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Trump offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled nominee to lead the Pentagon
Nathan Hochman set to take office as L.A. County D.A.By Stephanie Lai and Hadriana Lowenkron, Bloomberg News Donald Trump says he is selecting venture capitalist David Sacks of Craft Ventures LLC to serve as his artificial intelligence and crypto czar, a newly created position that underscores the president-elect’s intent to boost two rapidly developing industries. “David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness. David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas,” Trump said Thursday in a post on his Truth Social network. Trump said that Sacks would also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Related Articles In Sacks, Trump is tapping one of his most prominent Silicon Valley supporters and fundraisers for a prime position in his administration. Sacks played a key role in bolstering Trump’s fundraising among technology industry donors, including co-hosting an event at his San Francisco home in June, with tickets at $300,000 a head. He is also closely associated with Vice President-elect JD Vance, the investor-turned-Ohio senator. Sacks is a venture capitalist and part of Silicon Valley’s “PayPal Mafia.” He first made his name in the technology industry during a stint as the chief operating officer of PayPal, the payments company whose founders in the late 1990s included billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and investor Peter Thiel. After it was sold to eBay, Sacks turned to Hollywood, where he produced the 2005 satire Thank You for Smoking. Back in Silicon Valley, he founded workplace communications company Yammer, which was bought by Microsoft Corp. in 2012 for $1.2 billion. He founded his own venture capital firm, Craft Ventures, in 2017 and has invested in Musk-owned businesses, including SpaceX. Sacks said on a recent episode of his All-In podcast that a “key man” clause in the agreements of his venture firm’s legal documents would likely prevent him from taking a full-time position, but he might consider an advisory role in the new administration. A Craft spokeswoman said Sacks would not be leaving Craft. In his post, Trump said Sacks “will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship.” Protecting free speech is a keen interest of Sacks. He regularly speaks about “woke” interests that try to muzzle unpopular opinions and positions. The new post is expected to help spearhead the crypto industry deregulation Trump promised on the campaign trail. The role is expected to provide cryptocurrency advocates a direct line to the White House and serve as a liaison between Trump, Congress and the federal agencies that interface with digital assets, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Trump heavily campaigned on supporting crypto, after previously disparaging digital assets during his first White House term, saying their “value is highly volatile and based on thin air.” The president-elect on Thursday said Sacks would “work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.” During the campaign, Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference, accepted crypto campaign donations and met with executives from Bitcoin mining companies and crypto exchanges multiple times. Trump’s desire to give priority to the digital asset industry is also reflected in his close allies and cabinet selections, including his Commerce secretary pick, Howard Lutnick, and Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent. On the AI front, Sacks would help Trump put his imprint on an emerging technology whose popular use has exploded in recent years. Sacks is poised to be at the front lines in determining how the federal government both adopts AI and regulates its use as advances in the technology and adoption by consumers pose a wide array of benefits as well as risks touching on national security, privacy, jobs and other areas. The president-elect has expressed both awe at the power of AI technology as well as concern over the potential harms from its use. During his first term, he signed executive orders that sought to maintain US leadership in the field and directed the federal government to prioritize AI in research and development spending. As AI has become more mainstream in recent years and with Congress slow to act, President Joe Biden has sought to fill that void. Biden signed an executive order in 2023 that establishes security and privacy protections and requires developers to safety-test new models, casting the sweeping regulatory order as necessary to safeguard consumers. A number of technology giants have also agreed to adopt a set of voluntary safeguards which call for them to test AI systems for discriminatory tendencies or security flaws and to share those results. Trump has vowed to repeal Biden’s order. The Republican Party’s 2024 platform dismissed Biden’s executive order as one that “hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology.” Sacks can be expected to work closely with Musk, the world’s richest person and one of the president-elect’s most prominent supporters. Musk is also a player in the AI space with his company xAI and a chatbot named Grok — efforts which