BREAKING NEWS
Tesla Q4 results fall short of forecasts. Musk sees unsupervised full self-driving in Texas in June
Read full article: Tesla Q4 results fall short of forecasts. Musk sees unsupervised full self-driving in Texas in JuneTesla’s fourth-quarter adjusted profits rose slightly amid a big push to sell its electric vehicles with offers of zero financing and other incentives, but the results still fell short of Wall Street forecasts.
What is the Office of Personnel Management? Trump is relying on this agency to reshape government
Read full article: What is the Office of Personnel Management? Trump is relying on this agency to reshape governmentPresident Donald Trump is relying on a relatively obscure federal agency to reshape government.
Trump's Commerce Secretary nominee, Howard Lutnick, vows to sell his business interests in 90 days
Read full article: Trump's Commerce Secretary nominee, Howard Lutnick, vows to sell his business interests in 90 daysBillionaire financier Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Commerce Department, said Wednesday that he would sell all of his business holdings within 90 days.
Elon Musk's X partners with Visa on payment service in an effort to become an 'everything app,'
Read full article: Elon Musk's X partners with Visa on payment service in an effort to become an 'everything app,'X is teaming up with Visa to soon offer a system for real-time payments on the social media platform.
Sean Duffy is confirmed by the Senate to lead the Transportation Department
Read full article: Sean Duffy is confirmed by the Senate to lead the Transportation DepartmentSean Duffy has been confirmed as transportation secretary, giving him a key role in President Donald Trump's administration.
How Donald Trump and Project 2025 previewed the federal grant freeze
Read full article: How Donald Trump and Project 2025 previewed the federal grant freezeA sweeping White House order to freeze federal grants and allocations reflects a theory of presidential power that Donald Trump clearly endorsed during his 2024 campaign.
Some Trump voters are skeptical of his opening moves to embrace fellow billionaires
Read full article: Some Trump voters are skeptical of his opening moves to embrace fellow billionairesSome of President Donald Trump's working-class and middle-class supporters see a lack of emphasis on lowering consumer costs and making daily American life more affordable.
Trump fills his government with billionaires after running on a working-class message
Read full article: Trump fills his government with billionaires after running on a working-class messagePresident Donald Trump's second White House is looking a lot like the inside of Mar-a-Lago, with extremely wealthy Americans taking key roles in his Republican administration.
LinkedIn Founder Reid Hoffman sees bright AI future and hopes his tech peers are right about Trump
Read full article: LinkedIn Founder Reid Hoffman sees bright AI future and hopes his tech peers are right about TrumpLinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman has been immersed in Silicon Valley since his August 1967 birth in Palo Alto, California, in the shadow of Stanford University, where he and fellow technology luminary Peter Thiel became friends as college students during the 1980s.
Intelligence sharing by the US and its allies has saved lives. Trump could test those ties
Read full article: Intelligence sharing by the US and its allies has saved lives. Trump could test those tiesCurrent and former European and U.S. officials have raised concerns about some of President Donald Trump’s picks for top intelligence posts.
Battlegrounds Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are back in the spotlight with high-stakes court elections
Read full article: Battlegrounds Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are back in the spotlight with high-stakes court electionsRepublicans put Pennsylvania and Wisconsin back in the win column in the 2024 presidential race.
How key Republican senators are responding to Trump allies' primary threats
Read full article: How key Republican senators are responding to Trump allies' primary threatsAllies of President Donald Trump have been quick to threaten primary challengers for Republican senators who don’t back Trump's Cabinet picks and legislative priorities.
He's emboldened, he's organized and he's still Trump: Takeaways from the president's opening days
Read full article: He's emboldened, he's organized and he's still Trump: Takeaways from the president's opening daysDonald Trump’s first week in office isn’t over yet, but what the Republican president has done so far offers clues about how his next four years in the White House may unfold.
What Americans think about Trump and Musk's plans for the federal government: AP-NORC poll
Read full article: What Americans think about Trump and Musk's plans for the federal government: AP-NORC pollAmericans see the federal government as rife with corruption, inefficiency and red tape — but they’re less sure about whether Elon Musk is the right person to fix it.
