were not directly responsible for millions of deaths, shifting the blame instead to their government employees.

The contentious post stated, “Stalin, Hitler, and Mao didn’t murder millions of people. Their public sector workers did.” Musk provided no commentary when sharing the message but swiftly removed it following widespread criticism from other users, who condemned it as historically inaccurate, antisemitic, and dismissive of atrocities.

Historians overwhelmingly agree that Stalin’s regime in the Soviet Union, Hitler’s Nazi government in Germany, and Mao’s rule in China were directly accountable for mass casualties, including the Holocaust, Stalin’s purges, and the devastation of Mao’s Cultural Revolution.

This incident is not the first time Musk has attracted controversy with his social media posts. Since acquiring X, formerly known as Twitter, Musk has dramatically loosened policies governing hate speech and misinformation, reinstating numerous previously banned accounts—including that of former President Trump.

In 2023, Musk shared another antisemitic post on X, which he claimed represented “the actual truth” about Jewish people, leading to significant backlash and advertiser departures. The first part of the post read, “Jewish communities have been pushing the exact kind of dialectical hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them.”

Following an assassination attempt on former President Trump last year, Musk also posted—and quickly deleted—a provocative remark questioning why no similar attempts had occurred against President Biden or Vice President Harris.

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Musk, who frequently leverages his platform to broadcast politically charged statements to over 219 million followers, has increasingly aligned himself with right-wing figures worldwide. He has publicly supported leaders such as Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, Javier Milei of Argentina, and India’s Narendra Modi—countries where Musk maintains significant business interests.

Most recently, Musk minimized the severity and legacy of the Holocaust during an online event supporting Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), a party linked to neo-Nazi affiliations, by asserting, “Children should not feel guilty for the sins of their parents—or even their great-grandparents.”

His repeated flirtations with Nazi symbolism and historical revisionism remain puzzling, especially considering his public visit to Israel and the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp just over a year ago. Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev, who accompanied Musk on that visit, later expressed disappointment, noting Musk’s apparent lack of genuine engagement and describing his participation as merely a “photo op.”

“I was not impressed because he didn’t make the least attempt to make any personal connections. So, you know, like, ‘Where were you, Gidon? What happened to your father?’ There was nothing. I was there as a decoration. It was the AJE, the Jewish Association, who wanted a Holocaust survivor to be photographed together with Elon Musk. So, I went along. I was sort of a prop, but it was freezing cold, and it was hard. And he was not connected.”

Musk’s involvement with public sector employees has intensified lately as part of his advisory role to President Trump on government efficiency and spending reforms. He’s openly criticized federal workers, accusing them of hiding fraud and urging them to resign. Musk’s comments triggered immediate outrage among public-sector worker unions and advocates.

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Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the largest trade union for public sector employees in the U.S., strongly denounced Musk’s post in a statement. 

“America’s public service workers – our nurses, teachers, firefighters, librarians – chose making our communities safe, healthy and strong over getting rich. They are not, as the world’s richest man implies, genocidal murderers. Elon Musk and the billionaires in this administration have no idea what real people go through every day. That’s why he’s so willing to take a chainsaw to people’s jobs, Medicaid, Social Security and Medicare.”

Despite deleting the controversial post, Musk continued responding to critics on X throughout Friday, defending himself against antisemitism allegations and suggesting that his critics were the actual fascists.

“Look at what they did to President @realDonaldTrump. He was loved by Democrats until he ran for president. Now they call him Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, etc. and try to kill him.”

Musk’s attempts to distance himself from accusations of supporting Nazi ideologies have been met with skepticism. In January, Musk attracted additional controversy after being seen making a gesture similar to the Roman salute onstage, famously associated with Nazi Germany.

During a recent podcast interview with Joe Rogan, Musk argued that one can’t be labeled a Nazi without actively “committing genocide” or “invading Poland”—an oversimplification that overlooks contemporary neo-Nazis who openly adopt Nazi beliefs without perpetrating such acts.

Comments such as these have intensified criticism against Musk and sparked boycott campaigns targeting his company, Tesla. Activists, who refer to Tesla vehicles as “swasticars,” have held peaceful protests outside dealerships. However, some dealerships have faced more aggressive actions, including vandalism and suspected arson incidents, with swastikas spray-painted on cars and property.

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Unions Sue Musk Over “Job Justification” Email to Federal Workers

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Federal employees are suing Elon Musk after he sent a controversial email demanding that the entire workforce justify their roles by the end of the week or risk being fired from their positions.

The lawsuit, filed by unions, businesses, veterans and advocacy organizations, alleges that the email sent by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) breaches federal workforce regulations and exceeds the office’s authority. The filing also alleges Musk violated the law with his demand.

The State Democracy Defenders Fund, an organization spearheading the lawsuit, described the threat of widespread firings as “one of the most massive employment frauds in the history of this country.”

On Friday, federal employees received an email asking them to provide a list of five accomplishments from the past workweek without disclosing any classified information. However, multiple agency heads, including those appointed by Trump, advised staff to not respond, leaving them confused and unsure of what to do.

Musk shared on X that he was acting on instructions from President Donald Trump.

“All federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”

Thousands of public health personnel at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) received contradictory orders regarding the email over the weekend.

An email obtained by the BBC reveals that workers were first instructed to review and reply to the message by Monday after receiving confirmation that it was legitimate. Soon after, HHS employees were told to “pause” activities related to the email since department heads were trying to determine how to work with the administration. As of Monday, staff members are still waiting for a clear directive.

One HHS worker told BBC, “They’re succeeding in driving us insane.” Several federal employees have reported considering minor acts of defiance or malicious compliance, including replying to emails with tasks such as answering hate mail and firing their colleagues.

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In a coordinated effort, the US Department of Justice, Department of Defense, and Federal Bureau of Investigation have advised their personnel against replying to the email, which set a deadline for Monday night. The current leadership consists entirely of individuals appointed by Trump and those who have demonstrated loyalty to him.

Department of Defense official Darin Selnick released a statement on X on Sunday that instructed staff to “please pause any response” to the email.

“The Department of Defense is responsible for reviewing the performance of its personnel and will conduct any review in accordance with its own procedures. When and if required, the department will coordinate responses to the email you have received from OPM. For now, please pause any response to the OPM email titled ‘What did you do last week.’”

Several federal agencies have followed suit. The Department of Transportation, however, told its employees to abide by the email’s instructions.

Amid the turmoil, Musk displayed no indication of relenting via his posts on X.

“EXTREMELY troubling that some parts of government think this is TOO MUCH!! What is wrong with them??”

Over the weekend, Musk encountered backlash from several Republican politicians, such as Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who labeled the communication as an  “absurd weekend email” in a post on X.

“If Elon Musk truly wants to understand what federal workers accomplished over the past week, he should get to know each department and agency and learn about the jobs he’s trying to cut.”

The White House voiced its disapproval of the lawsuit, with Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly implying that the workers may be evading responding.

“In the time it took these employees on taxpayer-funded salaries to file a frivolous lawsuit, they could have briefly recapped their accomplishments to their managers, as is common in the private sector, 100 times over.”

Trump supporters, such as republican Rep. Tim Burchett from Tennessee, have lauded the proposal requiring government employees to account for their performance. “I think it’s a great idea; you do it in private business all the time. You have to have accountability,” he said.

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The new lawsuit builds on a previous one filed last week in California, which aims to challenge the Trump administration’s agenda of mass firing federal workers.

The updated filing claims that “No OPM rule, regulation, policy, or program has ever, in the history of the United States, purported to require all federal workers to submit reports to OPM.”

Prominent federal employee unions, such as the American Federation of Government Employees, alongside advocacy organizations, including Vote Vets, are involved in the lawsuit. The State Democracy Defenders Fund and the California-based Altshuler Berzon law firm are representing the group.

Musk’s recent strategy to reduce the number of federal employees has sparked worries about the potential exposure of classified information.

American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley wrote to OPM leadership, “Federal employees have a duty to ensure that sensitive information, data, and records are only used and disclosed for authorized purposes.”

Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been rapidly implementing bold measures to reduce the size of the federal workforce. Government employees have been inundated with emails from the Office of Personnel Management containing threats of layoffs, proposals for buyouts with ambiguous conditions, dismissals of probationary staff, and directives for managers to compile lists of employees targeted for cuts.

The recent initiatives have ignited frustration among federal employees and prompted a wave of legal challenges, yet this latest directive has faced public opposition from within the agency’s own leadership.

Max Stier, president of the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, labeled the email as “yet another example of the new administration’s contempt for public servants and public service that will lead to further confusion, anxiety and waste.”

“Demanding federal employees to summarize their work week in five bullet points by Monday evening or face termination is a counterproductive distraction that OPM legally cannot even act on. Our government’s main mission is to serve the public and keep us safe, and unnecessarily terrorizing the two million workers responsible for this ultimately puts us all at risk. There are many strategic, productive ways to make our government more effective that don’t involve scaring our civil servants, and I urge DOGE and OPM to instead partner with them and consult their deep expertise in their efforts to reform our government.”

twitter

Police Halt Elon Musk’s Attempt to Remove Twitter Sign From HQ After Rebranding

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Elon Musk’s efforts to rebrand Twitter as X are not going as smoothly as planned. While workers were trying to remove the company’s old name and famed bird logo from the front face of its headquarters, police intervened.

The local police department stopped the impromptu renovation Monday afternoon, citing the act as “unauthorized work.” The authorities say the social media company failed to notify the building’s owner and security about its intention to remove the sign from its San Francisco headquarters.

After the incident, a representative for the police department shared with The Associated Press in an email that no crime had been committed. The police were trying to ascertain if Twitter had a permit to close Market Street and block a lane of traffic.

“Officers assigned to Tenderloin Station responded to the area of 10th and Market streets regarding a report of a possible unpermitted street closure. Through their investigation, officers were able to determine that no crime was committed and this incident was not a police matter.”

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By the time the work had been interrupted, only the old Twitter logo and the letters “er” remained. On Sunday, Musk had tweeted, “And soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and gradually, all the birds.” Later that day, he shared on the platform that the bird logo would be replaced with the letter X.

“X.com now points to https://twitter.com/. Interim X logo goes live later today.”

However, users like NYTimes Tech Reporter @Rmac18 tweeted, the hyperlink redirected many users to a GoDaddy landing page.

“Despite this, X dot com is still redirecting some people (including myself) to a GoDaddy site with ads for sectional sofas.”

The New York Times reported that Musk renamed conference rooms in the building, incorporating the letter X. Some titles seen in photos include “s3Xy,” “eXposure,” and “eXult.” The letter X was also projected into the cafeteria.

Musk has made a number of controversial changes to the site since he purchased the social media platform for $44 billion last year, the most recent being the name change to X. Many of these amendments to the platform, with its lax moderation policies, have driven advertisers off the website.

He has also been accused of not holding up his alleged “free-speech absolutist” philosophy. Aside from his supporters, users claim that the new paid Twitter Blue subscription directly puts a price on speech, amplifying his supporters while dampening the reach of his opponents or those who cannot afford it.

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Users with left-wing views and progressive activists are seeing their accounts suspended with no explanation. He was recently accused of removing the community-based fact-check under one of his tweets inciting vaccine hesitancy.

Earlier this month, Musk told CNN that the company was struggling with its finances, citing a 50% drop in advertising revenue and a negative cash flow.

In a tweet about the rebranding, Twitter’s new chief executive Linda Yaccarino praised taking the platform in a new direction.

“It’s an exceptionally rare thing – in life or in business – that you get a second chance to make another big impression. Twitter made one massive impression and changed the way we communicate. Now, X will go further, transforming the global town square.”

However, analysts say that this move could end up costing Twitter. Mike Proulx, research director and vice president at Forrester, said in a blog post that given the drop in revenue and negative cash flow, ditching the Twitter name will damage the platform further.

“This is far from a position of strength from which to attempt what is essentially an app relaunch — a move that will only alienate more users and more advertisers. While Musk’s vision is to turn “X” into an “everything app,” this takes time, money, and people — three things that the company no longer has. Disenfranchised Twitter users will increasingly turn to Threads while Musk’s company continues to lose money. Simply put, X’s runway is coming to an end.”

Tweet

Elon Musk Among Witnesses Expected to Take the Stand This Week in Tesla Tweet Trial

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Elon Musk is among the expected witnesses to appear this week in the ongoing federal trial accusing him of deceptively driving up the price of Tesla stock by tweeting about taking the company private, which never happened.

The August 2018 tweet in question stated that Musk had “secured” funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share. The company’s stock was slumping at the time due to production problems.

Tesla shareholders filed a class-action lawsuit suing Musk for billions of dollars in damages for money investors say they lost after the tweet inflated share price. The trial, taking place in San Francisco, is expected to last for three weeks. 

Investor Glen Littleton from Kansas City, Missouri, is seeking damages on behalf of shareholders who traded the company’s stock in the days after Musk’s tweet. 

Littleton had purchased Tesla investments with hopes that the automaker’s stock would eventually be worth far more than $420. Upon seeing Musk’s tweet, he felt compelled to sell his Tesla stock options since he knew the completed deal would have rendered them worthless. 

