All posts tagged: Disclosure

Court-Ordered Disclosure Reveals Trump Ballroom Contract Shielded Donors

A previously undisclosed contract governing the fundraising for President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom shields donor identities and omits key conflict-of-interest protections, according to documents obtained by the Washington Post after a court order forced their release. The agreement, signed in early October between the White House, the National Park Service, and the Trust for the National Mall, sets the legal framework for what Trump has described as a roughly $400 million project—one of the most significant physical changes to the executive residence in decades. Demolition of the East Wing began less than two weeks after the contract was finalized. Related Articles The contract allows donors to give anonymously and does not require conflict-of-interest review for the White House or the broader executive branch, even as it applies such scrutiny to the Park Service and the nonprofit managing the funds. Critics say the donation structure opens the door for companies or individuals with business before the federal government to contribute to the project without public disclosure. The document was released only after Public Citizen, a watchdog …

Where’s Jared Kushner’s Ethics Disclosure?

Published by Daniella Wilson

In 2021, shortly after he left his role as a senior White House adviser, Jared Kushner let it be known that he had loved his job but disliked the scrutiny and disclosure that came with being a top U.S. government official. He set up a private-equity firm and took a $2 billion investment from a Saudi fund led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He proclaimed that he was embracing private life. “I’m an investor now,” Kushner said in a 2024 interview. If President Trump “calls you on November whatever and says, ‘I’d like you to come back to D.C.,’ you say, ‘Thanks, but I’m good’?” the interviewer, Dan Primack of Axios, pressed. “Yes,” Kushner responded. But Kushner did come back. Two days before the United States and Israel attacked Iran this past February, he was in Geneva in a negotiation of the highest possible stakes. Over the weekend, he traveled with Vice President Vance to Islamabad to participate in failed peace talks with Iran. Without title or remit or any kind of official designation—only …

Steven Spielberg says Barack Obama’s alien comments are ‘so great for ‘Disclosure Day”

Published by skeptic

During a jam-packed SXSW panel about his career, director Steven Spielberg talked everything from Disclosure Day to aliens to President Barack Obama. And yes, all these topics are related. Disclosure Day follows a cybersecurity administrator (Josh O’Connor) who decides to expose a massive secret: that humans aren’t alone in the universe. It marks Spielberg’s return to UFOs and aliens, subject matter he’s already well-versed in thanks to films like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. SEE ALSO: ‘Disclosure Day’ trailer: Steven Spielberg and aliens remain a match made in heaven The film’s story of a government cover-up of alien activity comes at a pertinent time, as President Obama recently discussed his own belief in aliens on Brian Tyler Cohen’s No Lie podcast. “They’re real, but I haven’t seen them,” Obama said in a speed round portion of the interview, before clarifying the aliens are “not being kept in Area 51.” As Spielberg told panel host Sean Fennessey, “When President Obama made that comment, I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is so …

Fed Chair Powell Held 13 Calls With US Lawmakers in Week After DOJ Probe Disclosure

Published by Sam Flores

March 9 (Reuters) – Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell had ⁠a ⁠flurry of calls with ⁠U.S. lawmakers in the week following his January 11 disclosure of a Department of Justice investigation into his statements to Congress, his calendar shows. The calendar notations ‌did not indicate the content ‌of the 13 calls, each of which lasted 10 or 15 minutes. But they ⁠took place ⁠in the days immediately after Powell, in an unusual Sunday evening video statement, called the DOJ’s subpoenas “pretexts” for intensifying the Trump administration’s pressure on the Fed to cut interest rates. Several of the lawmakers Powell spoke with, including Republican senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and John Kennedy of Louisiana, issued public statements of support for Powell ⁠and ⁠condemnation of the DOJ probe. ⁠Powell also spoke with Senate Banking Committee chair Tim Scott, who later said he felt Powell was inept but probably ⁠did not commit a crime. There was no record of a call with Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who shortly after Powell’s video statement vowed to use his spot on …

Will Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Shock Humanity?

