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It’s Elon Musk’s turn for a ‘fork in the road’ as Tesla faces Wall Street scrutiny

It might be time for Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s own fork in the road.  

The electric carmaker is set to report quarterly earnings Tuesday afternoon that may say a lot about which direction Musk and the company he has ridden to immense wealth will go next.  

The company will update investors on revenue, profit and other key figures after months of turmoil as Musk continues to dedicate a large portion of his time to the Trump administration’s attempt to radically remake the federal government, far away from his corporate responsibilities at Tesla, SpaceX and his other companies. 

With Tesla’s stock and brand reputation getting pummeled — and with President Donald Trump’s tariff policy threatening to upend the automotive market, Tesla included — many Tesla investors have called on Musk to scale back or end his government work entirely and return his focus to business.  

The Trump administration has sent “fork in the road” emails encouraging federal workers to consider quitting their jobs.  

Even some of Tesla’s loudest proponents, such as Daniel Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, have lost patience with how Musk is dividing up his attention.  

“This is a moment of truth for Musk,” Ives told NBC News. “If he picks staying with DOGE and the Trump White House, the future of Tesla could be negatively altered permanently. The brand damage he’s created by being part of the Trump administration has already been a devastating blow to Tesla’s reputation, stock and confidence. … He’s made Tesla into a political symbol, which is one of the worst things that can happen to a consumer brand.” 

DOGE refers to the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk’s team of staffers spread throughout the executive branch helping to order spending cuts. Musk is a “special government employee” who’s expected to leave the Trump administration at some point, but with no set date to depart. 

Musk and Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Monday afternoon on whether he is stretched too thin and, if so, what they might do about it.  

Tesla is due to report earnings after the market closes. It also is scheduled to host a conference call with Wall Street analysts, and Musk sometimes joins the calls.  

Several possible paths lie ahead for Musk and Tesla, and it’s not clear which is most likely. Musk could scale back or end his White House job and spend more time at Tesla. Or he could quit as Tesla CEO and keep his focus on politics, putting the company’s future and brand in someone else’s hands.  

The status quo may also endure, with Musk continuing to bet that he has enough attention for everyone.  

Tesla’s stock price has provided a snapshot of the tumultuous run since Musk threw himself into the Trump administration. While its stock price is almost even with where it traded in the days ahead of the election, its shares are down more than 50% from their December peak. Still, Tesla’s total market cap remains just above $700 billion, well above those of its auto industry competitors but below those of major tech companies. 

On Monday, Tesla shares plunged again ahead of the earnings report, falling 5.8%.  

Tuesday will mark Tesla’s first earnings report since the full extent of Musk’s government role and ambitions became clear. Tesla last reported on its financials on Jan. 29, early in Trump’s second term.  

In the past year, Musk has somewhat aggressively started to pivot Tesla into new possible lines of business, including a proposed Cybercab autonomous vehicle and a potential robotic humanoid called Optimus, although the company hasn’t shipped either of those products and some on Wall Street are skeptical that they’ll be successful.  

In a note to clients, Wells Fargo stock researchers said they expected to hear more from Tesla on Tuesday about Cybercab and Optimus, but they called those subjects “razzle dazzle” that “distract from fundamentals.” Wells Fargo has a price target of $130 a share for Tesla, far below the $227.50 close on Monday and near the low end of analyst price targets, according to The Wall Street Journal.  

Tesla has already issued warning signs about its health. It reported April 2 that vehicle deliveries in the first quarter declined 13% from a year earlier, battered by rising competition and fallout from Musk’s involvement in politics.  

Hundreds of protests at Tesla showrooms have also weighed on the company. Under the banner of a “Tesla Takedown,” opponents of Musk and Trump’s government policies have targeted the company to try to gain leverage over Musk, and demonstrators have continued to swarm Tesla locations, especially on weekends.  

Allen Adamson, a co-founder of Metaforce, a marketing and brand consultancy, said that if any other corporation faced a similar image problem, the board of directors might have stepped in to switch out the CEO. But Tesla’s board is famously close to and supportive of Musk.  

Now, Adamson said, Tesla faces risk whichever path it and Musk follow.  

“Musk is the magic that has fueled the stock price,” he said. “If he steps aside [as Tesla CEO], he takes the rocket fuel out of the Tesla stock price, but if he stays, he’s equally damaging the company’s prospects.”  