Experts worry that Trump's Jan. 6 pardons will legitimize political violence, embolden extremists
Read full article: Experts worry that Trump's Jan. 6 pardons will legitimize political violence, embolden extremistsPresident Donald Trump's pardons of those convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and the rhetoric of retribution from some of those released this week is raising deep concern among attorneys, former federal investigators and experts who follow extremism.
Davos 2025: Trump leaves an impression with his video address to the World Economic Forum
Read full article: Davos 2025: Trump leaves an impression with his video address to the World Economic ForumU.S. President Donald Trump drew pockets of laughter and a few moans with his blunt comments to an international audience while appearing by video link at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Musk clashes with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over Trump-supported Stargate AI data center project
Read full article: Musk clashes with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over Trump-supported Stargate AI data center projectElon Musk is clashing with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over the Stargate artificial intelligence infrastructure project touted by President Donald Trump, the latest in a feud between the two billionaires that started on OpenAI’s board and is now testing Musk’s influence with the new president.
Everything Trump did in the first executive orders and actions of his presidency
Read full article: Everything Trump did in the first executive orders and actions of his presidencyPresident Donald Trump began his second administration with a blitz of policy actions to reorient U.S. government priorities.
Trump made DOGE part of the government. Here's what that might mean
Read full article: Trump made DOGE part of the government. Here's what that might meanThe new Department of Government Efficiency, President Donald Trump’s special commission tasked with slashing federal spending, has formally joined the government whose size it is supposed to help shrink.
Trump rescinds Biden's executive order on AI safety in attempt to diverge from his predecessor
Read full article: Trump rescinds Biden's executive order on AI safety in attempt to diverge from his predecessorHours after returning to the White House, President Donald Trump made a symbolic mark on the future of artificial intelligence by repealing former President Joe Biden’s guardrails for the fast-developing technology.
China and US partners are moving closer as Trump returns to the White House
Read full article: China and US partners are moving closer as Trump returns to the White HouseChina's relations are starting to improve with Japan, India and other countries that former U.S. President Joe Biden courted, just as Donald Trump brings his more unilateralist approach back to the White House.
Democrats struggle to pick their message against Trump's shock-and-awe campaign
Read full article: Democrats struggle to pick their message against Trump's shock-and-awe campaignPresident Donald Trump has publicly promised a shock-and-awe campaign to deliver major policy victories, and less than 36 hours after Trump’s inauguration, Democrats are struggling to confront it.
Trump invoked all corners of American history. How might he use them to build his new 'Golden Age'?
Read full article: Trump invoked all corners of American history. How might he use them to build his new 'Golden Age'?In summoning people to his vision for the future, Donald Trump assembled a dizzying collage of time-honored and time-worn American myths, tropes and ideals.
Trump highlights partnership investing $500 billion in AI
Read full article: Trump highlights partnership investing $500 billion in AIPresident Donald Trump is talking up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank.
Musk's straight-arm gesture embraced by right-wing extremists regardless of what he meant
Read full article: Musk's straight-arm gesture embraced by right-wing extremists regardless of what he meantRight-wing extremists are celebrating Elon Musk’s straight-arm gesture during a speech Monday, although his intention wasn’t totally clear and some hate watchdogs are saying not to read too much into it.
Trump orders government not to infringe on Americans’ speech, calls for censorship investigation
Read full article: Trump orders government not to infringe on Americans’ speech, calls for censorship investigationPresident Donald Trump has ordered that no federal officer, employee or agent may unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen.
Billionaires, tech titans, presidents: A guide to who stood where at Trump's inauguration
Read full article: Billionaires, tech titans, presidents: A guide to who stood where at Trump's inaugurationThe crowded scene in the Capitol Rotunda on Inauguration Day featured four of the world’s five wealthiest men, five U.S. presidents, influential sporting figures and two foreign leaders with prime seats on the dais.
Trump issues an executive order to suspend the US TikTok ban. But can it stick?
