Entertainment
Why Elon Musk is the real winner of the 2024 US Presidential election
Donald Trump may have won the 2024 presidential election, but Elon Musk may end up being the bigger winner than the soon-to-be 47th President of the United States.
Musk bet big on Trump and spent millions to back him. However, Musk wasn’t just doing this out of the kindness of his heart. Many of Musk’s companies. including Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), xAI, The Boring Company, and Neuralink, heavily rely on government contracts and subsidies. They have made billions in federal dollars.
Musk’s bet has paid off. Since the election, Musk has been a regular figure in Trump’s orbit. He reportedly made further inroads with Trump and deepened his influence in terms of making policy and appointment suggestions. Musk was even on a phone call made after the election between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
But, how will Musk play a prominent role in politics and the Trump administration while still running his businesses? It appears that Musk will assemble an “A-Team” to act as his mouthpiece in government.
Musk’s A-Team
“America’s A team is usually building companies in the private sector,” Musk posted on X just days after Trump’s electoral win last Tuesday. “Once in a long time, reforming government is important enough that the A team allocates time to government. This is that time.”
Musk appears to be positioning himself to encourage Trump to bring his trusted employees and allies into the administration, aiming to secure favorable outcomes for his ventures.
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According to the Financial Times, some of the likely names that Musk will float include individuals like Steve Davis, president of The Boring Company, Musk’s tunneling company that is ranked as one of the worst for workplace safety. Davis played an important role with Musk’s pro-Trump lobbying group America Pac this year. Davis was also the key figure Musk relied on to cut 80 percent of then-Twitter’s employees shortly after Musk acquired the platform now known as X.
Musk will likely also turn to Omead Afshar, who helped Musk with Twitter layoffs and the cutting of 14,000 jobs at Tesla earlier this year.
Musk’s most trusted associate Jared Birchall will likely also play a role in Trump’s administration, if Musk has any sway. Birchall has been referred to as Musk’s right-hand man and runs his family office while also working directly with Musk’s xAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company. Birchall also played a major role in Musk’s Twitter acquisition.
SpaceX may benefit the most
The Musk company with the most to gain from relaxed regulations and favorable government contracts is his space exploration company SpaceX. According to the New York Times, Musk asked Trump to consider SpaceX employees for positions with the Department of Defense, including Senior Vice President for Global Business and Affairs Tim Hughes, former Air Force general and SpaceX advisor Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, and Senior Director of Government Affairs Mathew Dunn.
While Tesla already benefits from tax credits, Musk’s EV company will find itself further wrapped up in regulatory issues as it looks to push the autonomous driving capabilities of its planned robotaxi. While most of these conflicts are at the state level, Musk may look to leverage the federal government to exert pressure on these regulators. Peter Scheutzow, Tesla’s head of autopilot and AI, and safety chief Suraj Nagaraj, are also potential Musk-backed candidates for roles within the administration.
And, of course, no list of potential Musk candidates would be complete without his fellow Silicon Valley elites. Venture capitalists and hedge funders like David Sacks, Jason Calacanis, and Bill Ackman have all become more active in pro-Musk politics online and could certainly play a role in a Trump administration. Musk’s weapon-tech buddies like Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale and Anduril co-founder Palmer Luckey could also potentially find a place within Trump’s Department of Defense.
Regardless of who Trump picks, things within the U.S. government are looking very good for Elon Musk in the coming years – as long as he stays on Trump’s good side.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
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Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