He stated he sold off most of his Tesla positions to try and limit his losses, but even after doing so, the value of his Tesla portfolio plunged by 75%.

“The damage was done. I was in a state of shock.”

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The case’s outcome may depend on whether Musk knowingly raised Tesla’s stock price by tweeting that he had secured money for a $72 billion takeover of the business. The stock plummeted in value when it became apparent that he lacked the funding to complete the deal a week later. 

On Wednesday, Nicholas Porritt, lead attorney for the investors, told the trial’s jury of nine that “millions of dollars were lost when his lies were exposed.” 

“Why are we here? We are here because Elon Musk, chairman and chief executive of Tesla, lied. His lies caused regular people like Glen Littleton to lose millions and millions of dollars.” 

Porritt also pointed out that not only did Musk’s tweet cause investors to lose money, but it also affected pension funds and other organizations that owned Tesla stock.

The trial’s presiding judge, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen, has already ruled that Musk’s tweet was false and reckless. 

Porritt took advantage of the judge’s verdict and told the jury they should presume Musk’s tweet was false, which the judge permitted.

“When the CEO of a public company like Tesla lies about his company and hurts investors, it’s critical that he is held accountable for that harm that he causes.”

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In his opening statements, Musk’s attorney Alex Spiro insisted that Musk was “serious” about the buyout when he tweeted about securing funding.

“You will come to learn very soon that this was not fraud, not even close.”

Spiro argued that the rise in Tesla’s stock price after the tweet was due to investors’ faith in Musk’s capabilities and reputation as a visionary.

“Mr. Musk tries to do things that have never been done before. Everyone knows that.”

According to Spiro, Musk and representatives from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia had already discussed taking Tesla private.

“He didn’t plan to tweet this. It was a split-second decision.”

Spiro said Musk used the “wrong words” in a rush to be transparent about the potential deal with the Saudi fund.

Musk is on the witness list for both sides of the case. Porritt told The Associated Press that Musk is expected to take the stand when the trial resumes on Friday, if time permits, or on Monday.

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Elon Musk Plans Widescale Layoffs Across Twitter

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Shortly after assuming control of Twitter, Elon Musk ordered managers to draft a list of employees to be laid off, according to four people who declined to be identified out of fear of retaliation. The company currently employs around 7,500 people.

Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion and took the company private on Thursday once the deal was completed. He informed investors that he planned to trim its workforce significantly, open the platform to more advertising, and implement lenient content moderation policies.

The layoffs will likely occur before Nov. 1. Employees designated for termination would have received stock grants as part of their compensation on that date. Typically, grants constitute a substantial portion of employee pay. If Musk terminates workers before that date, he may avoid paying out the awards, although the current merger deal requires him to pay the employees in cash in place of stock for “any equity that would have vested within three months from their last day at the company.”

Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management, reported that Jared Birchall, head of Musk’s family office, informed him that layoffs were imminent. His company contributed less than $1 million to help finance Musk’s takeover of Twitter.

“I was told to expect somewhere around 50 percent of people will be laid off.”

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Musk arrived at the company’s San Francisco headquarters on Wednesday and assumed control on Thursday, immediately firing several Twitter executives. Chief executive officer Parag Agarwal, chief financial officer Ned Segal, former general counsel Sean Edgett, and former policy and legal executive Vijaya Gadde were among those let go.

It is improbable that Musk will pay the complete severance package of $20 million to $60 million planned for the executives. Musk fired the executives “for cause,” which could render the severance agreement invalid.

He also informed advertisers of his intention to transform Twitter into the “most respected advertising platform in the world.” Musk initially indicated that he wanted the platform to be a haven for “free speech.” However, he has revealed that he intends to organize a council to determine content moderation procedures and has yet to decide which previously banned high-profile accounts, such as former President Donald Trump’s account, will be reinstated. 

He reassured advertisers with a tweet addressed to them that “Twitter obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences!”

“The reason I acquired Twitter is because it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence. There is currently great danger that social media will splinter into far-right wing and far left-wing echo chambers that generate more hate and divide our society.”

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The Verge reports that Musk is also considering charging users $20 per month to maintain their blue check mark and verified account status. Musk told some employees that they needed to prepare to implement the new feature by Nov. 7 or they would be fired from their position at Twitter. One employee said Musk utilizes “textbook dictator tactics: sowing fear and confusion.”