Read full article: Trump issues an executive order to suspend the US TikTok ban. But can it stick?President Donald Trump has signed an executive order Monday to keep TikTok operating for 75 days, a relief to the social media platform’s users even as national security questions persist.
Inside the intimate inauguration: Close-up encounters between political rivals, some awkward
Read full article: Inside the intimate inauguration: Close-up encounters between political rivals, some awkwardA president’s inaugural address is a time-honored spectacle: A makeshift grandstand is erected next to the Capitol and hundreds of thousands people line the National Mall.
Ramaswamy won't serve on Trump's government efficiency commission as he mulls run for Ohio governor
Read full article: Ramaswamy won't serve on Trump's government efficiency commission as he mulls run for Ohio governorVivek Ramaswamy is no longer part of the government efficiency commission that President Donald Trump selected him to lead alongside billionaire Elon Musk.
Elon Musk's prominence during inauguration ceremonies stamps tech titan's place in Trump's orbit
Read full article: Elon Musk's prominence during inauguration ceremonies stamps tech titan's place in Trump's orbitThe blossoming relationship between President Donald Trump and tech titan Elon Musk was on full display throughout Monday's inauguration ceremonies.
Symbol of unity? Inauguration news coverage illustrates differences that pull country apart
Read full article: Symbol of unity? Inauguration news coverage illustrates differences that pull country apartPresidential inaugurals frequently symbolize what binds Americans, a quadrennial celebration of a peaceful transition of power.
Trump, a populist president, is flanked by tech billionaires at his inauguration
Read full article: Trump, a populist president, is flanked by tech billionaires at his inaugurationSome of the most exclusive seats at President Donald Trump’s inauguration were reserved for powerful tech CEOs who also are among the world’s richest men.
Trump, in his inaugural address, rips into the country's past leaders and makes sweeping promises
Read full article: Trump, in his inaugural address, rips into the country's past leaders and makes sweeping promisesPresident Donald Trump’s second inaugural address sounded like his first, with a sweeping indictment of the country he inherits and grand promises to fix its problems.
Inauguration Day Latest: Trump issues pardons for Jan. 6 rioters and signs more executive actions
Read full article: Inauguration Day Latest: Trump issues pardons for Jan. 6 rioters and signs more executive actionsDonald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, taking charge as Republicans claim unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country’s institutions.
Italian journalist detained in Iran says she expected to be held longer and praises Musk's role
Read full article: Italian journalist detained in Iran says she expected to be held longer and praises Musk's roleAn Italian journalist detained in Iran whose fate became intertwined with that of an Iranian engineer wanted by the United States says she assumed she would have been held much longer.
Inauguration Day Latest: Biden and Trump at the US Capitol for the swearing-in
Read full article: Inauguration Day Latest: Biden and Trump at the US Capitol for the swearing-inDonald Trump, who overcame impeachments, criminal indictments and a pair of assassination attempts to win another term in the White House, is set to be sworn in as the 47th U.S. president.
Vice President Han Zheng, China's representative at Trump's inauguration, is a trusted adviser to Xi
Read full article: Vice President Han Zheng, China's representative at Trump's inauguration, is a trusted adviser to XiVice President Han Zheng, China’s representative at Donald Trump’s inauguration, is a trusted adviser to President Xi Jinping.
Trump sets out to erase Biden's legacy with pardons and orders immediately after taking office
Read full article: Trump sets out to erase Biden's legacy with pardons and orders immediately after taking officeDonald Trump has begun erasing Joe Biden’s legacy after taking office as the nation’s 47th president.
Billionaires' wealth soared in 2024, anti-poverty group says as the elites prepare for another Davos
Read full article: Billionaires' wealth soared in 2024, anti-poverty group says as the elites prepare for another DavosBillionaire's wealth has grown faster last year, and now the world can expect at least five trillionaires within a decade, even as the number of people in poverty has barely budged since 1990.
