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National

Elon Musk threatened to sue the Anti-Defamation League on Monday after blaming the nonprofit for an advertising revenue slump on X since he led a takeover of the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Driving the news: Musk accused the ADL in a post on X of "trying to kill this platform by falsely accusing it & me of being anti-Semitic" after the nonprofit reported a spike in hate speech on the platform following the reinstatement of banned accounts there.

The billionaire said that U.S. advertising revenue "is still down 60%, primarily due to pressure on advertisers by @ADL (that's what advertisers tell us), so they almost succeeded in killing X/Twitter!"

Musk said in another post before threatening to sue the ADL that he's "pro free speech, but against anti-Semitism of any kind."

A screenshot of a tweet by Elon Musk, saying: "If this continues, we will have no choice but to file a defamation suit against, ironically, the “Anti-Defamation” League.  If they lose the defamation suit, we will insist that they drop the the “anti” part of their name, since obviously … 😂"

The big picture: The Anti-Defamation League published a report in May that found over 5,000 examples from February of "virulent antisemitism from 2,173 accounts" on Twitter after accounts were reinstated under free speech advocate Musk's direction.

On Saturday, Musk responded to a right-wing campaign to ban the ADL on X, saying: "Perhaps we should run a poll on this?"

Meanwhile, X is suing the Center for Countering Digital Hate — accusing the nonprofit of making "false" claims after it found bigoted speech had surged on the platform since Musk led the takeover of the site in October.

What they're saying: An ADL spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the nonprofit doesn't comment on legal threats as a matter of policy, but addressed the push to remove the group from X.

"ADL is unsurprised yet undeterred that antisemites, white supremacists, conspiracy theorists and other trolls have launched a coordinated attack on our organization. This type of thing is nothing new," the spokesperson said.

"This onslaught comes following our participation in the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington, where ADL proudly marched shoulder-to-shoulder with African American leaders and those from other minority communities. It also follows a meeting with the leadership of X ... that clearly upset these hateful groups," the spokesperson added.

"Such insidious efforts don't daunt us. Instead, they drive us to be unflinching in our commitment to fight hate in all its forms and ensure the safety of Jewish communities and other marginalized groups."

Go deeper: Online hate and harassment continues to rise

Online hate and harassment continues to rise

Musk threatens to sue ADL after blaming it for X ad sales slump

He accused the ADL of "trying to kill this platform by falsely accusing it & me of being anti-Semitic."

An effigy of Elon Musk is seen on a mobile device with the X and Twitter logos in the background. Photo: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Elon Musk

Social Media

Big Tech

From the Valley to D.C., Big Tech players like Facebook, Google and Amazon are under more scrutiny than ever as new technology develops and privacy and antitrust concerns grow in lockstep with companies’ ambitions.

Technology

Top stories & latest news on the Federal Reserve, real-time data, plus the biggest shifts happening in the U.S. and global economy.

Economy

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

Representatives for former President Trump pushed back Monday on two leading Democrats' comments that there are potential grounds to remove him from the 2024 presidential ballot under the 14th Amendment's "insurrection clause."

Driving the news:  Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said Sunday there's a strong case for disqualifying Trump from the ballot due to Section 3 of the amendment, which prevents anyone who "engaged in insurrection" against the U.S. from holding elected office. A Trump campaign spokesperson called this an "absurd conspiracy theory."

The big picture: Election officials in several states are examining whether Trump's name should be removed from the 2024 ballot under the 14th Amendment clause.

Two leading conservative law professors, William Baude and Michael Paulsen, wrote in an article that there is grounds for disqualifying Trump under this clause.

Two liberal nonprofits have vowed to take legal action should Republican presidential primary front-runner Trump's name appear on the ballot. 

Of note: Trump sent out fund-raising emails Sunday on potential litigation over the 14th Amendment  that railed against "traitorous 'Republicans'" who may be looking into potential cases as he stares down four criminal indictments, per NBC News.

What they're saying: Schiff told MSNBC Sunday that the 14th Amendment case is a "valid argument," noting it's "pretty clear" that if  "you engage in acts of insurrection or rebellion against the government, or you give aid and comfort to those who do," you're disqualified from running for office. 

"It doesn't require that you be convicted of insurrection. It just requires that you have engaged in these acts," said the former member of the House Jan. 6 committee investigating the U.S. Capitol riot. "It's a disqualification from holding office again, and it fits Donald Trump to a T."

Kaine told ABC News' "This Week" Sunday there's "a powerful argument to be made" for disqualifying Trump from the 2024 race, though he said he believed it's "probably going to get resolved in the courts."

He added that in his view, the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol "was designed for a particular purpose at a particular moment, and that was to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power as is laid out in the Constitution."

The other side: A Trump campaign spokesperson said in an email Monday that President Biden, who took swipes at his predecessor in a Labor Day speech in Pennsylvania on Monday, Democrats, and "Never Trumpers are scared to death" about 2024 election polls.

"The people who are pursuing this absurd conspiracy theory and political attack on President Trump are stretching the law beyond recognition much like the political prosecutors in New York, Georgia, and D.C.," the spokesperson said. 

"There is no legal basis for this effort except in the minds of those who are pushing it."

Meanwhile, the Trump campaign-allied MAGA Inc. super PAC in an email Sunday called the comments by "Hillary Clinton's former running mate" Kaine a "bogus legal theory."

They pointed to an Obama-appointed Florida judge's dismissal last week of a challenge to Trump's candidacy under the 14th Amendment. 

Between the lines: U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg said in her ruling that the plaintiffs in the Florida case "lack standing to challenge" Trump's qualifications for seeking the presidency, "as the injuries alleged" in the U.S. Capitol insurrection "are not cognizable and not particular to them."

For the record: Trump denies any wrongdoing in the criminal cases against him and has pleaded not guilty in three of them, including a federal Jan. 6 case alleging that he plotted to overturn the 2020 election.

He's announced his intention to enter a not guilty plea on Wednesday in Georgia's election subversion case against him.

Go deeper: Why Trump can legally run for president despite indictments

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from a Trump campaign spokesperson, the MAGA Inc. Super PAC and further context.

Trump reps call push to disqualify him under 14th Amendment "absurd"

Election officials in several states are examining whether his name should be removed from the 2024 ballot.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after surrendering at the Fulton County jail on August 24, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Former President Trump speaks to reporters at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after surrendering at the Fulton County jail on Aug. 24 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Donald Trump

Former President of the United States Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at Windham High School. 

2024 will be an election year like no other, as President Biden seeks re-election amid economic uncertainty, two wars and questions about his age. His likely foe, former President Trump, faces felony charges and vows revenge on his political enemies. Meanwhile, Americans generally are dissatisfied with those choices and are divided over immigration, race, education and more.

Politics & Policy

Whats Next

Axios What's Next

Humanoid robots are starting to work side by side with actual people in warehouses for the first time, moving heavy boxes and containers.

Why it matters: Labor-saving robots with dexterous fingers and a human appearance are expected to reshape the workforce in various fields, from eldercare and food prep to manufacturing and heavy industry. 

The trick is to get them to walk without falling, hold a charge long enough to be useful, and manipulate things without fumbling.

The brass ring? Housework — because who doesn't want a robot to do the dishes and the laundry? 

The latest: The newest humanoid robot, unveiled Aug. 23, is an all-electric model named Apollo made by an Austin-based startup called Apptronik.

Apollo is 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds and can lift 55 pounds.(See a video of the bot in action.)

"Science fiction has promised us these for a long time," Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas tells Axios

Driving the news: Apollo, which can run for four hours before its battery needs to be swapped, is one of several first-generation robots designed for live action in the workplace.

"Initially, it's going to start working in the supply chain — doing basic material handling tasks, moving boxes and totes," Cardenas says.

This version "has initial applications, but it's a software update away from a new feature or functionality," he adds. "Long term, really the sky's the limit in terms of what these types of systems will be able to do."

For now, Apollo's main job will be carrying boxes around warehouses. Photo courtesy of Apptronik

Where it stands: Apptronik — which won't name its customers yet — has only pumped out a handful of production prototypes, but says Apollo is suited for "mass manufacturability."

"Right now we have two Apollos that are built, and we're building another four," Cardenas said. "These are the alpha units ... our engineering validation prototypes."

The next step will be producing beta units — fewer than 100 — which will work outside the lab, Cardenas said. "From there, we move into full production, by the end of 2024."

Backstory: Apptronik, with 85 employees, came out of the Human Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas, and worked on NASA's first bipedal robot, Valkyrie.

Other companies at or near Apptronik's stage of humanoid robot production include Figure, Agility Robotics and Sanctuary AI.

Big names in the field include Boston Dynamics and Tesla.

🤖 What they're saying: Humanoid robots "could be economically viable in factory settings between 2025 to 2028, and in consumer applications between 2030 and 2035," per a Goldman Sachs Research report published last November.

Goldman "estimates a $6 billion market (or more) in people-sized-and-shaped robots is achievable in the next 10 to 15 years."