One unknown factor is how much of the damage to Tesla’s brand is permanent. In other words: If Musk were to leave the White House and return to business, would there be any improvement in the brand’s public esteem?  

Ives said it’s hard to measure the damage Tesla has sustained.  

“It’s taken on a life of its own that he never expected — this has become something bigger and much more of a raging fire than he ever expected around Tesla,” he said. “He sells a consumer brand globally, and the demand destruction … you can’t wear rose-colored glasses about it, and to not see it would be smoke and mirrors.” 

If Musk does turn his attention back to politics, he’d still have an enormous challenge to rebuild the company’s reputation, Adamson said. He said that Musk would need to stop other polarizing behavior, such as posting on X about controversial topics, and that he would have to improve the company’s innovation. Tesla has launched only one new consumer vehicle since 2020, and that product, the Cybertruck, isn’t widely popular. 

“I don’t think he can pull a rabbit out of a hat fast enough to prevent a continued spiral down,” Adamson said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Former Biden official ‘pleased’ Trump admin tackling antisemitism

Deborah Lipstadt, who served as special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism during much of the Biden administration, has indicated that she is ‘pleased’ the Trump administration is seeking to tackle antisemitism.

‘I’m pleased that they’re addressing it, because that’s what I did for the past three years, which was to really push the Biden Administration to seriously address it. So I am very, very pleased that it’s on their agenda,’ she told the New Yorker. The outlet noted that the conversation with Lipstadt was edited for length and clarity.

Emory University announced in December that Lipstadt would return to the higher educational institution later in the academic year.

Fox News Digital attempted to reach to Lipstadt on Wednesday via the email and number listed on Emory University’s website, but did not receive a response to the comment request by the time of publication.

Lipstadt told the New Yorker that the Trump administration has been ‘calling universities to account.’ 

‘I also think there are many Jews, and some non-Jews, too, but many Jews who are disappointed by how universities have behaved since October 7th, and they see a strong – to use Passover terminology – a strong hand being used. Now, whether that hand is being used properly or not raises certain questions about what’s happening,’ she reportedly said, noting, ‘a lot of people were relieved to see this forceful approach. I think, in many respects, it’s going too far.’

She indicated that many colleges have fallen short in tackling antisemitism.

‘Look, the universities failed to address this seriously. And by failing to address this seriously, they failed the Jewish students on campus. They dismissed their grievances. They created an inhospitable atmosphere. We’re now seeing the fruits of that failure. What disturbs me so much is that the debate will now become over whether antisemitism is being used as a weapon to fight against people we don’t like. Antisemitism should not be a cudgel,’ she noted, according to the outlet.

‘The fight should be against antisemitism and not against the institutions. The institutions opened the door. Most universities failed miserably to address this, and we’re seeing the consequences of that now,’ she told the New Yorker.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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’60 Minutes’ producer leaves show, citing a loss of journalistic independence

The top producer at CBS’ “60 Minutes” announced Tuesday he would step down from the newsmagazine because he had lost his journalistic independence.  

“Over the past months, it has … become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it,” Bill Owens said in a memo to staff members, which was obtained by NBC News. “To make independent decisions based on what was right for ‘60 Minutes,’ right for the audience.” 

“So, having defended this show — and what we stand for — from every angle, over time with everything I could, I am stepping aside so the show can move forward,” Owens added.  

Owens’ departure comes during a tumultuous chapter for “60 Minutes.” President Donald Trump has sued CBS for $10 billion over an October interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris that the president claims was deceptively edited. The network has denied that claim. 

Trump amended the lawsuit earlier this year, upping his damages claim to $20 billion.

“Former President Donald Trump’s repeated claims against ‘60 Minutes’ are false,” CBS News said in a statement in October. “The interview was not doctored” and the show “did not hide any part of Vice President Kamala Harris’s answer to the question at issue.”  

In a separate statement, “60 Minutes” said it gave an excerpt from its interview with Harris to the Sunday morning program “Face the Nation,” which used a longer section of the former Democratic presidential candidate’s answer to a question.

“Same question. Same answer. But a different portion of the response. When we edit any interview, whether a politician, an athlete, or movie star, we strive to be clear, accurate and on point,” the statement said. “The portion of her answer on 60 Minutes was more succinct, which allows time for other subjects in a wide ranging 21-minute-long segment.”  