pit him against Silicon Valley’s giants — and he stands to wield significant influence within the incoming administration. The appointment won’t require Sacks to divest or publicly disclose his assets. Like Musk, Sacks will be a special government employee. He can serve a maximum of 130 days per year, with or without compensation. However, conflict of interest rules apply to special government employees, meaning Sacks will have to recuse himself from matters that could impact his holdings. Sacks’s Craft Ventures is known more for enterprise software investing than for crypto, but it has made a few crypto investments, including BitGo and Bitwise. Still, Sacks has firm opinions on the sector. Speaking last month on All-In, Sacks praised a bill on crypto regulation that had passed in the U.S. House but not the Senate earlier this year. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act would regulate certain types of digital assets as a commodity, regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “The crypto industry basically wants a really clear line for knowing when they’re a commodity and they want commodities to be governed, like all other commodities, by the CFTC,” he said on the November podcast. He also disparaged some of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s positions on crypto under its chair, Gary Gensler. “The days of Gensler terrifying crypto companies,” he said. “Those days are about to be over.” Earlier this week, Trump nominated crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the SEC. With assistance from Zoe Ma, Bill Allison, Sarah McBride, Anne VanderMey and stacy-marie ishmael. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
OTTAWA — The Bloc Québécois is pressuring senators to leave unscathed the party’s private member’s bill that would prevent supply management from being subject to future trade concessions. Leader Yves-François Blanchet, whose party opposes an unelected Senate, has been lobbying senators in recent days to convince them to vote against a Senate amendment to Bill C-282 that would “sabotage” its purpose. “It was to make sure that we were going to raise awareness,” said Blanchet, in an unusual press conference at the Senate. Blanchet himself recognized that “clearly, this is not how we usually do business.” Blanchet met with Senators Peter Boehm, Peter Harder, Pierre Dalphond, Raymonde Saint-Germain and Don Plett. He wanted to know whether the amendment would be adopted, but also whether the Senate would obstruct the bill. “The meetings were very cordial... The quality of the conversations I had with senators have no comparison with the circus in the House of Commons... I have reasonable confidence that there will be no further delays,” said Blanchet. Senators were set to resume debate on the amendment Thursday, with a vote expected next week. The bill has drawn attention because the party recently used it as a condition to keep the Liberal government in power. The Grits support the original private member’s bill and have also tried to convince senators to vote for it. “We will not accept any bill that minimizes or eliminates the House’s obligation to protect supply management in any future trade agreement. We have been very clear on that,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during question period on Wednesday. Bill C-282 would amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act to prevent the minister from “making a commitment” that would increase the tariff rate quota for dairy, poultry or eggs in trade negotiations. But it would also prevent the reduction of the tariff on these products when they are imported in excess. If the Senate amendment is adopted, the Act would not apply to existing agreements or those that are being renegotiated or negotiated. “Those who are critical will say that by amending it in this way, we’re sending it back to the House where it might not meet a wonderful end,” said Sen. Peter Boehm, chair of the Senate committee on foreign affairs and international trade during debate in the upper house. In an interview with the National Post Thursday after his meeting with Blanchet, Boehm said “it’s very difficult to predict the outcome of this vote, other than to say it’s going to be close.” According to Senate sources, many conversations between senators have occurred recently. Boehm said he has not lobbied his colleagues. “So, my basic position is, I don’t think this bill is necessary at all,” he added. The Bloc first introduced the bill in 2019 and again in 2021. It was ultimately passed by nearly 80 per cent of MPs in the House of Commons in June 2023. Supporters of the bill say it would protect farmers and local communities across the country, particularly in Quebec, while opponents argue it would tie the hands of Canadian negotiators in trade negotiations. The main opponents include Canadian exporters, as well as senators Boehm and Harder. “Senators Peter Boehm and Peter Harder have literally sabotaged Bill C‐282. They amended it to prevent supply management from being protected in existing trade agreements,” said the Bloc’s House Leader Alain Therrien earlier this week. The two senators are chair and co-chair of the committee that examined the bill and introduced the amendment in the Senate. Both senators were appointed by Justin Trudeau, and Harder was the government representative in the Senate during Trudeau’s first term. “What we did in our examination of the bill as opposed to the other place — we had negotiators, and experts as well, speaking and providing, I would say, a more balanced view in terms of the pros and the cons,” said Sen Boehm, earlier this week. “By trying to ‘de-risk’ it, we are saying that we are looking at this very soberly and seriously,” he added. The bill is being debated as Canada prepares to renegotiate the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) in 2026. “Just think. Donald Trump wants to reopen the CUSMA, and these two guys want to serve him up supply management on a silver platter,” Therrien said earlier this week. The government supported the bill even though it has a policy that does just that. But that policy can be withdrawn at any time, while the law would be within the prerogative of Parliament. Sen. Marc Gold, the government’s representative in the Senate, urged his colleagues to oppose the committee’s recommendation to amend it so that the bill could proceed to third reading in its original form. Earlier, his colleague in the House of Commons, Government House Leader Karina Gould, did the same. “To be clear, Bill C-282 supports the vital goal of ensuring the ongoing strength, stability and sustainability of Canada’s supply management system,” Sen. Gold said. National Post atrepanier@postmedia.com Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here . Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. 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Several years ago, during Donald Trump's first administration, Fox News weekend host Pete Hegseth was vetted for undersecretary positions, and a Senate staffer for a Republican official worked on the background check. What he found was enough to persuade him against the nomination. Justin Higgins, the former policy advisor to Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), told MSNBC that many of the more recent allegations happened after his office vetted Hegseth. He also said that they did a political vetting, not a criminal one, and not one that would examine national security concerns. At the time, Higgins said that Hegseth was being vetted for a few undersecretary roles at the Department of Defense and a few undersecretary positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs. ALSO READ: 'It's offensive': Multiple senators object to Trump's plan to usher in Pete Hegseth "It was taking public information and searching through all of the public records, public statements he's made, financial records, legal statements, and it appears to me based on my vetting experience that a lot of these new allegations came from amazing investigative reporting that resulted in tips," said Higgins, who has since switched parties. He said that as a result they never saw the information that is coming out now. However, even in 2016, Huelskamp's office could see "how uniquely unqualified he was based on his resume alone." "They would give us a list of a person to vet and potential positions they were being looked at," he recalled. For Hegseth, "the reason was pretty clear: he has no experience working with Congress on creating and passing a large budget. He has no experience running or working in a large bureaucracy where he's in a senior position in that bureaucracy. And lastly, military policy experience, i.e., how do we modernize the military in the 21st century with the rise of AI, and also foreign policy experience. This gentleman has none of that." The interview came after reporters told MSNBC there are new accusations about possible drunken behavior while working for nonprofits. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin frequently answers calls in the middle of the night with military emergencies. "There have got to be Republican senators, senators asking themselves, 'Do I want somebody who maybe might have a drinking problem? Maybe might not be altogether with it at all hours, making those decisions?'" speculated host Katy Tur. Hegseth has denied all of the allegations against him. See the comments below or at the link here . - YouTube youtu.beOne of the government’s most senior female staffers is suing Defence Minister Richard Marles and the prime minister’s chief of staff, Tim Gartrell, for allegedly ousting her after she complained of bullying by other colleagues. The legal team for Jo Tarnawsky, who is still technically Marles’ chief of staff, confirmed she had launched legal proceedings against Marles, Gartrell and the Commonwealth on Monday. Jo Tarnawsky and Richard Marles. Credit: AAP, Alex Ellinghausen Tarnawsky’s lawyers – solicitor Michael Bradley and barrister Rebecca Davern – claim under the Fair Work Act that the government engaged in adverse action against the staffer by effectively pushing her out of her role after she raised concerns about bullying in Marles’ office. Last month, the chief of staff alleged she was effectively ousted from her job after seeking help for alleged bullying by her colleagues that left her with suicidal thoughts. Marles himself is not accused of bullying Tarnawsky – who is a former diplomat and one of the most senior women in government – but she claims he shunted her aside in April to work in a lesser government role despite never previously taking issue with her performance. “My workplace situation remains unresolved,” Tarnawsky said at a press conference in Parliament House on Monday. “Today, after untenable delays and inaction from the government, I’m lodging legal proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia.” “Taking legal action has come at the end of a very long and traumatic road,” she said. “The government has been afforded multiple opportunities to rectify the wrongs done to me, but it has done nothing except duck and cover, collude and delay.” The legal action represents a major test for Labor’s commitment to creating a more respectful workplace culture in parliament as well as a major distraction from the government’s agenda to pass up to 20 pieces of legislation in the last sitting week of the year. Tarnawsky previously said the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service was briefing lawyers to deal with her after she engaged her own lawyers to access more counselling services. Marles has previously praised Tarnawsky and said he had worked to support her wellbeing and that of his other staff as he managed the situation. “She has given me great service, and I remain deeply grateful for that,” Marles said. His spokeswoman has also disputed unspecified parts of Tarnawsky’s “assertions and recollections” in a statement. Earlier this month, this masthead revealed the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service handled 339 cases in its first nine months, including some categorised as relating to serious issues such as sexual assault, with 10 formal complaints. The support services’ annual report prompted former staffer Brittany Higgins to ask if perpetrators working in politics are being held to account. Bradley said the workplace support service had been “set up to fail”. “[It] ends up being a support service for the member of parliament, including providing the member of parliament with free legal support, and the staffer is left on their own,” he said. More to come. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter .
Whenever I'm asked what I do, I struggle to find a succinct way of saying I'm a journalist, writer, communications consultant and yoga teacher. I used to think all my work had to fit under one heading, but now I embrace my "portfolio career". It might seem unconventional, but I'm not alone in swapping the 9 to 5 for a more flexible and varied approach. But why are so many people choosing portfolio careers? Career consultant Lynda Barry says portfolio careers have become popular with people who want to use a wide range of skills. "People have realised that they have multiple variations of skills and knowledge, and also their interests have expanded," she says. Aoife Barry: journalist, writer, moderator and broadcaster. This variety and autonomy appeals to Aoife Barry, who is a journalist, writer, moderator and broadcaster. She released her first book, Social Capital, in 2023. "I can play to my strengths and do work that I am good at," says Aoife. "I love being my own boss as I don't have to ask anyone for permission - I'm free to do whatever work takes my interest and take time off when I need it." In March 2023, Aoife left The Journal after 12 years. Changes on a global and personal level made her realise it was time to move on. "I'd found the covid era very intense – there was absolutely no 'break' for news journalists globally," explains Aoife. "After experiencing two family bereavements in a very short space of time in 2022 I had a new outlook on my life – I knew it was time to leave hard news and work for myself." In some industries, rates of pay mean it's not realistic to have just one role. "Freelance journalism rates have barely changed since I was last freelance in 2010, which is a big part of why I have a portfolio career," says Aoife. Although it was a big transition, Aoife never looked back. "The Journal had been an amazing place to work and learn, so I was very lucky to immediately start picking up freelance work," she says. "It was...Middle East latest: Lebanon closes all its land border crossings with Syria except one
Roblox's chief people & systems officer sells $705,259 in stock
US stocks tiptoed to more records amid a mixed Tuesday of trading, tacking a touch more onto what's already been a stellar year so far. On the losing end of Wall Street was US Steel, which fell 8%. President-elect Trump reiterated on social media that he would not let Japan's Nippon Steel take over the iconic Pennsylvania steelmaker. Nippon Steel announced plans last December to buy the Pittsburgh-based steel producer for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains, and US national security. Earlier this year, President Biden also came out against the acquisition. Tesla sank 1.6% after a judge in Delaware that the electric car maker must revoke Elon Musk's multibillion-dollar pay package. Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed US employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier, the reports. The value of the South Korean won sank against the dollar after its president declared martial law and then later said he'll lift it. (More stories.)