From backing a ban to being hailed as a savior: Inside Trump's TikTok shift
Read full article: From backing a ban to being hailed as a savior: Inside Trump's TikTok shiftDuring his first term as president, Donald Trump led the effort to ban TikTok, the hugely popular video-sharing site he said posed threats to U.S. national security.
Trump's inauguration will be first attended by foreign leaders
Read full article: Trump's inauguration will be first attended by foreign leadersFor the first time in U.S. history, a president-elect is welcoming foreign leaders for one of the most American political traditions — the peaceful transfer of power.
What to watch at Trump's inauguration: Big Tech CEOs, Carrie Underwood and foreign leaders
Read full article: What to watch at Trump's inauguration: Big Tech CEOs, Carrie Underwood and foreign leadersDonald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president was expected to be an extravagant break from tradition — before it got moved indoors due to cold weather.
Vance will make his mark as the first millennial vice president and the potential MAGA torchbearer
Read full article: Vance will make his mark as the first millennial vice president and the potential MAGA torchbearerAs he prepares to become the nation’s first millennial vice president, JD Vance is already a budding kingmaker in Republican politics and the presumptive heir to the “Make America Great Again” movement.
Commerce Secretary Raimondo offers a parting shot at Trump and advice for Democrats' future
Read full article: Commerce Secretary Raimondo offers a parting shot at Trump and advice for Democrats' futureCommerce Secretary Gina Raimondo says Donald Trump is a president-elect who for all of his aggressive talk is afraid to let America compete with the rest of the world, responding instead with tariffs and curtailing immigration.
SpaceX launch accident likely caused by fire that sent trails of flaming debris near the Caribbean
Read full article: SpaceX launch accident likely caused by fire that sent trails of flaming debris near the CaribbeanSpaceX suspects a fire may have caused its Starship to break apart during liftoff and send trails of flaming debris near the Caribbean.
Progressives are frustrated by Biden's final-days warning of billionaire influence
Read full article: Progressives are frustrated by Biden's final-days warning of billionaire influenceThe Democratic Party's left wing is responding to President Joe Biden's strong words about the possibility of an American oligarchy with a combination of appreciation, bemusement and frustration.
As Biden warns of an 'oligarchy,' Trump will be flanked by tech billionaires at his inauguration
Read full article: As Biden warns of an 'oligarchy,' Trump will be flanked by tech billionaires at his inaugurationThe super-rich have long played a role in U.S. politics but have an unusually prominent spot in incoming President Donald Trump's new administration.
Biden warns the US risks becoming an 'oligarchy.' What does the term mean?
Read full article: Biden warns the US risks becoming an 'oligarchy.' What does the term mean?President Joe Biden in his Wednesday farewell speech to the nation warned that American democracy was sliding into an “oligarchy” of tech billionaires.
UK backs local inquiries into child sexual abuse gangs after Musk stoked controversy
Read full article: UK backs local inquiries into child sexual abuse gangs after Musk stoked controversyThe British government says it will support a series of local inquiries into organized child sexual abuse in the wake of a furor largely stoked by the world’s richest man Elon Musk.
Italy’s Meloni to leverage strong ties with Trump — but as president whisperer or Trojan horse?
Read full article: Italy’s Meloni to leverage strong ties with Trump — but as president whisperer or Trojan horse?After forging unexpectedly fond ties with President Biden, Italy’s right-wing Premier Giorgia Meloni is poised to leverage a more natural alliance with incoming President Trump that positions her as a key interlocutor between the U.S. and Europe.
Who could buy TikTok? Only a few parties are serious about offering
Read full article: Who could buy TikTok? Only a few parties are serious about offeringThe supremely popular TikTok could be banned on Jan. 19 under a federal law that forces the video sharing platform to divest itself from its China-based parent company, ByteDance, or shut down its U.S. operations.
Transportation secretary pick vows to buck any pressure to help Elon Musk in agency probes of Tesla
Read full article: Transportation secretary pick vows to buck any pressure to help Elon Musk in agency probes of TeslaTransportation secretary nominee Sean Duffy promised to not interfere in ongoing agency investigations into Elon Musk’s electric car company if confirmed to head the department.
