
Good morning. This is 1% Better. We’re here to help you get a little better every day. Unbiased, no fluff news and tips to improve your life.
First time reading? Join 300k busy professionals. Click here to subscribe.
Top Headlines
Trump Musk Beef
President Trump called Elon Musk "the man who has lost his mind" after the Tesla CEO accused him of being listed in Jeffrey Epstein files, escalating their explosive public feud over Trump's $2.4 trillion spending bill. The billionaire claimed Trump appears in unreleased Epstein documents without providing evidence, prompting Trump to threaten terminating Musk's government contracts worth billions.
The former allies erupted into mutual social media attacks after Musk denounced Trump's tax package as a "disgusting abomination" that would explode the national debt, leading to Tesla stock plummeting 14 percent and losing $150 billion in market value. Musk backed Trump's impeachment while claiming he won the election for him with $300 million in campaign spending, as Trump dismissed him from DOGE. See the full timeline of events.
House Republicans rallied around Trump, calling Musk's Epstein allegations crossing the line, while the feud complicates passage of Trump's signature legislation through Congress where fiscal hawks now feel emboldened to oppose the bill. Trump said he has no plans to speak with Musk and may sell the red Tesla he bought at the White House in March, signaling their bromance won't recover soon. Tesla rebounds after $152 billion loss from Musk-Trump feud, but reconciliation feels unlikely.
China Trade Talks
President Trump announced new high-level trade negotiations with China following a phone call with President Xi Jinping. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with Chinese officials in London on Monday to discuss their existing trade deal amid rising tensions over tariff breaches.
The talks follow accusations from both sides about violating their previous agreement, with Trump doubling steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 percent while the U.S. claims China slow-walked promised rare earths export controls. Current tariffs stand at 30 percent after hitting 145 percent on all Chinese products during earlier trade war escalations, with both countries previously claiming victory from Geneva negotiations.
Trump said the hour-and-a-half call focused almost entirely on trade with no discussion of Russia, Ukraine, or Iran, while Xi invited Trump and the First Lady to visit China with reciprocal invitation extended. The announcement comes as Trump faces domestic political pressure over his spending bill and signals potential reset in U.S.-China economic relations ahead of broader geopolitical discussions. See major milestones in China-US relations.
Mudrick’s Flying Taxis
Hedge fund manager Jason Mudrick is betting his meme-stock windfall on electric flying taxis after becoming the largest shareholder of British startup Vertical Aerospace and ousting its founder. The distressed-debt specialist turned his AMC and GameStop profits into aircraft that could ferry passengers from Manhattan to the Hamptons in 40 minutes by 2028.
Mudrick's Vertical faces steep competition from better-funded U.S. rivals Joby, Archer, and Beta Technologies, which have collectively raised $1.4 billion versus Vertical's modest $90 million. While American competitors target passenger flights within two years, Vertical's stricter European safety standards push commercial deliveries to 2028 (top 11 air taxi companies).
The former hedge fund star acknowledges the Jetsons-like vision remains far-fetched, but believes megacity congestion leaves only one solution: going vertical. UC Berkeley researchers expect very small scale deployment by decade's end, likely emergency services first. Mudrick calls it a generational bet. See timeline of air taxis.
Earn Better
Never Defend Rates
Former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss reveals his counterintuitive approach when prospects ask about his rates. His response: "It's a lot. It's really expensive. More than you've ever paid." Then silence.
The psychological maneuver forces clients to imagine a horrifying price, but they can't move forward without understanding what justifies that cost. His breakthrough insight: once people contemplate paying premium rates, they become genuinely curious about the value proposition.
The conversation instantly shifts from haggling over numbers to exploring what extraordinary results they'll receive. Voss's negotiation wisdom: Price resistance disappears when prospects focus on outcomes instead of expenses. Stop justifying your rates—make them desperate to understand what they're actually buying (Alex Hormozi does the same thing).
Best Podcast
Learn the dark psychology behind every high achiever's drive. Chris Williamson (Modern Wisdom podcast) reveals the moment he realized his nightclub success was masking chronic loneliness. His brutal awakening: highly successful people share three toxic traits—crippling insufficiency, superiority complexes, and maniacal focus. Here’s how he replaced achievement addiction with curiosity-driven purpose. Full episode.
Market Pulse
> Meta Scale Deal in talks for $10+ billion investment in AI startup, terms still being finalized (More).
> Supersonic Revival Push Boom's Blake Scholl targets 2029 launch for next Concorde, dividing aviation industry on viability (More).
> House Restricts Business Loans passes bill blocking non-citizens from SBA funding with bipartisan support, heads to Senate (More).
> Supreme Court DOGE Wins lifts blocks on Social Security data access and records discovery amid Musk-Trump feud fallout (More).
> Hydrogen Dreams Delayed Air Products' $8B Louisiana plant faces cost overruns, timeline slips as fuel struggles for customers (More).
Speed Read
Day in the life of a pro card counter.
Make your bed more comfortable.
4-step ChatGPT prompting process.
Sunburn remedies for tropical travelers.
Tom Cruise’s gasoline-soaked parachute.