Trump's Stargate Gamble Questioned: Musk Says 'No Money, No Plan'

- First Crack in Trump’s $500 Billion AI Investment Project - Elon Musk’s Public Criticism, Changes in Close Relationship Noted [Unblock Media] President Trump’s first major investment promotion achievement—a $500 billion (approximately 720 trillion KRW) AI infrastructure investment project—is being shaken by Elon Musk’s public criticism. As Musk directly questions core aspects of President Trump’s project, the first signs of a rift in their relationship are emerging. On the 21st, President Trump announced the ‘Stargate Project’, with participation from OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, at the White House. This project aims to invest $500 billion over the next four years to massively build AI infrastructure in the United States. However, on the same day, Musk pointed out on social media, “They actually don’t have the money. SoftBank has secured much less than $10 billion.” It is highly unusual for Musk, who has been a strong supporter of President Trump, to outright criticize a core policy. OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman quickly refuted Musk’s claim. He emphasized the normal progress of the project by stating on Twitter, “Musk’s claim is wrong. Construction is already underway at the first site.” Musk and Altman were co-founders of OpenAI, but their conflict is said to have deepened after Musk resigned from the board in 2018. The New York Times reported that this comment is seen as the first public conflict with the Trump administration. It remains to be seen how their relationship will change as a result of this incident. Currently, the project faces significant challenges regarding funding and credibility. The government is considering securing funds through further cooperation with private companies and exploring strategies to enhance project stability by injecting public funds. Additionally, how quickly the financial transparency issues raised by Musk are resolved will be a key factor determining the project’s success. The White House and President Trump have not yet released an official response to Musk’s public criticism. However, some experts predict that the Trump administration will likely respond quickly to Musk’s comments. Concerns are rising that conflicts between the government and businesses may intensify. On the other hand, some believe that a breakthrough could be achieved through cooperation. Musk has actively supported President Trump’s reelection campaign and has held a close relationship with the Trump administration, being appointed head of the Office of Efficiency after Trump’s inauguration. Although the extent to which this public conflict will deepen is still uncertain, attention is focused on whether President Trump’s core policy, the ‘Stargate Project’, will proceed smoothly.