Bill Owens, Executive Producer of 60 Minutes, CBS News, in Toronto on June 22, 2022.Piaras Ó Mídheach / Sportsfile via Getty Images file

Trump has repeatedly lambasted the venerable newsmagazine over its reporting on him and his administration.  

In a post on Truth Social on April 13, for example, Trump wrote: “Almost every week, 60 Minutes … mentions the name ‘TRUMP’ in a derogatory and defamatory way, but this Weekend’s ‘BROADCAST’ tops them all.” He appeared to take issue with segments about the war in Ukraine and his interest in acquiring Greenland.  

Trump added that he believed CBS should lose its broadcast license and “pay a big price.” He said he hoped Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr would “impose the maximum fines and punishment.”   

Owens’ exit, first reported by The New York Times, also comes at a pivotal moment for CBS’ parent company, Paramount. Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, reportedly needs the Trump administration to approve her media conglomerate’s sale to Skydance Media, a production and finance company run by David Ellison, the son of tech mogul Larry Ellison. 

The New York Times reported in late January that Paramount was in settlement talks with Trump. The Times later reported that Owens told staff members he would not apologize for the Harris interview as part of any prospective settlement. NBC News has not independently verified either report. 

In his memo to staff, Owens said “60 Minutes” would “continue to cover the new administration, as we will report on future administrations. We will report from war zones, investigate injustices and educate our audience. In short, ‘60 Minutes’ will do what it has done for 57 years.”  

“Thank you all, remain focused on the moment, our audience deserves it,” Owens said in closing.  

Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News, notified company employees by email that Owens would be leaving and touted his work at the company.

“Tom and I are committed to 60 Minutes and to ensuring that the mission and the work remain our priority,” McMahon said, referring to CBS News president and executive editor Tom Cibrowski. 

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Lane Kiffin sounds off on College Football Playoff format

Lane Kiffin says getting over Ole Miss’ 2024 season is like navigating stages of grief.
Jaxson Dart came over to Lane Kiffin’s house to watch SEC prime-time games after Ole Miss lost to Florida last November. What else was there to do at that point but watch?
Ole Miss narrowly missed College Football Playoff. Lane Kiffin says playoff system ‘doesn’t have it right.’ He favors a 16-team bracket with no automatic bids.

Jaxson Dart had one question for coach Lane Kiffin after Mississippi’s gutting loss at Florida last November.

Can I come over?

Sure, Kiffin told his quarterback.

Kiffin and Dart sat on the couch and watched football.

What else could they do?

Hours previously, Mississippi lost in The Swamp, a result that impaired the Rebels’ College Football Playoff hopes. That night, Kiffin and Dart watched more SEC playoff contenders lose. Texas A&M lost in overtime at Auburn, and, stunningly, Alabama got trounced at Oklahoma.

“Him and I are just sitting on the couch, watching the night games, watching other people get upset on the road in the SEC on senior days,” Kiffin told me, “but he just was like, ‘Man, I just feel like I just let down everybody in Oxford, like every person.’”

Kiffin felt similarly. The Ole Miss coach told me a few weeks ago that he’s not fully over last season. He compared the process to navigating the stages of grief – something he experienced after his dad, Monte, died in July.

Ole Miss entered last season oozing hype centered on the possibility of the program’s first College Football Playoff bid. Kiffin had assembled a talented roster, complete with a star quarterback in Dart, and Ole Miss finally had a defense to match its offense.

The Rebels’ playoff aspirations clung by a thread after the Nov. 23 chaos that started with their loss at Florida. Ultimately, the selection committee chose Indiana and SMU instead of a three-loss SEC team like Kiffin’s Rebels or Alabama.

“You may think you’re over it, and you’re over it in certain areas or parts of it,” Kiffin said about last season, “but then there’s a bargaining stage. … I think sometimes I still do that.

 “It was a really good team, it’s just, we played three one-score games and lost them all.”

The Rebels failed to protect fourth-quarter leads in losses Kentucky and LSU. The Wildcats and Tigers each converted key fourth downs during their rallies, and Kentucky scored the winning touchdown after recovering its own fumble.

The margin of being a playoff team versus enduring anguish became that close.

