U.S. President-elect Donald Trump attends a meeting with Britain’s Prince William (not pictured) at the residence of the British ambassador to France, on the day of the reopening ceremonies of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral following the 2019 fire, in Paris, France, December 7, 2024.
Aaron Chown | Via Reuters
In an exclusive interview with Donald Trump on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, the president-elect told NBC News’ Kristen Welker that Ukraine will “possibly” receive less military aid once he takes office.
“We’re in for $350 billion, and Europe is in for $100 billion. Why isn’t Europe in for the same as us?” Trump told Welker of support that has gone to Ukraine since the war began in February 2022.
“The one thing that should happen is that Europe…should equalize,” he added.
On Saturday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a $988 million aid package of new arms and equipment to Ukraine to help in the ongoing conflict following Russia’s invasion. All told, the U.S. has committed more than $62 billion in assistance to Ukraine since the conflict started nearly three years ago.
“I think [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy] is maybe the greatest salesman of any politician that’s ever lived,” Trump previously said of the Ukrainian leader in June. The comments suggest that Zelenskyy’s diplomatic skills were to credit for the tens of billions of dollars in U.S. military aid packages, rather than the country’s actual needs.
Like his stance during his first term in the White House, Trump said that NATO needs to “pay their bills” as a condition of the U.S. remaining part of the military coalition. The incoming president has previously threatened multiple times to withdraw the country from NATO — an alliance that has been in place since World War II, with a primary mission of protecting against the growing power of Russia.
“Europe is in for a fraction, and war with Russia is more important for Europe than it is for us,” Trump told Welker. “We have a little thing called an ocean in between us.”
When asked whether he had been in touch with Putin since winning office, Trump would not deny that he had spoken to the Russian president.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron (C) walks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) after a meeting at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on Dec. 7, 2024.
Julien De Rosa | Afp | Getty Images
The incoming president met with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy during a 35-minute meeting hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Saturday. The three were in Paris for a ceremony to reopen the Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been under repairs since a fire in 2019.
Following Trump’s conversation with Zelenskyy in France, the incoming president took to social media to call for an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
“There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. He added that the “war that should never have started, and could go on forever.”
Trump has said before that within a day of taking office, he would broker an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, crediting his strong ties with Putin.
“I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!” Trump added in his social media post.
Trump also highlighted his “good relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, noting they have been communicating with one another since he was elected and as recently as three days before his interview with NBC’s Welker.
When asked whether he would defend Taiwan if China invades the island nation-state, Trump said that while he prefers China not to do it, he refused to say whether he would have the U.S. intervene, noting that he has to “negotiate things.”
During his recent call with President Xi, Trump said that the topic of Taiwan “didn’t come up.”
The U.S. president-elect also spoke about Russia’s role in the Syrian conflict.
“Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine,” Trump added on Truth Social.
From February 2025, US Mercedes-Benz EV drivers will be able to charge their cars at over 20,000 Tesla Superchargers in the US and Canada.
Drivers based in Canada will gain access to the Tesla Supercharger network later in 2025.
Authorized Mercedes-Benz dealerships will provide a free software update for compatible vehicles to ensure smooth and easy Plug & Charge operation at Tesla Superchargers. Customers with vehicles in scope will be contacted directly to schedule their software update.
The Mercedes me Charge service will integrate drivers into the Tesla Supercharger network, enabling easy Plug & Charge functionality when they charge at Superchargers. Mercedes me Charge also offers public charging at Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging, IONNA, Electrify America, EVGo, ChargePoint, and more.
Mercedes me Charge gives drivers charger locations, real-time charger availability, status, and pricing for all in-network charging points through both the Mercedes-Benz app and the MBUX infotainment system. Charging can also be initiated via the Mercedes-Benz app or the MBUX infotainment system.
Tesla Superchargers will be integrated into Mercedes-Benz’s “Navigation with Electric Intelligence”. This feature automatically navigates drivers to the most efficient, time-saving route, including transparent charging stops and charging times.
“The fast-growing network of charging points available in Mercedes me Charge will now expand to over 110,000 public charging points across the United States and Canada, providing Mercedes-Benz drivers with an industry-leading charging experience whenever and wherever they choose to charge,” said Franz Reiner, chairman of the board of management at Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG.
Mercedes says a North American Charging Standard NACS to CCS1 adapter for current CCS1-compatible EVs will be available at authorized Mercedes-Benz dealerships for purchase in the US for $185 in Q1 2025. Customers will be notified when adapters are available to purchase. They’ll be available from Canadian dealerships in Q2 2025, with pricing to be confirmed closer to market introduction.
The German automaker says it will introduce NACS ports in its EV lineup beginning in 2025.
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Tesla’s Model Y “Juniper” refresh has been spotted for the first time undergoing winter testing in China, in anticipation of an imminent reveal.
The refreshed Model Y has been expected for some time, and is expected to include many of the improvements of the 2023 Model 3 refresh. The headline features of that vehicle are a new front-end, more efficiency, and a quieter cabin. But there were a lot of other interior improvements as well (and one big de-provement, the deletion of steering column stalks).
And we know that it’s coming soon, because there have been plenty of sightings and leaks lately, though all have been camouflaged to hide front and rear end design changes.
And while Tesla said in 2024 that there’s no Model Y refresh coming “this year”, 2024 is over now, and there have been plenty of recent indications that the refresh is imminent.
Well, now that time has apparently come, and photos were posted today of the vehicle undergoing uncamouflaged winter testing in Northeast China.
As expected, the refresh gets rid of the “duck lips” of the previous Model Y, just as Tesla did with the Model 3 refresh, and as camouflaged photos have suggested. The rear end also matches previous leaks we’ve seen, with a sleeker rear end and use of the “TESLA” text badging rather than the Tesla logo (which is also not present on the rear of the Model 3 refresh).
The front end is a more dramatic redesign than the Model 3, though, which gained a lower nose but still retained traditional headlights. The Model Y goes further with a Cybertruck-like light bar across the whole front end, rather than the distinct headlights of the Model 3.
Social media rumors also suggested that an official unveil is imminent, so we may find out more within days. Stay tuned.
What do you think of the look of the Model Y Juniper?
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A judge has officially approved a settlement in a case brought by Tesla shareholders against board members who will now have to return stock, cash, and give up on stock options worth a total of nearly $1 billion.
Let me start this article with a quote from Tesla CEO Elon Musk:
Tesla will never settle a case where we’re in the right, and never contest a case where we’re in the wrong.
Today, Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick approved a settlement agreement between Tesla and all its board members from 2017 to 2020 and the Police and Fire Retirement System of the City of Detroit on behalf of Tesla shareholders over what the shareholders believed to be excessive compensation.
The agreement was first reported in July 2023, but it is only now being officially approved and we learn a few more details.
Shareholders believed that members of Tesla’s board were compensating themselves excessively with hundreds of millions of dollars between 2017 and 2020 when the average compensation of a board member of a S&P500 company is just north of $300,000.
Under the settlement, the board members agree to return to Tesla $277 million in cash, $459 million in stock options and to forgo $184 million worth of stock options awarded for 2021-2023.
That adds up to nearly $1 billion.
The board members include Kimbal Musk, Elon’s brother, Brad Buss, Ira Ehrenpreis, Antonio Gracias, Stephen Jurvetson, all close friends of Elon Musk and people who have financial dealings with Musk outside of Tesla, Linda Johnson Rice, Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, Hiromichi Mizuno and Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle Corp and also a close friend of Musk.
As part of the settlement, Tesla or the board does not admit to any wrongdoing.
Musk didn’t take compensation as part of the board, but he is embroiled in a similar case over his own $55 billion CEO compensation package, which was rescinded by the same judge after she found that it wasn’t negotiated or presented to shareholders in good faith.
The board members who received this “excessive compensation” also happened to be the one who “negotiated” Musk’s CEO compensation package.