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An FIR has been lodged against actor-turned-BJP leader <keyword id="19913288" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mithun-chakraborty" source="keywords">Mithun Chakraborty</keyword>, following allegations that he delivered a provocative speech during a <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bjp" source="keywords">BJP</keyword> event held in North 24 Parganas district last month. The complaint, filed at Bidhannagar South police station, relates to Chakraborty's remarks at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) in Salt Lake on October 27, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also in attendance, launching the West Bengal leg of the BJP's membership drive. According to a senior officer from Bidhannagar Police, “We have started an investigation into the case.” Chakraborty, who received the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award earlier this year, was reportedly unavailable for comment. However, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar decried the FIR, labeling it "vendetta politics." He asserted, "There is nothing provocative in his speech. These are nothing but attempts to intimidate him by using police as a political tool." During his speech on October 27, Chakraborty declared his party's ambitions in West Bengal, proclaiming, "In 2026, the masnad (throne) will be ours, and we will do everything to achieve the goal." He also urged BJP booth-level workers to resist attempts to intimidate BJP voters ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, alluding to past incidents where voters were allegedly discouraged from supporting the saffron party. Mithun’s message was seen as a direct response to remarks by TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, who had previously made comments during the Lok Sabha elections perceived as communal and targeted toward BJP supporters. As the investigation unfolds, the FIR has amplified the already intense political climate in West Bengal, raising questions about free speech and the use of law enforcement in political conflicts. For now, both Chakraborty’s supporters and critics are awaiting further developments, as the actor’s remarks and the subsequent police action continue to stir debate. (With inputs from agencies)

FIR filed against Mithun Chakraborty for ‘provocative speech’; BJP alleges ‘vendetta politics'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk wants Rick Scott to be the next Senate majority leader.</li><li>Scott is vying for the position with John Cornyn and John Thune.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> is backing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rick-scott-exempts-social-security-medicare-navy-12-point-plan-2023-2">Sen. Rick Scott</a> of Florida to lead the GOP in the Senate."Rick Scott for Senate Majority Leader!" Musk wrote in an X post on Sunday. This X post came a few hours after he posted a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1855647150144995639">poll</a> to his followers on who should take up the position.At press time, 1,088,220 votes were registered on Musk's poll. Scott took 65.5% of the vote, while <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-majority-whip-john-thune-rips-attempts-overturn-the-election-2020-12">John Thune</a> of South Dakota and Sen. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cornyn-slammed-for-saying-finger-pointing-at-police-is-destructive-2022-5">John Cornyn</a> of Texas got 6.6% and 5.2% respectively. Meanwhile, around 22.6% of the votes on Musk's poll were for "other" candidates. Representatives for Musk and Scott did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.The race to find a successor for outgoing party leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, comes after the Republican Party <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/republicans-win-senate-election-majority-election-2024-11">clinched control of the Senate</a> last week. The GOP is expected to hold at least 52 Senate seats, giving them a majority in the upper house.The race for Senate leadership is shaping up to be a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-running-succeed-mitch-mcconnell-senate-republican-leader-2024-3">three-way fight</a> between Scott, Cornyn, and Thune. Both Cornyn and Thune served as deputies to McConnell when he was Senate majority leader. Thune is currently GOP whip.GOP senators are set to vote for their next leader in a secret ballot on Wednesday.President-elect Donald Trump has yet to endorse a candidate, but wrote in an X post on Sunday that the next Senate majority leader should support his recess appointments."This is essential. There is no other way," Musk wrote in his reply."100% agree. I will do whatever it takes to get your nominations through as quickly as possible," Scott wrote in an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/SenRickScott/status/1855693759281053758">X post</a> on Sunday.Scott's opponents have made similar commitments as well."It is unacceptable for Senate Ds to blockade President @realDonaldTrump's cabinet appointments. If they do, we will stay in session, including weekends, until they relent," Cornyn <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/JohnCornyn/status/1855730861028569391">wrote</a> on X on Sunday."We must act quickly and decisively to get the president's nominees in place as soon as possible, &amp; all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments," Thune said in an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/SenJohnThune/status/1855722302568300794">X post</a> on the same day.Musk was a major contributor to Trump's presidential campaign.The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla">Tesla</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-elon-musk">SpaceX</a> CEO held his own rallies and spent <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-gop-spending-130-million-2024-10">just under $119 million</a> on his pro-Trump political action committee, America PAC.Musk said on Tuesday that his super PAC will <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-super-pac-america-continuing-after-election-midterms-2024-11">continue to play a role</a> in American politics even after the 2024 election. America PAC, he said, is "preparing for the midterms and any intermediate elections, as well as looking at elections at the district attorney level."It's unclear what role Musk will have in Trump's second administration. Both he and Trump have expressed interest in having Musk <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-rally-elon-musk-save-department-government-efficiency-2024-10">lead a government-efficiency commission</a> to cut down on spending.Last week, Musk <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-calls-zelenskyy-erdogan-influence-2024-11">joined Trump's calls</a> with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to several media reports.According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/08/us/politics/trump-musk-zelensky.html">The New York Times</a>, Trump handed the phone to Musk during his call with Zelenskyy. Musk told Zelenskyy that he would continue to support Ukraine with his Starlink satellites, per <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/11/08/musk-trump-zelensky-ukraine-call">Axios</a>."We have a new star, a star is born. Elon. He is an amazing guy," Trump <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-praises-elon-musk-a-star-is-born-2024-11">said</a> on Wednesday morning after declaring his electoral victory.

Elon Musk has named his top choice for Senate majority leader

Earlier this week, former US President Donald Trump revealed that Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> is scheduled to meet with him next week. This potential gathering, set against the backdrop of Trump’s bid for a return to the White House, highlights how global leaders are positioning themselves in anticipation of possible changes in US leadership. “He happens to be coming to meet me next week, and Modi, he’s fantastic,” Trump said on Tuesday during a town hall event in Flint, Michigan, while discussing free trade and US job protection. He even went on to call India a “very big abuser” in trade, Al Jazeera reported. Most likely, Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting up with Trump could be an acknowledgment of the latter's potential return to power in the November election, as foreign leaders carefully navigate diplomatic relations with key US political figures. However, neither the Trump campaign nor India’s Ministry of External Affairs have clearly commented on the matter yet, meaning that the Indian leader’s plans of a tête-à-tête with ex US President Trump are foggy at best. During a press conference, foreign secretary <keyword id="20181706" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vikram-misri" source="keywords">Vikram Misri</keyword> said, "there are many meetings with the Prime Minister right now which we are trying to fix. Right now, I will not be able to tell you about any specific meeting, whether the meeting has been fixed or not." "We are looking from all angles as to how much time we have and with whom we can hold meetings. We will keep updating you about the meetings," he added. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113444882" title="Trump says PM Modi will meet him during US visit, calls him &amp;#39;fantastic&amp;#39;" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>What we do know with certainty is that Mr Modi is indeed scheduled to travel to the US over the weekend and his calendar is going to be jam-packed. His visit coincides with his planned participation at the <keyword id="23145156" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Quad-Leaders-Summit" source="keywords">Quad Leaders Summit</keyword> (including representatives from Australia, India, Japan and the US) in Wilmington, Delaware, hosted by President Joe Biden. As per a White House official, the meet-up will feature "ambitious announcements in multiple areas such as maritime security, high-quality infrastructure and critical and emerging technologies to demonstrate the group’s endurance". Prime Minister Modi will have bilateral meetings with President Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday, following the conclusion of the Quad Summit. A special event, the Cancer Moonshot initiative, is also scheduled on the sidelines of the summit. In his meeting with President Biden, India and the US are anticipated to sign several agreements, including those related to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on drug frameworks. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that Modi and Biden will review the comprehensive global strategic partnership between India and the US, which spans over 50 areas of engagement and bilateral dialogue mechanisms. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113085171" title="India is likely to benefit if Trump wins US elections, per Nomura Global Research" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Both leaders will also assess progress in areas of cooperation, though tensions remain due to the alleged assassination plot involving Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The investigation is ongoing, and India has formed a committee to examine the accusations. This visit may serve to ease some of the friction in the relationship. Defence cooperation remains a key area of collaboration between India and the U.S., including agreements on the procurement of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones, joint manufacturing of Stryker Infantry Combat Vehicles, and co-production of GE F414 engines in India. The Ukraine conflict is also expected to be a topic of discussion. Prime Minister Modi is supposed to attend the "Modi &amp; US" community event at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island. The event, already overbooked with more than 24,000 Indian Americans registered for a venue with a capacity of 15,000, has attracted attendees from 42 states, especially the tri-state area. Additionally, PM Modi will allegedly lead a roundtable with CEOs of American companies working in fields like AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, and cutting-edge technology. Lastly, on September 23, Modi will address global leaders at the United Nations' Summit of the Future (SOTF) and is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other heads of state attending the UN General Assembly. Obviously, squeezing in a meeting with Trump and Democrat Candidate Kamala Harris (you know, to balance things out) seems unlikely given Mr Modi’s tight schedule. But we’ll have a clearer picture only in the coming days. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111770277" title="PM Modi likely to address high-level UNGA session on Sep 26" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Why is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the US this weekend?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Israel said on Saturday that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had been killed.</li><li>Hezbollah has since confirmed the news.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/idf-says-hezbollah-leader-nasrallah-is-dead-2024-9">Israel said on Saturday that Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah</a> had been killed in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-hezbollah-massive-strikes-headquarters-nasrallah-lebanon-2024-9">targeted strike</a> on the group's central headquarters in Beirut.Hezbollah has since confirmed the news of his death in a statement, in which it warned that it would "continue its jihad in confronting the enemy, in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defense of Lebanon."It marks the end of Nasrallah's 32-year reign at the helm of Hezbollah and will come as a major blow to the group.Born in 1960 in eastern Beirut, Nasrallah would go on to become a skillful guerilla commander before establishing himself as a popular political figure in Lebanon who was seen as "charismatic and highly intelligent," according to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).He took over Hezbollah in 1992 after Israel assassinated the group's previous leader and cofounder Abbas al-Musawi.Nasrallah gained widespread popularity for overseeing the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000 and the so-called "divine victory" in the 2006 Lebanon War. He garnered increased support after he secured a deal to release more than 400 Palestinian, Lebanese, and Arab prisoners in 2004.Under his leadership, Hezbollah also greatly expanded its military capabilities — particularly in the wake of the 2006 war — acquiring a large stockpile of rockets and missiles.The group, which has been funded by Iran for decades, has become <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://missilethreat.csis.org/country/hezbollahs-rocket-arsenal/">one of the most heavily armed non-state actors in the world</a>.But Nasrallah's tenure did see moments of controversy in Lebanon. He sent thousands of fighters from his Shia Muslim Hezbollah to intervene in Syria's civil war after it broke out in 2011, backing President Bashar al-Assad's regime against largely Sunni Muslim rebel groups — and despite Assad's ostracization from the Arab world.The group's support from Sunni Muslims dropped due to its involvement in the fighting, per the CFR.But more recently, Nasrallah had been instrumental in Hezbollah's military operations against Israel following the latter's war in Gaza, which has helped rebuild the group's popularity among Arab states.Nasrallah was predeceased by his eldest son, Hadi, who was killed while fighting against Israeli troops in 1997.

Who was Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader killed by Israel?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Hungary's PM Viktor Orbán said the US will abandon its support for Ukraine, days after Trump's win.</li><li>He said that the US "will quit" the war and there's a "military defeat in Ukraine," per reports.</li></ul>Hungary's leader, Viktor Orbán, has a chilling forecast: the US will abandon Ukraine under President-elect Donald Trump."The Americans will quit this war," he told national radio, per multiple outlets, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/hungarys-pm-orban-says-trump-will-quit-ukraine-war-forcing-eu-rethink-2024-11-08/">Reuters</a>. "There is military defeat in Ukraine."Orbán is Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally in the European Union, a position that has put him <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hungary-prime-minister-viktor-orban-shunned-europeanu-union-russia-putin-2024-7">out of favor</a> in the bloc.Trump and Orbán have long shown mutual admiration.In the past, Trump called Orbán his "friend" and lauded him for his knowledge of world affairs. And during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris in September, Trump <a target="_blank" href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/harris-trump-presidential-debate-transcript/story?id=113560542">described</a> Orbán as one of the world's "most respected men" — a "strong man" and "a tough person."The Hungarian prime minister's prediction came after Trump secured a return to the White House, and follows reports that Trump's advisors are laying out different plans on how to end the war in Ukraine.One plan includes establishing an 800-mile demilitarized zone and having Ukraine pledge not to join NATO for at least 20 years, The Wall Street Journal <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-advisors-peace-plans-ukraine-demilitarized-zone-no-aid-russia-2024-11">reported</a> Wednesday, citing three people close to Trump.Keith Kellogg and Fred Fleitz, two top officials who served on the National Security Council under Trump's first administration, presented another plan to Trump earlier this year that involved withholding weapons from Ukraine until the country agreed to engage in peace talks with Russia, <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-reviews-plan-halt-us-military-aid-ukraine-unless-it-negotiates-peace-with-2024-06-25/">Reuters</a> reported at the time.Trump hasn't approved a specific plan as yet, those close to him told the Journal.Orbán's forecast comes as world leaders hold key meetings this week, in part to discuss the war in Ukraine.At a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1YqKDkLMnjkxV">press conference</a> held at the European Political Community in Budapest on Thursday, Orbán also urged Europe to define the terms of a Ukrainian victory, saying he hoped this "intellectual" work would be done by Friday night.European leaders are convening at a European Council summit in Budapest on Friday, where they are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/european-council/2024/11/07-08/?utm_source=x.com&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=20241107-informal-euco-announcer&amp;utm_content=visual-card">expected</a> to discuss security and geopolitics in Ukraine.Meanwhile, in an interview with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hungary-next-months-ukraine-war-far-more-brutal-russia-china-2024-7">Axel Springer</a> media outlets earlier this year, Orbán said he was holding meetings with world leaders as part of a "peace mission" tour to create a "limited-time" cease-fire to speed up peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.Orbán was among the first European leaders to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/1854062809304154172">congratulate</a> Trump on his victory.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also quickly congratulated Trump, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1854289413246705695">saying</a> that strong and unwavering US leadership is vital for the world and for a just peace.

A pro-Trump European leader predicts he will abandon Ukraine: 'The Americans will quit this war'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Amazon founder Jeff Bezos <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/business-leaders-react-donald-trump-winning-election-silicon-valley-2024-11">congratulated Donald Trump</a> Wednesday on winning the presidential election.</li><li>His remarks follow the decision by the Washington Post, which Bezos owns, not to endorse a candidate.</li></ul>Jeff Bezos congratulated Donald Trump on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/election-results-trump-harris-presidential-election-2024-11">his reelection</a> less than two weeks after his newspaper's decision not to endorse a candidate in the race.The Amazon cofounder tagged Trump on social media Wednesday morning."Big congratulations to our 45th and now 47th President on an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory. No nation has bigger opportunities. Wishing @realDonaldTrump all success in leading and uniting the America we all love," Bezos said in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/jeffbezos/status/1854184441511571765?s=46">post</a> on X, formerly Twitter.Bezos' remarks arrive less than two weeks after the controversy at The Washington Post, which he owns, surrounding the newspaper's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/washington-post-donald-trump-kamala-harris-endorsement-bezos-why-matters-2024-10">decision not to endorse a presidential candidate</a> for the first time in decades.In a note to readers in late October, William Lewis, the Post's publisher and CEO, said the paper was "returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates" in this presidential election and all future ones and that its job was "to be independent.""We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility," Lewis wrote."Our job at The Washington Post is to provide through the newsroom nonpartisan news for all Americans, and thought-provoking, reported views from our opinion team to help our readers make up their own minds," his note continued.The Washington Post later <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/10/25/washington-post-endorsement-president/">reported</a> that Bezos made the call not to publish an already-drafted endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, citing two sources briefed on the decision.The newspaper's decision sparked uproar: Three of the newspaper's editorial board members, David Hoffman, Molly Roberts, and Mili Mitra, stepped down following the announcement. Editor-at-large Robert Kagan, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/washington-post-columist-michele-norris-resigns-endorsement-kamala-harris-2024-10">columnist Michele Norris</a>, and contributing columnist Danielle Allen resigned.Many WaPo readers also railed against the decision, with more than 250,000 people reportedly canceling their subscriptions following the announcement.Amid the uproar, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-washington-post-endorsement-presidential-media-trust-why-2024-10">Bezos doubled down on the newspaper's decision in an op-ed</a>."Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election," he wrote. "What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence. Ending them is a principled decision, and it's the right one."The Washington Post endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Joe Biden in 2020.Bezos also said there was "no quid pro quo of any kind" in the decision not to endorse a candidate.Two executives from Bezos' aerospace company, Blue Origin — CEO Dave Limp and vice president of government relations Megan Mitchell — met with Trump on the day of the Post's announcement, the Associated Press <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/live/2024-election-trump-harris-news-updates#00000192-c592-d7d8-a7be-efbf2ca80000">reported</a>.Bezos wrote in his op-ed that neither he nor Limp knew about the meeting ahead of time, as it was "scheduled quickly that morning.""I sighed when I found out, because I knew it would provide ammunition to those who would like to frame this as anything other than a principled decision," he wrote. "There is no connection between it and our decision on presidential endorsements, and any suggestion otherwise is false."<h2 id="bb415f5d-84ef-451b-ab15-6820e058f504">Bezos and Trump have a history</h2>Bezos and Trump have had a contentious relationship at times.While campaigning for the 2016 presidential election, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-says-amazon-will-have-such-problems-2016-2">Trump said Amazon would have "problems" if he became president</a>. In 2016, Bezos said Trump's wish to lock up Hillary Clinton or refuse to accept a loss in that election <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-donald-trump-eroding-our-democracy-2016-10">"erodes our democracy around the edges."</a>Following Trump's election that year, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-jeff-bezos-introduced-himself-to-trump-2016-12">Bezos was one of several tech leaders who met with the president-elect</a> in a meeting Bezos later described as "very productive."Trump has criticized the Washington Post as "lobbyist" and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-calls-jeff-bezos-jeff-bozo-in-mocking-tweet-2019-1">called Bezos "Jeff Bozo" in 2019</a>.More recently, Bezos <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-offers-condolences-to-trump-rally-shooting-feud-2024-7">said Trump showed "grace under literal fire"</a> following the assassination attempt on him at a Pennsylvania rally in July.