Although Florida delivered the final blow to the Rebels’ résumé, the Kentucky and LSU losses remain bitter pills for Kiffin.

“The first two (losses), I struggle with more, because you’re ahead,” Kiffin said, adding that his team played “flat” against Florida and failed to overcome a first-half injury to star receiver Tre Harris.

Dart is projected to be a first-round selection on Thursday in the 2025 NFL Draft after three seasons starting for Ole Miss. His former backup, Austin Simmons, is in line to become the starter for a Rebels team that figures to be ranked in the preseason Top 25, but must reconfigure after the departure of several prominent players.

Lane Kiffin: Playoff system ‘doesn’t have it right’

Two weeks before losing to Florida, the Rebels smashed Georgia. If the playoff committee had opted for a three-loss team with marquee victories, Ole Miss would have been a prime choice.

Kiffin aired repeated grievances after the committee’s selections of Indiana and SMU, teams with inferior strength of schedule metrics compared to Ole Miss.

The Rebels’ routs of Georgia and South Carolina dwarfed any triumph by Indiana or SMU. However, 11-win Indiana and ACC runner-up SMU avoided unsightly losses akin to Ole Miss’ home loss to Kentucky. Ole Miss was the only Power Four opponent Kentucky beat.

The committee faced a decision of what it valued most: strength of schedule and marquee victories or overall record and avoidance of a bad loss? Kiffin believes the committee showed its hand: Record is “by far the No. 1 part,” he said.

“The system doesn’t have it right,” Kiffin said. “I don’t think anybody, after watching the games, would say those are the best 12 teams in America. In my opinion, that’s what it should be: You should be getting the best teams.”

Penn State crushed SMU, the committee’s last team in, in the first round. Ole Miss routed short-handed Duke in a bowl game to finish 10-3.

Of the SEC’s three CFP qualifiers, only Texas won a playoff game. SEC teams combined for a 2-3 playoff record. The 2024 season won’t be remembered as a banner year for the conference.

I maintain that either Ole Miss or two-loss BYU – the Cougars beat SMU on the road during the regular season – would have been a better playoff choice than the Mustangs, but that the committee chose SMU because it did not want to penalize a team for losing its conference championship game.

Never mind that CFP rules list no specific protections for conference runners-up.

Lane Kiffin reveals preferred College Football Playoff format

The playoff will remain at 12 teams this season. The field could expand as soon as the 2026 season.

Kiffin favors a 16-team bracket with no byes and no automatic bids. Such a field would have included Alabama, Miami, Ole Miss and South Carolina as the extra four qualifiers last season.

“Sixteen teams, you’d get more people excited about it, more people in play,” Kiffin said, “and less (chance) for error by the committee.

“Forget giving (automatic bids). Figure out the best teams. Let an educated committee figure that out with analytics.”

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Attorney: Shannon Sharpe offered plaintiff $10 million to settle

Pro Football Hall of Famer and media personality Shannon Sharpe vehemently denies sexual assault and battery allegations filed in a lawsuit against him, alleging that he’s the victim of a ‘blatant set-up’ and ‘shakedown’ attempt.

Sharpe has been accused of sexual assault and battery, in addition to engaging in the intentional infliction of emotional distress in a lawsuit filed in Clark County, Nevada on Sunday. According to the suit obtained by USA TODAY Sports, the plaintiff, listed under the alias ‘Jane Doe,’ alleged that Sharpe sexually assaulted her twice, once in October 2024 and again in January 2025. They met at a Los Angeles gym in 2023 when she was 19.

One of the attorneys representing ‘Jane Doe’ is Tony Buzbee, whom Sharpe accused of targeting him. Sharpe said he expects Buzbee to release a 30-second clip from a sex tape ‘that tries to make me look guilty.’

‘This is a shakedown. I’m going to be open, transparent and defend myself because this isn’t right,’ Sharpe said in an Instagram video on Tuesday. ‘This is all being orchestrated by Tony Buzbee… I believe he is going to release a 30-second clip of a sex tape that tries to make me look guilty and plays into every stereotype you can possibly imagine.’

In a statement to USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday, Buzbee said, “Mr. Sharpe is unfortunately a liar.