"Such a market would be able to fill 4% of the projected U.S. manufacturing labor shortage by 2030 and 2% of global elderly care demand by 2035."

Yes, but: No humanoid robots have been "successfully commercialized yet," as Goldman Sachs points out, and some of today's iterations "can work in only short one- or two-hour bursts before they need recharging."

Between the lines: The human form factor is important for various reasons — making us warm up to Apollo as a colleague, for instance — but also enormously challenging.

Robots of this type need to have "physical intelligence — things like balancing, walking, hand-eye coordination," as well as "cognitive intelligence — reasoning, understanding the world, making decisions," Cardenas says.

The physical design of Apollo is "critical to making people comfortable working around and with humanoid robots," Apptronik said in a press release.

"Digital panels on Apollo's face and chest foster easy communication," while its "friendly, human-like countenance" is meant to evoke a "congenial face-to-face exchange with a favorite co-worker."

The bottom line: Non-humanoid robots are starting to prove their mettle as security guards, autonomous taxis, kitchen workers and delivery bots — but these are early days, and there are still lots of mishaps.

No doubt we'll all grow more accustomed to more robots in our midst — even as we debate whether they're actually taking our jobs.

Meet your new colleague: Apollo, the humanoid robot

Humanoid robots are now working side by side with people in warehouses, moving heavy boxes and containers.

A humanoid robot walks through an office /warehouse space.

A newly released humanoid robot named Apollo is designed to lift boxes in warehouses — for now. Photo courtesy of Apptronik

Robots

Labor Market

President Biden included pointed attacks against former President Trump during a Labor Day speech in Pennsylvania on Monday.

Why it matters: Biden, speaking to the Sheet Metal Workers' Local 19 in Philadelphia, criticized Trump's performance on jobs and infrastructure while also attempting to shore up his union base.

Recent polling has shown that Biden and Trump are headed toward a close 2024 presidential rematch, as both have a major lead in party primary races.

Polling has also indicated that Biden may be underperforming with working-class Black and Latino voters.

Of note: Biden, never referring to Trump by name, called the former president "the guy who held this job before me" and "the last guy."

What they're saying: While praising the 2022 bipartisan infrastructure bill, Biden jabbed at Trump's inability to pass a major infrastructure bill while in office, saying, "The great real estate builder, the last guy, he didn't build a damn thing."

Biden hit Trump on the unemployment rate at the end of his time in office, pointing out that the U.S. had 3 million fewer jobs at that time compared to when Trump was elected.

"The guy who held this job before me was one of two presidents in history who left office with fewer jobs in America than when he was elected to office," Biden said, adding that the other was President Herbert Hoover, who held office during the onset of the Great Depression.

Biden didn't point out, though, that the county had still been recovering from a pandemic-induced unemployment shock and that unemployment had been at record lows before the pandemic.

The big picture: Biden, 80, touched on concerns over his age on Monday, as well.

"Someone said, 'You know, that Biden, he's getting old, I tell you what.' Well, guess what? The only thing that comes with age is a little wisdom," he said. "I've been doing this longer than anybody, and guess what? I'm going to continue to do it with your help."

Go deeper: Biden admin wipes millions in student debt for more "cheated" borrowers

Biden admin wipes millions in student debt for more "cheated" borrowers

Biden ratchets up Trump criticism in Labor Day speech

"The great real estate builder, the last guy, he didn't build a damn thing," Biden said.

President  Biden speaking in Pennsylvania on Sept. 4.

President  Biden speaking in Pennsylvania on Sept. 4. Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images

Joe Biden

At 19, tennis sensation Cori "Coco" Gauff, is already a U.S. Open veteran — and fans including the Obamas, Beyoncé's mom Tina Knowles and Justin Bieber are rooting for her.

Why it matters: Gauff became the first American teen since Serena Williams more than two decades ago to reach the tournament's quarterfinals in two consecutive years.

Coco Gauff: 5 things to know about the tennis star's summer of triumph

"It's all kind of coming together for her."

Axios

Monday's top stories

Musk threatens to sue ADL after blaming it for X ad sales slump

Trump reps call push to disqualify him under 14th Amendment "absurd"

Meet your new colleague: Apollo, the humanoid robot

Biden ratchets up Trump criticism in Labor Day speech

Coco Gauff: 5 things to know about the tennis star's summer of triumph

Federal deficit unexpectedly set to double this year

Truth Social's moment of truth

Why labor has something to celebrate this Labor Day

Zelensky moves to replace Ukraine's defense minister

How return-to-office mandates could affect workers with disabilities