Jeff Bezos congratulates Trump for an 'extraordinary political comeback' after the Washington Post's decision not to endorse a candidate

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Israeli military said it killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar during an operation in Gaza.</li></ul>The Israeli military said Thursday that it killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar during an operation in Gaza, eliminating the architect of the massacre that Hamas executed on October 7, 2023.The Israeli military said in a statement that soldiers from its Southern Command killed Sinwar on Wednesday.Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli military said it was checking the possibility that it had killed Sinwar along with two other unnamed "terrorists" but could not confirm whether it had done so."In the building where the terrorists were eliminated, there were no signs of the presence of hostages in the area," the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement. "The forces that are operating in the area are continuing to operate with the required caution."Sinwar's death is a significant turning point for Israel and its yearlong war to eradicate Hamas. The Israeli government, with US support, had made it a key objective to kill him following its October 7 attacks, which left 1,200 people dead and triggered the war in Gaza and wider hostilities across the Middle East.But despite months of intense Israeli air and ground operations that have leveled much of Gaza, Sinwar <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-killed-top-hamas-commanders-gaza-not-those-wants-most-2024-4">managed to remain elusive</a>. Israel's military has used heavy weapons, including 2,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, to collapse Hamas' sprawling tunnel network under Gaza, where he was believed to be hiding."Our enemies cannot hide. We will pursue and eliminate them," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote in a rather <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/yoavgallant/status/1846911544526807303">opaque post</a> on social media after the IDF first said that it was checking to see whether Sinwar was dead.The conflict has been at an impasse with Sinwar missing and Hamas, under his authority, rejecting cease-fire talks. In the meantime, Israel's military opened a northern front with a ground invasion into southern Lebanon in an effort to end the shelling by Hamas ally Hezbollah. Israel's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-no-win-situation-gaza-after-months-war-crush-hamas-2024-1">devastating Gaza war</a> has left over 40,000 Palestinians dead — most of them civilians, per local assessments. And there are dire warnings that amid the fighting, the humanitarian crisis is worsening.The 62-year-old Sinwar had been the leader of Hamas in Gaza since 2017 and the leader of its political wing following the July <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ismail-haniyeh-top-hamas-leader-killed-in-iran-2024-7">assassination of Ismail Haniyeh</a>.The killing of Sinwar comes after Israel took out most of Hezbollah's leadership in Lebanon, including its longtime leader <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-likely-used-bunker-buster-bombs-strike-kill-hezbollah-chief-2024-9">Hassan Nasrallah</a>, and amid heightened <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-attacks-israel-with-missiles-after-hezbollah-leader-killing-2024-10">tensions with Iran</a>, which supports both Hezbollah and Hamas.

Israel says it killed Hamas leader and Oct. 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Warren Buffett warned of impostors endorsing political candidates on social media. </li><li>Berkshire Hathaway responded to the impersonation attempts in a post on its website. </li></ul>Warren Buffett warned of impersonators on social media duping people into believing the investing legend endorsed a candidate for president. Berkshire Hathaway responded to the impersonation attempts with a warning posted on its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/">website</a>. The statement said Buffett would never endorse political candidates or investment products."In light of the increased usage of social media, there have been numerous fraudulent claims regarding Mr. Buffett's endorsement of investment products as well as his endorsement and support of political candidates. Mr. Buffett does not currently and will not prospectively endorse investment products or endorse and support political candidates," the statement read.The billionaire investor said the impersonation attempts are concerning."I'm worried about people impersonating me and that's why we put that on the Berkshire website," Buffett said in an interview with CNBC. "Nobody should believe anybody saying I'm telling them how to invest or how to vote." Buffett's message, in light of the attempts to impersonate him, makes the distinction that he does not "currently" endorse a candidate. The billionaire investor has shown support for Democratic presidential candidates in the past, including former President Barack Obama and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/12/16/warren-buffett-endorses-hillary-clinton-and-calls-for-higher-taxes-on-wealthy/">former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton</a>. For his part, Buffett said he doesn't even know how to use Instagram."I don't even know how to get on Instagram," Buffett told CNBC in a Wednesday interview, adding, "Anything they see with my image or my voice, it just ain't me."Buffett's warning comes amid a close presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, and as several high-profile investors and business leaders have jumped in to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/election-business-leaders-billionaires-backing-kamala-harris-president-2024-7">voice their preference</a>.Billionaires <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-ackman-endorses-trump-after-assassination-attempt-2024-7">Bill Ackman</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-america-super-pac-2024-10">Elon Musk</a> have pledged support for Trump, while <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-business-leaders-for-kamala-harris-2024-10">Mark Cuban</a> has shown outspoken support for Harris. Bill Gates, who has historically been quiet when it comes to politics, donated $50 million to a nonprofit that supports Harris's candidacy, according to a Tuesday <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/22/us/elections/bill-gates-future-forward-kamala-harris.html">report</a> from the New York Times.