“Sharpe offered Jane Doe $10 million to settle her case that she rejected,” Buzbee said. “She chose to file her case instead. I’m proud to be her lawyer. I didn’t seek her out as a client or target anyone and Sharpe is well aware of that.”

The plaintiff, who is seeking $50 million in damages, said she was in a relationship with Sharpe for nearly two years, and it began as a ‘rocky consensual relationship.’ The woman says Sharpe became violent over the course of the relationship, threatened to kill her during one incident, and recorded their sexual encounters without her consent.

In October 2024, Sharpe violently sexually assaulted the plaintiff on two separate occasions in Las Vegas, ignoring her requests to stop, the lawsuit says.

On Tuesday, Sharpe denied the allegations and said ‘the encounter in question took place during the day at her invitation.’ He alleges that Buzbee and ‘Jane Doe’ are attempting to ‘manipulate the media’ with an edited segment of a sex tape.

‘The video should actually be 10 minutes or so,’ Sharpe said. ‘Hey Tony, instead of releasing your edit, put the whole video out. I don’t have it or I would myself. You know what happened and you are trying to manipulate the media.’

Buzbee was part of the legal team that reached settlements against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson after more than two dozen massage therapists accused him of sexual misconduct. Buzbee also represented an anonymous woman who claimed that rapper Jay-Z and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sexually assaulted her as a teenager more than two decades ago in a since-dismissed civil suit.

Sharpe said Buzbee has a history of ‘targeting Black men,’ pointing to Buzbee’s involvement in the civil lawsuit filed against Jay-Z in December. Sharpe added that Buzbee is actively ‘trying to take me down.’

In a statement released Monday, Sharpe’s attorney Lanny J. Davis called the lawsuit ‘a blatant and cynical attempt to shake down Mr. Sharpe for millions of dollars. It is filled with lies, distortions, and misrepresentations – and it will not succeed.’ Davis’ statement included several explicit text messages allegedly sent from Doe to Sharpe in order to ‘set the record straight.’

‘Mr. Sharpe categorically denies all allegations of coercion or misconduct — especially the gross lie of ‘rape’ — and will not submit to what he sees as an egregious attempt at blackmail,’ Davis said in the statement. ‘He stands firmly by the truth and is prepared to fight these false claims vigorously in court. He looks forward to vindication through due process and a judgment based on facts and the law.’

Sharpe, a three-time Super Bowl-winning tight end, has his own successful podcast, ‘Club Shay Shay,’ and makes regular appearances on ESPN’s First Take. It was reported last week that Sharpe is eyeing a new podcast deal in excess of $100 million.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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U.S. Center for SafeSport CEO ousted amid criticism

Ju’Riese Colón has been ousted as the chief executive officer of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the organization announced in a statement Tuesday night.

Colón’s departure comes as SafeSport faces persistent questions and criticism from members of Congress, including about the center’s hiring of former investigator Jason Krasley, who is now facing sexual assault-related charges stemming from incidents from his time as a police officer in Pennsylvania.

SafeSport, which was created in 2017 and is tasked with investigating allegations of abuse in Olympic and Paralympic sports, said board chair April Holmes will lead the organization on an interim basis as it searches for a new CEO.

‘We are grateful for Ju’Riese’s leadership and service,’ Holmes said in a statement. ‘As we look ahead, we will continue to focus on the Center’s core mission of changing sport culture to keep athletes safe from abuse. The board is committed to Center employees, stakeholders, and most importantly athletes.’

Colón was just the second CEO in SafeSport’s history and had served in the role since 2019.

Congress created SafeSport following high-profile sexual abuse scandals in several sports, including gymnastics and taekwondo. It was intended to be an efficient, fair way to handle abuse complaints at all levels of the Olympic and Paralympic movement, from those involving Olympic-level athletes or coaches to those in youth sports.

In the roughly eight years since, however, the center has faced consistent criticism on a variety of fronts. There have been complaints about the lengthy delays in the resolution of some cases, and jurisdictional issues that routinely leave national governing bodies in the dark. The center has also been criticized for its high rate of administrative closures, which occur when SafeSport either decides there’s insufficient evidence to support an allegation or the victim chooses not to participate in the investigation.

As CEO, Colón often acknowledged SafeSport’s shortcomings and spoke about the various ways the center was working to improve its policies and procedures. But time and again, members of Congress have appeared unconvinced by the center’s claims of progress or have been concerned about its actions in specific cases.

