Elon Musk Tries to Use Trump’s Saudi Trip to Make a Quick Buck

Elon Musk revealed on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia had given approval for the utilization of Starlink, part of his ongoing efforts to promote his array of businesses during Donald Trump’s international trip. While conversing with Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswah on the White House-led excursion, the billionaire entrepreneur expressed gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for authorizing the use of his SpaceX-owned and operated satellite internet service for aviation and maritime purposes.

Apart from Starlink, Musk also showcased Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots to Trump and MBS, which are currently in the development phase. Musk had previously cautioned about the potential manufacturing delays due to China’s suspension of rare earth metals exports amid the de-escalating trade war with Trump.

Musk also discussed his plans to introduce Tesla’s robotaxis in Saudi Arabia, expressing enthusiasm about the prospect of autonomous vehicles in the kingdom. However, concerns remain about the functionality of these vehicles in adverse weather conditions prevalent in cities like Riyadh.

To address these concerns, Musk proposed the construction of tunnels by the Saudi government in collaboration with his Boring Company, describing tunnels as a unique solution to traffic congestion.

Musk’s discussions about his companies, including xAI, were prompted by Alswah, highlighting the goal of producing a highly truth-seeking artificial intelligence. Alswah referred to Musk as a “lifetime partner” to the kingdom, emphasizing collaboration on various projects like XAi, Starlink, robotics, and Tesla.

In contrast, Trump’s initial day in Saudi Arabia was marked by a drowsy start, as he was captured on camera falling asleep during a briefing with MBS. The meeting involved the signing of multiple agreements between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia covering economic, military, and cultural aspects.

Furthermore, Trump’s administration announced an arms deal with Saudi Arabia amounting to $142 billion, described as the largest arms deal in history. The deal includes the provision of advanced warfighting equipment and services from U.S. defense firms to the Saudi armed forces.

Additionally, the article discusses Trump’s reception of white South African “refugees” in the U.S., the economic impact of Trump’s policies on the audio industry, his announcement of a luxury plane gift from the Qatari royal family, and the replacement of the Librarian of Congress with his personal lawyer.