Donald Trump, Elon Musk (X/MarioNawfal)
A major division has surfaced between Starlink CEO Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump following the announcement of the highly ambitious Stargate Project. This $500 billion Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiative was revealed at the White House with the aim to create AI data centers across the U.S. and secure America’s position in the global technology race. Spearheaded by OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, the project promises to generate over 100,000 jobs and address China’s increasing dominance in the AI sector.
Elon Musk, who notably did not attend the event, wasted no time in criticizing the Stargate Project. Taking to social media, Musk disputed the $500 billion funding claim, arguing that SoftBank, a key investor in the project, had "well under $10 billion" in secured funds. He went on to label the project as unreliable and targeted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, with whom Musk shares a history of conflicts. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but parted ways with the organization in 2018 due to disagreements over its direction, continued his barrage of criticism, accusing Altman of dishonesty. Musk even shared a screenshot suggesting Altman received equity from OpenAI, despite earlier claims that there were no financial incentives.
Altman literally testified to Congress that he wouldn’t get OpenAI compensation and now he wants $10 billion! What a liar. https://t.co/YpHvcm0WZa
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 23, 2025
When questioned about Musk’s remarks, President Trump remained unfazed, defending the project and its backers. "They’re putting up the money. The government’s not involved. These are very rich people, so I hope they follow through," Trump said, implying that Musk’s concerns were more personal than professional. He dismissed Musk's criticisms as a result of personal grievances rather than valid concerns regarding the project’s funding.
The dispute between Musk and Altman has been intensifying, with Musk accusing Altman of aligning with leftist ideologies and supporting media outlets critical of Trump. Musk reshared posts on X (formerly Twitter) linking Altman to liberal media funding, suggesting Altman’s political affiliations were influencing his involvement in the Stargate Project. Although Musk refrained from directly targeting Trump, his ongoing criticism of the project’s backers signals a potential fracture in their previously strong relationship.
As the Stargate Project progresses, the growing rift between Musk, Altman, and Trump could have significant implications for the future of AI development in the U.S. Public opinion may be swayed by the tensions between these influential figures, potentially influencing the trajectory of America’s global standing in artificial intelligence.
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