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, was the most recent member of Congress to speak out, requesting additional information from Colón about Krasley, the former SafeSport investigator. Krasley was fired in November after being arrested for allegedly stealing drug money during a police raid in 2019, prior to his time with SafeSport. He has since been charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor charges related to sexual assault.

‘Accusations of rape and other sex crimes against any SafeSport investigator are especially concerning given SafeSport’s mandate to protect athletes from similar abuse,’ Grassley wrote.

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Vance issues ultimatum to Russia, Ukraine on peace negotiations

Vice President JD Vance told reporters in India that the U.S. had offered Russia and Ukraine ‘a very explicit proposal’ to end the war that has been ongoing for over three years: make a deal or risk the U.S. walking away.

‘We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say yes or for the U.S. to walk away from this process. We’ve engaged in an extraordinary amount of diplomacy, of on-the-ground work,’ Vance told reporters.

The vice president also said that ‘the only way to really stop the killing is for the armies to both put down their weapons, to freeze this thing and to get on with the business of actually building a better Russia and a better Ukraine.’

Vance’s comments come after Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that he would not be attending talks in London aimed at facilitating a ceasefire. On Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters that Rubio would not be attending the talks due to ‘logistical issues.’ 

The secretary later wrote in a post on X that he was planning on ‘following up after the ongoing discussions in London and rescheduling my trip to the UK in the coming months.’

During Tuesday’s briefing, Bruce also said Gen. Keith Kellogg, special presidential envoy for Ukraine, would represent the U.S. at the talks in London.

On Friday, Rubio suggested that the U.S. might walk away from negotiations to end the war within ‘a matter of days,’ despite President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire deal. Trump later told the press that Rubio was ‘right in saying that we want to see it end.’

‘Think about it, every day a lot of people are being killed as we talk about, you know, as they play games, so we’re not gonna take that,’ Trump told reporters. He also said he thinks the U.S. has a ‘good chance’ of bringing peace to Ukraine and Russia.

Security experts, however, are not as confident that peace is on the horizon, as some warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace.

Trump seems to be hoping to entice Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop the fighting with talk of how both countries could benefit from doing business with the U.S. after the war ends. He made the remark after Ukraine and Russia’s temporary Easter ceasefire ended. Both Ukraine and Russia accused each other of violating the ceasefire.

Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

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Trump insists Ukraine-Russia peace deal is close, but mistrust in Putin leaves experts skeptical

President Donald Trump this week said he is ‘very’ optimistic that Ukraine and Russia will enter into some sort of deal in the coming days, but security experts are still sounding the alarm that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace. 

A feeling of geopolitical whiplash is surrounding Washington after the Trump administration last week said it would abandon peace efforts if a ceasefire cannot be secured, though days later Trump said there is a ‘very good chance’ a deal will be reached this week.

The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about what it would mean should the U.S. walk away from one of Trump’s top campaign trail issues: ending the war in Ukraine. 

The administration also has not clarified if Washington would take retaliatory measures against Putin, as Trump threatened to do last month.

‘Simply because Trump hasn’t announced any consequences yet does not mean that he doesn’t plan on taking some anti-Russia measures,’ former DIA intelligence officer and Russia expert Rebekah Koffler told Fox News Digital. ‘Trump almost certainly intends for his economic warfare against China to serve as an example to Putin how far Trump is willing to go to compel his adversaries to his will.’

‘But unlike the China case, there’s no similar dependence between the U.S. and Russia. Trump’s decision on Russia is much more complicated, more risky and requires more thought,’ she added. ‘He may or may not take draconian economic steps against Russia, as Putin may take devastating, non-kinetic actions against the U.S. 

‘It’s Trump’s risk tolerance vs. Putin’s now,’ Koffler said. ‘And both like to win and both have risk tolerance way above average.’

The White House did not respond to questions by Fox News Digital on whether the U.S. would still aid Ukraine in some capacity, particularly given recent restrictions on military aid Trump has implemented on Kyiv, like refusing to sell Patriot missiles previously used to defend civilian populations from Russian strikes and that cost $1.5 billion a piece.