Vivek Ramaswamy, an Ohio native, is interested in filling Vance's old Senate seat, AP source says
Read full article: Vivek Ramaswamy, an Ohio native, is interested in filling Vance's old Senate seat, AP source saysFormer Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has expressed interest in the Ohio U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance.
US recovers $31 million in federal payments to dead people
Read full article: US recovers $31 million in federal payments to dead peopleEver since the U.S. Social Security Administration opened its books to the Department of the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service, it has been able to stop and recover more than $31 million in improper federal payments to dead people.
SEC sues Elon Musk, saying he didn't disclose Twitter ownership on time before buying it
Read full article: SEC sues Elon Musk, saying he didn't disclose Twitter ownership on time before buying itThe U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has sued billionaire Elon Musk, saying he failed to disclose his ownership of Twitter stock in a timely manner in early 2022, before buying the social media site.
Trump says he will create an 'External Revenue Service' agency to collect tariff income
Read full article: Trump says he will create an 'External Revenue Service' agency to collect tariff incomePresident-elect Donald Trump says he plans to create a new agency called the External Revenue Service to collect tariffs and other revenues from foreign nations.
Elon Musk says a third patient got a Neuralink brain implant. The work is part of a booming field
Read full article: Elon Musk says a third patient got a Neuralink brain implant. The work is part of a booming fieldElon Musk says a third person has received an implant from his brain-computer interface company Neuralink.
Far-right party's convention draws protests as Germany's election campaign warms up
Read full article: Far-right party's convention draws protests as Germany's election campaign warms upThousands of people have demonstrated against a convention of the far-right Alternative for Germany, blocking some roads and delaying the meeting’s start as the country's major parties launched their campaigns for next month's general election.
Biden is still considering pardons for people who have been criticized or threatened by Trump
Read full article: Biden is still considering pardons for people who have been criticized or threatened by TrumpPresident Joe Biden says he is still considering whether to give pardons to people who have been criticized or threatened by President-elect Donald Trump.
LA Mayor Karen Bass faces critical leadership test as questions emerge about wildfire response
Read full article: LA Mayor Karen Bass faces critical leadership test as questions emerge about wildfire responseLos Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing withering criticism for her response to the firestorm ravaging her city.
Musk uses X livestream to amplify German far-right leader's views ahead of an election
Read full article: Musk uses X livestream to amplify German far-right leader's views ahead of an electionElon Musk livestreamed his chat with a leader of Germany’s far-right party, using the power of his social media platform, X, to amplify the party’s message ahead of an upcoming national election.
UK foreign policy chief says Trump is right to urge higher military spending from NATO
Read full article: UK foreign policy chief says Trump is right to urge higher military spending from NATOBritain's top diplomat says Europe’s security “is on a knife-edge” and President-elect Donald Trump is right to say NATO member nations must increase military spending.
Meloni says Italy is exploring deals on telecoms security, but denies private talks with Musk
Read full article: Meloni says Italy is exploring deals on telecoms security, but denies private talks with MuskItaly’s Premier Giorgia Meloni says her government is in talks with private companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, over the country’s telecoms security system, but denied having discussed the issue privately with Musk.
Man who exploded Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas used generative AI, police say
Read full article: Man who exploded Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas used generative AI, police sayLast Vegas police say the soldier who exploded a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas used generative AI including ChatGPT to help plan the attack.
Elon Musk has expressed interest in buying English soccer club Liverpool, his father says
Read full article: Elon Musk has expressed interest in buying English soccer club Liverpool, his father saysElon Musk’s father says his billionaire son has expressed interest in buying English soccer club Liverpool.
Elon Musk helped Trump win. Now he's looking at Europe, and many politicians are alarmed
Read full article: Elon Musk helped Trump win. Now he's looking at Europe, and many politicians are alarmedFresh from pouring his money and energies into helping Donald Trump win reelection, Elon Musk has trained his sights on Europe.
