• Elon Musk publicly doubts funding for President Trump's $500 billion Stargate AI project.
• Musk's skepticism stems from a reported personal feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
• Trump minimizes Musk's concerns, suggesting they are rooted in personal animosity rather than project viability.
• Altman has expressed his support for the initiative, challenging Musk's claims about financial commitments.
• The Stargate project aims to significantly enhance AI infrastructure in the U.S., promising up to 100,000 jobs.

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s announcement of the ambitious $500 billion Stargate AI infrastructure initiative, Elon Musk has openly cast doubt on its financial backing. Musk, a prominent figure allied with Trump, expressed skepticism over the declarations made during the project's launch, questioning the economic viability of the companies involved, specifically SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle. In a series of posts on his social media platform X, Musk asserted that the companies involved "don’t actually have the money" needed for such a large-scale endeavor, stating, "SoftBank has well under $10 billion secured. I have that on good authority," as reported by CNN.

President Trump, however, downplayed Musk's concerns during a press conference, attributing the tech mogul’s commentary to personal jealousy towards Altman, saying, "He hates one of the people in the deal." This public spat is indicative of the underlying tensions between Musk and Altman, who co-founded OpenAI but have since grown estranged, especially after Musk exited the organization in 2018 due to disagreements over its direction. Altman, now leading the Stargate project, initially responded to Musk's tirades with praise, stating, "I genuinely respect your accomplishments and think you are the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time," but later pushed back with a challenge for Musk to visit the project's first site already underway in Texas. "This is great for the country," Altman declared, asserting his confidence in the initiative, as reported by Newsweek.

The Stargate initiative, touted by Trump as a monumental undertaking to elevate the United States’ role in artificial intelligence, is expected to create at least 100,000 jobs while enhancing essential AI infrastructure. However, Musk's criticisms, reflecting a more profound and ongoing dispute with OpenAI and Altman, raise questions about the project's public reception and its financial underpinnings, particularly as Trump faces pressure to deliver on his promises of transforming the tech landscape.

The White House has remained firm in its support for the project, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating, "These investments are coming to our great country," defending the project against Musk's public skepticism as a vital step for the economy. As tensions between Musk and Altman persist, the outcome of the Stargate project remains closely watched by both supporters and detractors alike, leaving many to speculate on whether collaboration or conflict will ultimately define its success.

For further details, read the full articles from The Hill.