‘If we want to be a global superpower, and we want to deter aggression, not with U.S. troops on the ground, but in general, to deter aggression because it is good for our national security, then we should continue to support Ukraine,’ former CIA Moscow Station Chief Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital. ‘It’s a tiny percentage of the Department of Defense budget.’

‘The return on investment is pretty high,’ he added, referring to the $66.5 billion in military assistance Washington has provided Kyiv since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, compared to the $841.4 billion defense budget congressionally approved for 2024 alone, a figure which Trump has pushed to increase.

A Ukrainian delegation was set to meet with Trump administration officials in London on Wednesday alongside other European partners, including representatives from the U.K., France and Germany.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly set to return to Moscow this week to continue negotiations with Russian officials, though the Kremlin has not indicated they are anywhere near agreeing to ceasefire terms, let alone a peace deal.

A spokesperson for Putin, Dmitry Peskov, on Tuesday reportedly said the issue of Russia’s invasion was too ‘complex’ to achieve a quick fix and warned against rushing into a deal.

‘It is not worth setting any rigid time frames and trying to get a settlement, a viable settlement, in a short time frame,’ he said.

The Kremlin’s position has given credence to repeated warnings from security experts that Putin is not interested in securing a peace deal with Ukraine. 

‘There’s no indication that Putin wants to stop the war,’ Hoffman said. ‘That isn’t surprising. Because for a war to end, somebody has to win or both sides have to be so tired they can’t continue to fight. 

‘Russia is the invader, so you have to stop them in order to have an end of the war,’ he added. ‘The one consistent thing here is Putin is continuing to fight. His objective is to overthrow the government in Ukraine. He’s going to keep fighting until he feels like he has accomplished that goal or he can’t fight anymore.’

Koffler echoed Hoffman’s position: ‘Putin will be pursuing the same strategy regardless of Trump’s actions; that is continuing the war of attrition until Ukraine capitulates or is completely destroyed and the government collapses.’

‘Putin would like to string Trump along and will continue to try doing so,’ she added.

A report by the Moscow Times on Tuesday cited sources close to Putin and said the Kremlin chief is looking to reorder the global ‘spheres of influence’ by negotiating leverage points between the U.S. and adversaries like Iran and North Korea. 

The article claimed that Putin would attempt to get Trump to either force a less-than-desirable deal for Ukraine or potentially stop the U.S. from aiding Kyiv by proposing personally enticing deals, like allowing Trump to build a hotel in Moscow, and geopolitical wins, like securing a nuclear agreement with Iran and a ‘peace deal’ in Ukraine.

Fox News Digital could not verify the report’s claims, but Koffler agreed it could be a strategy that Putin is looking to employ as the U.S. pushes deals across Europe and the Middle East. 

‘He could promise Trump not to share certain sensitive technologies to these two [nations],’ Koffler said. ‘And he could convince Iran not to operationalize and weaponize its nuclear program in exchange for Trump’s promise not to target Iran’s nuclear facilities in a kinetic strike and to lift sanctions from Russia. 

‘The important aspect of all of this is to give these adversaries face-saving opportunities, which is not a strong point for the U.S. style of diplomacy,’ Koffler said. ‘But Putin’s ability to convince Trump and Trump’s decision calculus are two different things.’

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EPA fires or reassigns hundreds working on ‘environmental justice’

President Donald Trump’s administration is firing or reassigning over 450 employees at the Environmental Protection Agency as part of a larger push to eliminate ‘environmental justice’ programs.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the employee moves on Monday, saying 280 staffers were being fired, and 175 others would be reassigned. The cut roles were in the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, the Office of Inclusive Excellence, and EPA regional offices.

‘EPA is taking the next step to terminate the Biden-Harris Administration’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Environmental Justice arms of the agency,’ a spokesperson told Axios.

Zeldin explained at a Monday press conference that tax dollars put toward environmental justice issues were widely misspent.

‘The problem is that, in the name of environmental justice, a dollar will get secured and not get spent on remediating that environmental issue,’ he said.

The firings come the same week that Zeldin launched talks with Mexico about eliminating sewage contamination that flows over the border from Tijuana to pollute California’s coastlines.

Zeldin visited San Diego to discuss the issue on Tuesday, noting that one of the affected areas is the training grounds for Navy SEALs.