Published by Jenni Sidey

On February 19, 2026, President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing government files related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP)—the official term now used for what were once called UFOs. The order calls for agencies to locate and release records tied to UAP investigations, including materials addressing evidence of potential nonhuman intelligence, fueling worldwide curiosity about what the U.S. government may reveal after decades of unexplained aerial events.[6] If those records confirm the presence of nonhuman intelligence, the implications would be profound. But perhaps the most fascinating question would be: How would humans respond to learning we are not alone? When reality changes Human beings rely on mental models to navigate the world. These models include assumptions about the structure of reality and our place in the universe. When new information challenges those assumptions, people must update their understanding of how the world works. Research on individuals who have experienced events that dramatically changed their worldview suggests that such moments can trigger existential questioning, confusion, and a strong drive to make sense …

XAI Loses Bid to Halt California AI Data Disclosure Law

Published by Sam Flores

March 5 (Reuters) – Elon ⁠Musk’s ⁠artificial intelligence company xAI ⁠failed to convince a California federal court on Thursday to temporarily block the state’s law requiring companies to ‌disclose information about the ‌data they use to train AI models. U.S. District Judge ⁠Jesus ⁠Bernal in Los Angeles said that xAI had not yet shown it was likely to prove the law violated its free-speech rights or was otherwise unconstitutional. Spokespeople for xAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling. ⁠A ⁠spokesperson for the California ⁠Department of Justice said the department “celebrates this key win and remains committed to continuing our ⁠defense” of the law. California’s law, enacted by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2024, requires generative AI companies to publicly post a summary of the datasets used to train ⁠their systems. The data transparency law went into effect on ⁠January 1, and is part of the state’s broader push to regulate AI companies. xAI sued the state in December. It argued the law violated its free-speech rights under the U.S. …

Apple Music Rolling Out Disclosure Tags for AI-Made Songs

Published by skeptic

Apple Music is rolling out a new metadata system called Transparency Tags, which indicates when AI has been used in the creation of music hosted on the platform. According to Music Business Worldwide, Apple sent a newsletter to industry partners on Wednesday to explain how it will roll out the new set of metadata. The system covers four categories including artwork, track, composition (lyrics), and music video. Labels and distributors can begin applying the tags immediately. Apple describes the tags as optional for now, noting that if omitted, no AI is assumed. Apple said it defers to content providers to determine what qualifies as AI-generated, and that it treats the tags similarly to genres, credits, and other existing metadata. The company describes it as a first step toward industry-wide transparency around AI-generated music. Proper tagging of content is the first step in giving the music industry the data and tools needed to develop thoughtful policies around AI,” Apple said in the newsletter, “and we believe labels and distributors must take an active role in reporting …

Trevor Paglen Thinks Spielberg’s Disclosure Day Looks Awfully Familiar

Published by Jenni Sidey

On Super Bowl Sunday, Universal Pictures debuted the first full-length trailer for Disclosure Day, Steven Spielberg’s latest extraterrestrial epic. Scattered throughout the trailer are repeated references to cardinals, presented as a kind of harbinger of alien life. If that sounds a little familiar, eagle-eyed art viewer, you’re not alone. Artist Trevor Paglen took to Instagram last week to note the visual link between his 2024 and 2025 shows at Altman Siegel and Pace—both titled “Cardinals” and exploring the history and present of UFO photography—and the new Spielberg film. “Not even mad it’s just kinda weird—I think he should buy some art 😂😂😂,” Paglen wrote. Related Articles Naturally, ARTnews reached out to the artist for a closer look at the uncanny overlap between the two projects. “I saw that Spielberg trailer and there are all these cardinals showing up in different scenes. I was like, I’m pretty sure I know where this guy is getting that from,” Paglen said in a phone call last week. “I know where that metaphor comes from.” Paglen said the idea …

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