Meta eliminates fact-checking in latest bow to Trump
Read full article: Meta eliminates fact-checking in latest bow to TrumpFacebook and Instagram owner Meta says it’s scrapping its third-party fact-checking program and replacing it with “community notes” written by users similar to the model used by Elon Musk’s social platform X.
German leader is more worried about Musk's backing of a far-right party than his insults
Read full article: German leader is more worried about Musk's backing of a far-right party than his insultsGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he's staying “cool” against critical personal comments made by Elon Musk but finds it worrying that Musk makes the effort to get involved in Germany's general election by endorsing the far-right Alternative for Germany party.
Tesla data helped police after Las Vegas truck explosion, but experts have wider privacy concerns
Read full article: Tesla data helped police after Las Vegas truck explosion, but experts have wider privacy concernsData collected by Tesla on the driver and vehicle in the Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion and then shared with law enforcement has shined a spotlight on a difficult ethical question for the auto industry: Are companies violating your privacy rights.
Soldier who blew up Tesla at Trump hotel left note saying blast was to be a 'wake up call' for US
Read full article: Soldier who blew up Tesla at Trump hotel left note saying blast was to be a 'wake up call' for USA highly decorated Army soldier who fatally shot himself just before an explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck at the Trump hotel in Las Vegas left a note saying it was a stunt to serve as “wake up call” for the country’s ills.
Soldier shot self in head before Cybertruck exploded outside Trump's Las Vegas hotel, officials say
Read full article: Soldier shot self in head before Cybertruck exploded outside Trump's Las Vegas hotel, officials sayAuthorities say the highly decorated soldier inside a Tesla Cybertruck packed with fireworks that exploded outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas shot himself in the head just before detonation.
Firework mortars, gas cannisters stuffed inside Tesla that exploded outside Trump's Las Vegas hotel
Read full article: Firework mortars, gas cannisters stuffed inside Tesla that exploded outside Trump's Las Vegas hotelFirework mortars and camp fuel canisters were found stuffed into the back of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel early Wednesday.
Musk causes uproar for backing Germany's far-right party ahead of key elections
Read full article: Musk causes uproar for backing Germany's far-right party ahead of key electionsTech entrepreneur Elon Musk has caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest.
Trump appears to side with Musk, tech allies in debate over foreign workers roiling his supporters
Read full article: Trump appears to side with Musk, tech allies in debate over foreign workers roiling his supportersPresident-elect Donald Trump appears to be siding with Elon Musk and his other backers in the tech industry as a dispute over immigration visas has divided his supporters.
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition
Read full article: An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalitionAn online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display.
Bluesky finds with growth comes growing pains — and bots
Read full article: Bluesky finds with growth comes growing pains — and botsBluesky has seen its user base soar since the U.S. presidential election, boosted by people seeking refuge from Elon Musk’s X, or wanting an alternative to Meta’s Threads and its algorithms.
Lara Trump says she's removing herself from consideration to be Florida senator
Read full article: Lara Trump says she's removing herself from consideration to be Florida senatorLara Trump, the daughter-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump, says she’s removing herself from consideration to be a Florida senator.
Amazon and Starbucks workers are on strike. Trump might have something to do with it
Read full article: Amazon and Starbucks workers are on strike. Trump might have something to do with itAmazon delivery drivers and Starbucks baristas are on strike in a handful of U.S. cities as they seek to exert pressure on the two major companies to recognize them as unionized employees or to meet demands for an inaugural labor contract.
Senate passes RFK Stadium land bill, giving the Washington Commanders a major off-the-field win
Read full article: Senate passes RFK Stadium land bill, giving the Washington Commanders a major off-the-field winThe Washington Commanders' path to returning to nation's capital is clear after an on-again, off-again saga in Congress ended with a late reprieve.
Musk helped kill a congressional spending bill. But much of what he spread was misinformation
Read full article: Musk helped kill a congressional spending bill. But much of what he spread was misinformationPresident Donald Trump’s billionaire ally Elon Musk used his outsize influence on X to help kill a bipartisan funding proposal that would have prevented a government shutdown, spreading multiple false claims in the process.