The Trump administration offers federal land for AI data center development, signaling a policy shift toward permitting tech infrastructure on public property.
Oil prices rebounded Wednesday to above $90 a barrel after tumbling the previous week, as renewed Middle East tensions jolted investors concerned about regional energy supplies. The United States and Saudi Arabia conducted strikes against Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, while Iran responded with missile attacks on U.S. military targets. The Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen also launched missiles at a Saudi oil tanker, continuing its campaign to blockade Saudi shipping in the Red Sea. The group's efforts to restrict traffic through the Bab al-Mandab strait—which Saudi Arabia uses as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz—have created a new flashpoint in the broader U.S.-Iran conflict.
The Trump administration is repurposing federal land to accelerate artificial intelligence development by hosting enormous data centers and supporting power infrastructure. The Energy Department announced plans to redevelop parts of a retired Cold War-era uranium enrichment facility in Paducah, Kentucky into a large AI data center campus. The $100 billion project will include 2 gigawatts of natural gas generation, 2.6 gigawatts of battery storage capacity, and will be funded privately through partnerships with NextEra Energy, investment firm Brookfield, and local utilities. One gigawatt of gas can power roughly 750,000 homes. "The US government is leveraging its assets—like our federal lands—to add power generation, create jobs and ensure the United States wins the AI race," Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.
Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter, has launched X Money, a peer-to-peer money transfer service using banking infrastructure provided by Cross River Bank. Available initially by invitation to X's premium members, the service offers users X-branded Visa debit cards, real-time money transfers between users, and financial incentives including 6 percent yield on deposits (with a $1,000 minimum) and 3 percent cashback on eligible purchases. Members must maintain at least $8-per-month premium subscriptions, requiring roughly $1,600 in deposits to cover annual service costs. X Money enters a competitive market dominated by Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App. Musk has long envisioned X as an "everything app" including financial services, echoing his origins in online banking with X.com, which was later acquired and merged into PayPal.
Elon Musk's AI company xAI has sued Minnesota over the state's first-in-the-nation law banning "nudification" technology on websites and apps, raising constitutional questions about state regulation of artificial intelligence. Filed Monday in federal court days before the law takes effect Saturday, the lawsuit contests Minnesota's approach despite acknowledging the state's legitimate interest in banning AI-generated nude imagery created without consent. xAI argues the law "extends far beyond that goal," banning constitutionally protected content and imposing penalties of $500,000 per violation. The company objects to the absence of safe harbor provisions for companies making good-faith efforts to prevent abuse, and notes the law covers images consented to by the depicted person or self-created. The law was signed in May.
President Trump plans to announce a $22 billion renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport that will eliminate the iconic "people movers"—the mobile lounges that have transported passengers between the main terminal and aircraft for decades. The project will replace the people movers with a new passenger train and expanded moving walkways, and relocate the parking lot closer to the main terminal. The renovation is one of several major projects the president is pursuing to reshape the Washington region before his term ends in January 2029, alongside plans for a new White House ballroom and a triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial.