Tucker Carlson, one of America's most influential conservative journalists, told The National on Saturday that Elon Musk has a "great" and positive influence on American society.
"Elon Musk has been great for American society so far in that he's allowed uncensored news coverage on X for which he paid $44 billion," Carlson told The National at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai.
He said that in the United States "the citizen has a right to say what he thinks" but had not always enjoyed that freedom, and Mr Musk created the space for that when he bought X. The company was originally valued at $22 billion, causing Musk $22 billion in losses.
"I think because he thought the promise of America's free speech and we didn't have it, so that is a historic addition to the United States," he added.
In a separate speech at the three-day summit, at which major social media companies and content creators are gathered, Mr Carlson said that the US prides itself on the principle of free speech, giving its citizens the right of freedom of expression.
"Every country is different, but there's one country on the globe that allows, as a matter of core principle free speech on federal, and that's the United States of America. And so you cannot let that erode," he said.
In 2022, Mr Musk acquired Twitter and merged it into his own company X Corp, with the social platform now known as X.
With social media reporting and citizen journalism taking over the media landscape, Carlson said that mainstream media are undoubtedly partisan influencers.
"During the Covid pandemic in the US or Europe, where were you getting the more accurate information? Looking back now that we know a lot of what we didn't know," he said.
He claims that mainstream American media perpetuate lies, making it hard to trust the content or pay for it. But on social media, there is a diverse range of voices that could be closer to the truth than news produced by media outlets, he said.
"The partisans on social media are no more partisan than the institutions they are replacing," he said in his speech at the summit.
Trump re-election might bring about positive change
Carlson told The National that Donald Trump approaching the beginning of his second presidency on January 20 is a moment that presents an opportunity for "positive change".
"Trump got re-elected for the second time with a four-year gap at exactly the moment that a lot of trends are coming to their natural end, like neoliberalism," Carlson said.
He remains hesitant to declare which of Mr Trump's promises will come true, and claims that the escalation of the recent California fires were a result of the alleged poor response from America's liberal administrations.
"It's just this amazing confluence of events … the current system is tapped out, ineffective, discredited," he added.
In a speech he gave at the summit, titled 'The New Rules of Influence,' he said that he supports democracy, but does not believe it cannot be effective for long-term decision making.
Although the world has already experienced Mr Trump's leadership, Mr Carlson believes his second term could be transformative, bringing about positive change.
"Trump, I mean, I think a lot could happen, a lot of really good things. If there was ever a time for positive change, it's now, and I'm hoping for it, of course," he said.
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
TOURNAMENT INFO
Opening fixtures:
Friday, Oct 5
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers
Saturday, Oct 6
4pm: Nangarhar Leopards v Kandahar Knights
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Balkh Legends
Tickets
Tickets can be bought online at https://www.q-tickets.com/apl/eventlist and at the ticket office at the stadium.
TV info
The tournament will be broadcast live in the UAE on OSN Sports.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
RACECARD
4.30pm Jebel Jais – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (Turf) 1,000m
5pm: Jabel Faya – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (T) 1,000m
5.30pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep – Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club – Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m
7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