‘The Americans on our side of the border who have been dealing with this… for decades, are out of patience,’ Zeldin said Tuesday. ‘There’s no way that we are going to stand before the people of California and ask them to have more patience and just bear with all of us as we go through the next 10 or 20 or 30 years of being stuck in 12 feet of raw sewage and not getting anywhere.’

‘So we are all out of patience,’ he continued. ‘There’s a very limited opportunity. We’re in good faith, both on the American side and also on the Mexican side, what’s being communicated by the new Mexican president is an intense desire to fully resolve this situation.’ 

Zeldin said that he met with Mexican officials for about 90 minutes Monday night to discuss the sewage spewing into U.S. waters — and relayed that the Mexican environmental secretary wants to have a ‘strong collaborative relationship’ with the U.S. to end the pollution. 

‘I will be speaking with the chief of staff to the Mexican environmental secretary to ensure that over the course of the coming days, over the course of the next couple weeks, that we are able to put together a specific statement from both countries on a mutual understanding of what Mexico is going to do to help resolve this issue,’ he said.

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Damian Lillard returns: How many points did Bucks guard score?

The Milwaukee Bucks got a massive boost Tuesday night, but it did not make a difference.

All-Star guard Damian Lillard returned to the court, five weeks after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, or blood clots, in his right calf. However, the Bucks dropped Game 2 of their first-round series against the Pacers, 123-115, and trail 0-2 in the first-round NBA playoff series.

Game 3 is Friday in Milwaukee.

Over the past few weeks, Lillard had been making progress, eventually coming off of blood thinner medication. As Lillard’s progress continued, the Bucks issued news releases indicating that a return during the playoffs could be possible. Then, on Tuesday, Lillard told reporters that he expected to return and the Bucks officially listed him as questionable ahead of tip off.

Tuesday marked the first time that Lillard and Most Valuable Player award finalist Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared in a postseason game together for the Bucks; last season, Antetokounmpo missed the postseason with a calf injury.

Lillard ended up missing 15 games overall with the issue, including Saturday’s 117-98 Game 1 loss against the Pacers.

Here’s everything you need to know about Damian Lillard’s return to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday:

How many points did Damian Lillard score Tuesday against the Pacers?

In what was an up-and-down showing, Lillard finished the game with 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting, seven assists and three rebounds. From 3-point range, Lillard shot just 2-of-8 (25%). He played 36:58 minutes of game time.

Lillard would have a quiet start to his first quarter, attempting just three shots in the period, though he did convert his first one, a step-back jumper from the left elbow. He also rattled home his first 3-point try.

That pattern would continue throughout the rest of the first half, as Lillard was selective — though efficient — with his offense. Headed into intermission, he had scored 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting, with a pair of rebounds and an assist. He was aggressive in attacking the cup, though, making four of his five free throw attempts.

Lillard went cold in the third, though, missing all three shot attempts he took before heading to the bench for a rest before the fourth. Lillard would continue to struggle from the field, connecting on just one shot in the fourth, giving him just three points in the second half.

Lillard did not attempt a free throw in the second half.

What does Damian Lillard’s return mean for the Bucks’ playoff hopes?

While Lillard was perhaps a little too deferential in his return, his offense is undeniable.

Lillard and Antetokounmpo were the NBA’s highest-scoring duo, averaging 55.3 points per game. When Lillard settles and gets his shots in rhythm, and when he attacks the paint and draws contact, Milwaukee’s offense is at its best.

The Pacers, though, were ready for Lillard on Tuesday night. Indiana often matched up Andrew Nembhard, a shifty and long defender, on him. Lillard, 34, also appeared to be a little rusty since his last game March 18.

As the series heads to Milwaukee, the Bucks — now in an 0-2 hole — will need Lillard to be even more assertive. In Game 3 and beyond, expect Milwaukee to scheme ways to get Lillard easier looks, perhaps trying to use pick-and-rolls to shed Nembhard.

Milwaukee could also try to push the pace a little more to try to prevent the Pacers from settling into their defense, allowing Lillard to seek out more favorable matchups.

There’s one issue, though, that Lillard will not solve for the Bucks. If anything, he makes it slightly worse.

Milwaukee’s defense has been wildly inconsistent all season, and the Pacers operated with ease and control Tuesday night. Indiana shot 48.9% from the floor, and that figure would’ve been higher had its shooting not gone cold during a spell in the fourth quarter.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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