Warren Buffett warns of impersonators and says he won't endorse political candidates or investments

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Home Depot cofounder and billionaire Arthur Blank joins business leaders supporting Harris.</li><li>Blank's fellow cofounder is a prominent Trump donor, reflecting the private sector's partisan split.</li></ul>A group of prominent business leaders supporting Vice President Kamala Harris is expanding its ranks to include Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta Falcons. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-business-leaders-for-kamala-harris-2024-10">"Business Leaders for Harris"</a> launched earlier this month and already includes private sector titans like billionaire investor <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-donald-trump-tariffs-christmas-presents-china-prices-harris-2024-10">Mark Cuban</a>, LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, and Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings.Blank's participation is not surprising — he's a longtime Democratic donor who has donated to various congressional and presidential campaigns. Yet Blank's political participation puts him at odds with his former business partner and other Home Depot cofounder, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bernie-marcus-billionaire-founder-home-depot-trump-donor-2019-7">Bernie Marcus</a>, who is among former President Donald Trump's top donors.Marcus has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/which-billionaires-support-donald-trump-campaign#bernard-marcus-7">donated millions to the GOP</a> and was an early MAGA supporter. He and his wife have given $2.7 million to the former president's 2024 campaign, after giving $10 million in 2020 and $5 million in 2016 to Trump-related super PACS.Blank and Marcus are valued at $9.3 billion and $11.1 billion, respectively. The two founded Home Depot in 1978. Blank <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/home-depot-cofounder-arthur-blank-on-politics-supporting-biden-2020-11">told Business Insider in 2020</a> that their political differences didn't interfere with their partnership or friendship.This election season, the larger corporate and tech worlds have undergone a similar public splintering. While some vocal figures like venture capitalist Marc Andreesen, billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, and<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-donald-trump-support-reflects-business-approach-tesla-2024-10"> Elon Musk</a> are vocal Trump supporters, Harris has worked hard to appeal to business leaders. She's scored endorsements from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/murdoch-cuban-corporate-executives-silicon-valley-wall-street-endorse-harris-2024-9">nearly 90 top Wall Street and tech executives</a>, as well as a group of almost <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-billionaires-investors-kamala-harris-mark-cuban-reid-hoffman-2024-8">900 venture capitalists</a>.In a statement about joining Business Leaders for Harris, Blank celebrated Harris' commitment to his core value of inclusion."Kamala Harris is a leader who understands this; will collaborate with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-sec-ftc-khan-gensler-crypto-regulation-biden-warren-2024-9">other leaders</a> and front-line workers to get the best ideas; and she will earnestly strive to be a unifier who drives policies that lift people and communities from all walks of life," he said in the statement.In addition to Blank, Fulbright Bank chairman and former Democratic congressman John Delaney joined Business Leaders for Harris. The group also announced that it launched its first paid ad campaign, which will run on YouTube in the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-donald-trump-15-days-swing-states-polling-2024-10">Blue Wall states</a> of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The six-figure ad campaign features a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/small-business-entrepreneur-kamala-harris-tax-deduction-2024-10">small business owner</a> and former Trump supporter who explains why she's voting for Harris.

Arthur Blank joins 'Business Leaders for Harris' as his former business partner funnels money to Trump

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Peter Thiel attributed recent Trump support in Silicon Valley, in part, to Elon Musk's efforts.</li><li>Thiel told journalist Bari Weiss that Musk provided "cover" for other tech leaders to support Trump.</li></ul>Billionaire <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/peter-thiel">Peter Thiel</a> credited Elon Musk, in part, with helping other tech leaders feel comfortable publicly supporting President-elect Donald Trump.The former PayPal CEO sat for a post-election debrief with journalist Bari Weiss on an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwJV_NuN43Y">episode</a> of her "Honestly" podcast published Thursday.Thiel, who financially backed Trump in 2016 but said he was stepping away from political donations this year, said Musk's embrace of Trump was key in facilitating <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-swing-toward-trump-voting-data-2024-11">Silicon Valley's shift to the right</a> in the 2024 election."There was some degree to which it was safer for people to speak out when other <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-won-election-what-that-means-for-elon-musk-2024-11">people were speaking out</a>," Thiel said on the podcast.Leading up to the election, several Silicon Valley billionaires and business leaders who had previously shunned Trump or remained publicly apolitical came forward in support of the former president, including Marc Andreessen, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-jd-vance-elon-musk-tucker-carlson-david-sacks-2024-7">David Sacks</a>, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sequoia-partner-supports-donald-trump-highlighting-shift-silicon-valley-politics-2024-5">Shaun Maguire</a>, among others.The apparent industry move toward Trump in the months before the election spurred <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-leaders-support-harris-musk-andreessen-support-trump-2024-7">more than 100 venture capitalists</a>, including Reid Hoffman, Ron Conway, and Mark Cuban, to pledge their support for Vice President Kamala Harris.And while Silicon Valley, which has long been a progressive stronghold, remained solidly Democrat in November's election, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-swing-toward-trump-voting-data-2024-11">Trump saw a notable bump in support</a> in the three counties that make up America's tech center, BI previously reported.Weiss asked Thiel if the Tesla CEO was "the critical ingredient" that allowed other business leaders to feel safe endorsing the divisive president."I think Elon was incredibly important to it," Thiel said, later adding that Musk "obviously gave people a great deal of cover."Musk did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.Musk poured <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-gop-spending-130-million-2024-10">millions of dollars</a> into helping Trump get elected. This week, Trump announced Musk would have a role in his administration as the co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, alongside entrepreneur and fellow billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy.But Thiel said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessens-endorsement-donald-trump-tech-industry-silicon-valley-2024-7">Silicon Valley's cultural shift</a> had been building for years because of people doubling down on "political correctness and wokeness" inside the companies."There's some point where it just got exhausted and a lot of the top tech founders and CEOs felt comfortable telling me this behind closed doors," Thiel said.Thiel characterized the feeling inside Silicon Valley as one of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/republicans-blame-woke-politics-for-silicon-valley-banks-collapse-2023-3">growing frustration</a> toward "corporate governance" and "how ridiculous it's gotten to manage these ideologically deranged millennial employees."In 2022, Musk, who Thiel said was once "left of center," described his newfound foray into conservative politics as an effort to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-says-wading-into-politics-stop-woke-mind-virus-2022-5">stop the "woke mind virus.</a>" The business leader moved Tesla headquarters from blue state California to red Texas in 2021 and said earlier this year that he would relocate both SpaceX and X to the conservative state."At some point, Elon shifted," Thiel said. "Part of it is this sort of intellectual straitjacket where you're not allowed to have ideas, even if you agree with them 80 percent. It's never enough. you have to be 100 percent."Thiel suggested <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-presidential-election-stakes-2024-11">Musk's fierce support for Trump</a> before the election was "incredibly dangerous" and "incredibly courageous.""Maybe all the rest of us can be a little bit more courageous than we otherwise were going to be," Thiel said.