Twitter users are concerned that the lack of content moderation could lead to an increase in misinformation and hate speech. On Sunday, Musk himself tweeted a link to a website circulating a baseless conspiracy theory about the Oct. 28 attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi. He has since deleted the tweet. Many prominent users, such as New York Times columnist Charles Blow and actress Jameela Jamil, have stated that they will abandon the platform now that Musk owns it.

NBA star LeBron James tweeted about a report by the Network Contagion Research Institute, which showed that racial slurs on the platform increased by nearly 500 percent in the 12 hours after Musk’s Twitter acquisition was finalized.

“I don’t know Elon Musk and, tbh, I could care less who owns Twitter. But I will say that if this is true, I hope he and his people take this very seriously because this is scary. “

Elon Musk Has Plans For Twitter As The Company’s Largest Shareholder

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The richest man in the world, Elon Musk, has become Twitter’s largest shareholder with a 9.2% stake in the company. Musk immediately took to Twitter to announce some of his plans for the social media site.

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Tesla Cybertruck

Tesla Unveils Unique, Angular “Cybertruck”

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Yesterday, Tesla introduced the newest entry in its line of electric vehicles, the sci-fi inspired “Cybertruck.” With a design resembling no other consumer vehicle on the market, the Cybertruck features a completely angular aesthetic, and Tesla founder Elon Musk described it as inspired by the visuals of Blade Runner. The vehicle’s design came as a surprise to members of the press, as the truck’s appearance was not leaked ahead of the event, an accomplishment for Tesla during a time when technology is frequently leaked to the press before being officially unveiled. While rumors had circulated that Tesla was designing a pickup truck, no one had predicted that it would look so unusual, appearing more like a prop in a science-fiction movie than a real consumer product.

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During Tesla’s press event, the Cybertruck was marketed for its unique and unusual characteristics, and the presenters made it abundantly clear that nothing else like it exists on the market today. The truck has a stainless-steel “ultimate exoskeleton,” as Tesla calls it, and in order to demonstrate the strength of the truck’s exterior, an on-stage presenter hit the truck with a sledgehammer, leaving no visible mark. Musk claimed the truck was “literally bulletproof,” as its exterior is able to withstand shots from a 9mm handgun. Musk also made bold claims about the strength of the glass used in the truck’s windshield and windows, and tried to demonstrate this strength by having someone throw a metal ball at it; however, in a moment that prompted laughter from the audience, the metal ball shattered the drivers’ side window, and then shattered the truck’s rear drivers’ side window when the demonstration was tried again.

Musk has said that he doesn’t care whether people like the design of the truck

The truck has several distinctive features; most strikingly, the design features virtually no curves, instead being shaped by triangles and quadrilaterals. Though the vehicle does not resemble a pickup truck, it features 100 square feet of lockable exterior storage and a payload limit of up to 3,500 pounds. The Cybertruck has an adaptive tire pressure system, allowing drivers to adjust the ride height of the vehicle depending on the situation using a built-in air compressor. Additionally, Tesla advertised an electric ATV, called the “Cyberquad,” which can be stored in the truck’s bed, allowing the truck to recharge the ATV’s battery. Though it appears to be an optional accessory for the Cybertruck, Tesla has not yet announced if and when the Cyberquad will be available for purchase.

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Elon Musk boasted impressive statistics for the truck’s performance, both on the road and off. On-road, the fully-upgraded model of the truck accelerates from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds and can drive a quarter mile in 10.8 seconds. And when used off-road, the truck has “the best approach angle, clearance height, and departure angle,” according to Musk. Additionally, the vehicle comes in three battery capacity options, allowing a range of 250 miles, 300 miles, and 500 miles, respectively. The Cybertruck includes Tesla’s autopilot technology as a standard option, with an additional upgrade enabling full self-driving capabilities as soon as the software is authorized for widespread use. The truck starts at $39,900 for the single motor AWD option; other options include dual motor AWD for $49,900 and triple motor AWD for $69,900.

Reactions to the unique truck’s unveiling were predictably mixed. Many were skeptical of the “outlandish” product, with some going so far as to question whether Tesla was “for real.” Others called the vehicle “a niche product at best,” questioning its commercial viability. Journalists had a chance to take a ride in the Cybertruck, which features a starkly minimalistic interior and spacious, comfortable seating. While no one argued that any part of the unveiling was boring, many questioned the practicality of such a vehicle, and suggested that the design was too weird for the product to enjoy mass-market success. Musk has said that he doesn’t care whether people like the design of the truck, and this lack of concern for the general public’s opinion certainly informed the vehicle’s appearance.