Peter Thiel says Elon Musk's embrace of Donald Trump helped other Silicon Valley leaders feel safe supporting him

<ul class="summary-list"><li>88 current and former executives from the business and tech worlds signed a letter endorsing Harris.</li><li>Signatories span industries and political engagement, from veteran Harris allies to new supporters.</li></ul>Dozens of prominent <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/wall-street">Wall Street</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/silicon-valley">tech executives</a> combined forces on Friday morning to support <keyword id="20307089" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kamala-Harris" source="keywords">Kamala Harris</keyword>' bid for the White House. Eighty-eight top executives signed a joint letter endorsing the vice president, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/06/harris-endorsed-trump-murdoch-yelp-snap-ripple.html">CNBC reported</a>. The signatories span a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-political-divide-twitter-elon-musk-kamala-harris-2024-8">wide range of political engagement</a>, from longtime Democratic donors to those issuing their first public <keyword id="20142451" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="endorsement" source="keywords">endorsement</keyword> of Harris. <keyword id="20396501" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="James-Murdoch" source="keywords">James Murdoch</keyword>, the former CEO of 21st Century Fox, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/murdoch-moguls-media-tech-dual-class-stock-control-how-2024-7">broke even further away from his father</a> and added his name to the list. Though the list of signatories is lengthy, the letter itself is a mere five sentences. Electing Harris is, the executives write, "the best way to support the continued strength, security, and reliability of our democracy and economy." They celebrate her<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-small-businesses-tax-breaks-cut-red-tape-2024-9"> record supporting small businesses</a> and assert that she would "continue to advance fair and predictable policies that support the rule of law, stability, and a sound business environment." Current executives include Aaron Levie of Box and Jeremy Stoppelman of Yelp, as well as big names in the sports world. NBA Hall-of-Famer and billionaire Magic Johnson signed on, as well as Ted Leonsis, who owns the NBA's Washington Wizards and WNBA's Mystics. Some signatories, like Murdoch and Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, are declaring their support for Harris for the first time. "Proud to support the Harris campaign — she's the right leader for our fast-changing world. And I'm confident that she will reset the misguided Biden policies that were too anti-business and anti-innovation," Larsen told Business Insider in a statement. "At the same time, I'm confident she will maintain Biden's strong leadership on our energy transition." Larsen also said that he recently made a $1 million donation in crypto to Future Forward, a PAC supporting Harris. Other signatories have long rallied behind the vice president. Many know her from her <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-july-fundraising-california-tech-silicon-valley-2024-8">days in California politics</a>, reflecting the ways in which Harris is relying on her home state for support, financial and otherwise. The veteran Harris supporters include philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs and Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz. Both coasts are well represented, with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-billionaires-investors-kamala-harris-mark-cuban-reid-hoffman-2024-8">executives from Silicon Valley</a> and Wall Street alike joining the effort. Angel investor Ron Conway,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-kamala-harris-sec-capital-gains-business-2024-9"> entrepreneur Mark Cuban</a>, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman are among the biggest West Coast names, while former Blackstone President and CEO Tony James and former Goldman Sachs executive Bruce Heyman hail from the world of New York finance. Former executives at various prominent companies — including PepsiCo, Paramount, Lyft, and Starbucks — also signed on to endorse Harris. The support from the business community comes at a crucial time, as both Harris and Trump are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-lina-khan-balance-billionaires-silicon-valley-hoffman-progressives-ftc-2024-8">laying out their economic agendas</a> ahead of Tuesday's debate. Each candidate is presenting themselves as the pro-business option while attempting to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-adopts-elon-musk-plan-cut-government-spending-efficiency-reform-2024-9">woo the financial and tech sectors</a>. Correction: September 6, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misdescribed Harris. She is the current US vice president, not a former vice president.

James Murdoch and 87 other corporate leaders sign a letter endorsing Kamala Harris

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The growing partisan divide in Silicon Valley is playing out in messy, public social media battles.</li><li>Insults have grown personal, a new trend in a sector that usually bickers in private.</li></ul>In a LinkedIn post from late July, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-im-speaking-up-a16zs-endorsement-rob-day-lwohe/?trackingId=az319BZiTwWYFSxMvCf5PA%3D%3D%C2%A0">venture capitalist Rob Day</a> reminded his followers that "we as longtime investors tend not to criticize each other."During this election cycle, at least, that's no longer the case. Some of Silicon Valley's biggest names are now waging partisan battles for all the internet to see.Day was reacting to famed investors <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-vcs-in-silicon-valley-2024-7">Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz</a>, who declared their support for former President Donald Trump in a nearly 90-minute podcast episode, and the resulting dispute that played out mostly on social media.Though Silicon Valley, nestled in the deep-blue Bay Area, has long been considered a liberal bastion, Andreessen and Horowitz are part of a rightward tilt among some of tech's biggest names. They're joined by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-ceo-elon-musk">Tesla CEO Elon Musk</a>, venture capitalist David Sacks, and PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel, among others."I think the divide is new, but the principles on which it's built are not," said Fred Turner, a communications professor at Stanford University who recently co-authored the book "Seeing Silicon Valley: Life Inside a Fraying America."Turner said that many successful tech companies are based on a technocratic ideology in which one expert exerts almost singular dominance: "The deep story, I think, is the way in which success in technocratic enterprise can seem to people on the outside to be models for political life."As disagreements swirl about regulation, AI safety, and crypto crackdowns, Silicon Valley's darlings are becoming more invested in — and vocal about — politics overall. Musk exemplifies this transformation. He said in 2015 that he tried to avoid getting involved in Washington but is now <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-explains-why-hes-voting-republican-party-2024-7">supporting Trump's campaign with his words and his wallet</a>.This shift has ignited public spats for all to witness.<h2 id="b0d49e81-a60c-485b-b667-1c76148576ed">Debates that used to be held in private are now public</h2>Silicon Valley used to air its dirty laundry in private, if at all, rather than in lengthy threads on X."I think that there's conversations in public among circles that normally have those in private, but I'm not a part of that," Leslie Feinzaig, a venture capitalist who <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-leaders-support-harris-musk-andreessen-support-trump-2024-7">founded the group VCsForKamala</a>, told Business Insider. In part, she formed the organization in response to her sector's rightward shift and the resulting fallout.Many in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-billionaires-investors-kamala-harris-mark-cuban-reid-hoffman-2024-8">Silicon Valley</a>, such as LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman and Box CEO Aaron Levie, have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/election-business-leaders-billionaires-backing-kamala-harris-president-2024-7">aligned themselves against Trump</a>. Some have even joined VCsForKamala, but not all of them share Feinzaig's commitment to staying out of public spats.Hoffman and Sacks, both members of the so-called PayPal mafia who once worked side-by-side, are now publicly feuding over politics.Sacks shared on June 6 a 23-paragraph post on X endorsing Trump and announcing a fundraising event for the former president. Hoffman <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/linkedin-cofounder-reid-hoffman-david-sacks-wrong-about-trump-2024-6">wasted no time responding</a> with a lengthy social media post of his own, in which he said that Sacks "got it wrong on just about every count."Hoffman attacked Sacks' multi-part argument and didn't mince words: "In tech, we call this 'being wrong.'"That was only the beginning.<h2 id="f5c34bea-8c54-4685-bbfc-6972e273c138">A new tone to Silicon Valley political discourse</h2>The public disputes intensified after Andreessen and Horowitz released <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessens-endorsement-donald-trump-tech-industry-silicon-valley-2024-7">their podcast episode</a> on July 16.Disagreements again spilled onto X when venture capitalist Roger McNamee shared an article titled, "The Moral Bankruptcy of Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz.""Really Roger? We've known each other for 25 years, you invested in my company, you have my cell #, and your very first idea when we disagree is to attack me in a tweet? Good to know I guess," Horowitz responded.A day later, the insults got more personal.Paul Graham, the computer scientist and founder of venture capital firm Y Combinator, asked in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-07-30/tech-vcs-publicly-fighting-over-trump-support-in-presidential-election?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;utm_content=businessweek&amp;cmpid=socialflow-twitter-businessweek&amp;utm_source=twitter">a now-deleted post</a> whether Sacks is "the most evil person in Silicon Valley."Sacks didn't roll over. In an X post of his own, he called Graham "a bully and maybe something much worse."Other tech figures, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-sues-openai-sam-altman-again-why-2024-8">OpenAI CEO Sam Altman</a>, began to take sides, throwing their weight behind either Graham or Sacks and drawing even more attention to the public fight.Then, on July 31, David Marcus, the former president of PayPal, decided that it was his turn to post a <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/davidmarcus/status/1818700003810197698">detailed open letter on X</a>. He explained why he's endorsing Trump, saying that he "broke free" from old mental frameworks and that he has undergone "a gradual political 180."Levie, the Box CEO, responded: "Lots of fair feedback here that I hope the democrats listen to." Earlier that day, Levie had posted separately on X that he saw a legitimate shift in Silicon Valley toward Harris, who had just become the presumptive nominee after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race. Leaders saw her, he said, as "a more stable, pro tech, pro business President" compared to Trump.Despite Levie's apparent interest in listening and speaking across the partisan divide, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/levie/status/1818666165650309252">Joe Lonsdale, the cofounder of Palantir</a>, shot back that the argument was "silly" and called Harris anti-business."VCs went from very few pro-Trump to about half!" Lonsdale said. Levie replied, and other tech leaders chimed in on the drawn-out thread.While some of the back-and-forth is taking place on more organized forums and in more careful language — Hoffman, for example, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reid-hoffman-linkedin-business-leaders-who-support-trump-2024-6">published an op-ed in The Economist</a> — most of it is playing out in the messy, typo-ridden, impulsive world of social media."I just felt like in our industry the conversation had turned very mudsling-y, and that's not at all anything I want to be a part of," Feinzaig, who organized VCsForKamala, said of the recent trend.Feinzaig said she doesn't think Silicon Valley is turning conservative, but rather that people have nuanced views and that conservative voices have recently become more comfortable speaking out.<h2 id="7fae0b99-bbbf-434c-865e-d0d54b5bb2be">Money simmers beneath the partisan divide</h2>Turner, the Stanford professor, attributes some of the shift to purely monetary incentives."These leaders are about making money," he said. "If the political winds shift right in Washington, it can behoove tech leaders to shift to the right as well."The relationship, he said, does not only go in one direction, as politicians are well attuned to the vast wealth nestled in Northern California."Money, money, money makes the world go round!" he said, quoting the musical "Cabaret." "It just does. Politicians need money in amounts that, for some Silicon Valley leaders like Elon Musk, are actually trivial. I think that that's something that's really important to remember."Already, that money is talking. Andreessen and Horowitz announced that they're giving millions to Trump. Reed Hastings, the cofounder of Netflix, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reed-hastings-all-in-on-kamala-harris-7-million-donation-2024-7">donated $7 million to a PAC</a> affiliated with Harris.

Silicon Valley's political divide is now public — and petty

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk is calling for deregulation and spending cuts to make the government more efficient.</li><li>The billionaire's mindset echoes previous efforts to run the US government like a business.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> is on a mission to make the US government more efficient, touting deregulation and decreased spending in public appearances as he <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-cabinet-election-x-2024-9">courts a role</a> in a potential second Trump administration.The billionaire evangelized about efficiency during a live appearance at the All-In podcast Summit in Los Angeles on Monday, suggesting he would draw on his business acumen to slash federal spending if chosen as the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-adopts-elon-musk-plan-cut-government-spending-efficiency-reform-2024-9">head of Trump's would-be government efficiency commission</a>."We do have an opportunity to do a once-in-a-lifetime deregulation and reduction in the size of government," Musk said at the summit appearance about a potential <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-wants-elon-musk-on-his-cabinet-2024-8">Trump win</a>.But two political scientists told Business Insider that Musk's desire to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://hbr.org/2017/03/the-u-s-cannot-be-run-like-a-business">run the US government like a private business</a> — an approach many private sector professionals have supported for decades — isn't as foolproof as the CEO might think.Musk did not respond to a request for comment.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-donald-trump-feud-relationship-timeline-2022-7">Musk has done a 180</a> in his support for Trump. The billionaire endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016, but after Trump won, accepted a role on two of the then-president's economic advisory councils. He later departed the administration, citing Trump's environmental policies.But since Musk officially endorsed Trump in July, he's repeatedly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1834104386303520822">posted</a> on X about the need for government efficiency."The idea that you can run the entire government as a business, it's just not designed that way," said Patricia Crouse, a practitioner in residence of political science and public administration at the University of New Haven. "You have to work around our system of federalism."Trump, a businessman turned politician, based much of his first presidential campaign on the notion that his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/03/27/trumps-idea-to-run-the-government-like-a-business-is-an-old-one-in-american-politics/">experience in the private sector</a> would guide his approach to politics.While perhaps misguided, both experts said it's not an entirely unfounded line of thinking. According to the academics, the government is inefficient in many ways, and accusations that federal agencies waste time and money are not always unwarranted.But the push to make the government work more like a business <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-efficiency-isnt-best-measurement-government-policy-2022-6">misunderstands a fundamental element</a> of US federalism — profit is not the end-all, be-all, political science experts said."Government is almost always more inefficient than the private sector because their motives are just different," said Christian Grose, a professor of political science at the University of Southern California.<div type="image" title="Al Gore and Bill Clinton stand at a podium holding a government report" height="1460" width="2921" msid="113345808" hostid="261" sizebytes="110754"></div><h2 id="7c8addd5-408c-4950-b159-3797e89f7a84">Profit vs. Protection</h2>Efforts to privatize parts of the US government date back decades. The modern-day push for a business-like government has its roots in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/theres-a-big-difference-between-reaganomics-and-trumponomics-2017-3">Reaganomics</a>, the economic policy put forth by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, which reduced regulation, slashed government spending, and scaled down the federal workforce.The other side of the aisle took a similar approach in 1993 when then-Vice President <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/im-a-recovering-politician-and-wont-run-for-office-again-al-gore-2022-7">Al Gore</a> launched the Reinventing Government initiative, which attempted to streamline government processes and minimize bureaucracy.Former President George W. Bush also had a business background, making his pre-presidency fortune in the Texas oil industry. Once in office, Bush cut regulations with his Faith-Based and Community Initiative, which sought to outsource some social services to faith-based groups.Grose said the pro-business mentality is present in local and state government, too, adding that private sector professionals often run gubernatorial races on such platforms.Political experts said it makes sense that business leaders like Musk would see only inefficiency and wastefulness in the government's operations."In the private sector, the motive is profit. The less efficient you are, the less profitable you are," Grose said. "But inefficiency in the private sector isn't the same."The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/privitizing-public-goods-healthcare-education-doesnt-work-opinion-2022-1">government's job isn't to make money,</a> but to regulate and keep people safe."Sometimes that's not efficient in an economic sense," Grose added.Consider, too, that the government and businesses serve very different stakeholders, Grose said. CEOs have to answer to stockholders and a board of directors — the president has to answer to every American in the country.<div type="image" title="Elon Musk and donald Trump sit at a table" height="2200" width="3300" msid="113345810" hostid="261" sizebytes="236978"></div><h2 id="77ff06c1-a7ce-42dd-87ed-6be17fc49a6d">The pitfalls of privatized government</h2>Crouse said the consequences could be dire if Trump and Musk are able to make massive cuts to federal agencies."If you decide you want to run the government entirely like a business, you're going to see things like poverty and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-job-market-unemployment-rising-federal-reserve-interest-rate-cut-2024-7">unemployment</a> increase because it becomes every man for himself," Crouse said.For all of its faults, the federal government has a fail-safe of sorts, thanks, in part, to its massive size, Crouse said. She added that outsourcing critical government services to private companies runs the risk that those services could disappear if the company went bankrupt."A business isn't really self-correcting, at least not as easily as government is," Crouse said.Crouse said that privatizing the federal government could also lead to increased corruption, pointing to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-prisons-lobby-for-their-own-existence-2016-8">for-profit prison industry</a> as one example. In 2008, two Pennsylvania judges were convicted of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-trending-news-government-and-politics-6f30f575dc739415af1e5b47b1be50f0">accepting money in return</a> for sending kids to private detention centers to increase occupancy."Businesses are out to make a profit, so they're going to do what they can to increase profits, and if the consumer gets hurt in the process of doing that, well, that's all a part of business," Crouse said.Beyond the logistical issues associated with a business-like government, Grose said he was skeptical of the sentiment at the heart of Musk's comments earlier this week, casting doubt on whether a second Trump presidency would result in "once-in-a-lifetime" deregulation.While Trump did engage in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-dodd-frank-deregulation-bill-trump-gop-obama-legacy-2018-5">some deregulation</a> during his first term, Grose said he didn't behave like a traditional business Republican, citing his tariffs and tax cuts, the latter of which helped the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/national-debt-trump">national debt surge.</a>"It's not obvious to me that he is a massive budget cutter based on past experience," Grose added.Both Crouse and Grose also expressed hesitation about taking business advice from Musk, pointing to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-looks-like-he-is-destroying-x-intentionally-2023-11">breakdown of Twitter, now X</a>, after the billionaire bought the site in 2022.Ultimately, however, both said the 235-year-old federalism that governs America simply isn't equipped to handle the pressures faced by private businesses."My fear is that it would collapse," Crouse said.

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