Joe Lonsdale

This is dangerous though, right, Shamath? Because I agree with you in theory, but then there's something where if everyone's lobbying for their thing to be an exception, you end up getting this very crony system that you don't necessarily want, right? So you have to be very careful how you define these things.

This is dangerous though, right, Shamath? Because I agree with you in theory, but then there's something where if everyone's lobbying for their thing to be an exception, you end up getting this very crony system that you don't necessarily want, right? So you have to be very careful how you define these things.

Yeah, and it's gone up massively with the NGOs too. So you've had about 4 million people employed by contractors in DC, 1.6 million more at the states actually by federal spending. And then you have the NGOs. No one knows the NGOs. Biden administration took down the data. I used to see things in 2020. So we don't even know how much money, but we know it was hundreds of billions.

Yeah, and it's gone up massively with the NGOs too. So you've had about 4 million people employed by contractors in DC, 1.6 million more at the states actually by federal spending. And then you have the NGOs. No one knows the NGOs. Biden administration took down the data. I used to see things in 2020. So we don't even know how much money, but we know it was hundreds of billions.

And so it's pretty crazy. The number one thing about how Doge is not being done fully is that Elon is doing an amazing job. Whether or not he cuts 500 billion or a trillion or a lot more, but the senators and the congressmen are not willing to take it out of their bill. The reconciliation bill right now, they're talking about cutting one to two trillion.

And so it's pretty crazy. The number one thing about how Doge is not being done fully is that Elon is doing an amazing job. Whether or not he cuts 500 billion or a trillion or a lot more, but the senators and the congressmen are not willing to take it out of their bill. The reconciliation bill right now, they're talking about cutting one to two trillion.

So rather than, like, this is over 10 years.

So rather than, like, this is over 10 years.

If it was equal to what Elon was doing, it'd be at least $5 trillion. And I push a bunch of them. They say, oh, the Congressional Budget Office and all these things. And I'm sure there's some tough things there. But like, this is crazy. We need to see what these cuts need to be on Doge. And we need to cut $5 trillion. And none of these people have the balls to do that.

If it was equal to what Elon was doing, it'd be at least $5 trillion. And I push a bunch of them. They say, oh, the Congressional Budget Office and all these things. And I'm sure there's some tough things there. But like, this is crazy. We need to see what these cuts need to be on Doge. And we need to cut $5 trillion. And none of these people have the balls to do that.

It's not the political will to do it, is my interpretation. And

It's not the political will to do it, is my interpretation. And

This is why it's so frustrating to build for the government, guys. This is what Palantir and SpaceX had to deal with. This is why they both sued the government, is that all the friends who used to be the CIO, used to be the general, made the right donations, had the right kid on the board. It's all corrupt. And then the actual substantive people, you have to work like hell.

This is why it's so frustrating to build for the government, guys. This is what Palantir and SpaceX had to deal with. This is why they both sued the government, is that all the friends who used to be the CIO, used to be the general, made the right donations, had the right kid on the board. It's all corrupt. And then the actual substantive people, you have to work like hell.

Let's let's talk about this. I mean, when we go to DC, when I go to DC, what I am asking is I want there to be a fair competition. And if I win, I want my company to actually be able to win the contract because the way it's worked for 20 years, like like Everest, you just raised $250 million this week. It's a great company. We had a big contest four years ago. L3, Raytheon, Northrop.

Let's let's talk about this. I mean, when we go to DC, when I go to DC, what I am asking is I want there to be a fair competition. And if I win, I want my company to actually be able to win the contract because the way it's worked for 20 years, like like Everest, you just raised $250 million this week. It's a great company. We had a big contest four years ago. L3, Raytheon, Northrop.

These guys, you know, in and out of government for decades. They've gotten tens of billions of dollars to the same technology area. When we went head to head with them, we didn't just like beat them by a little bit. We shot down the hardened drones nine and a half times farther away. Same size, same power. Nine and a half times. Completely wiped the floor.

These guys, you know, in and out of government for decades. They've gotten tens of billions of dollars to the same technology area. When we went head to head with them, we didn't just like beat them by a little bit. We shot down the hardened drones nine and a half times farther away. Same size, same power. Nine and a half times. Completely wiped the floor.

Massive money. I invested only 30, 40 in the whole thing at that point. And they spent billions and we have much cheaper, much better, not even a question. And you talk to the and you talk to like at the time, the chief of staff of the Air Force, the guy who wrote the four star. And he says, well, Joe, this was written three years ago. It looks like Raytheon probably did help write it.

Massive money. I invested only 30, 40 in the whole thing at that point. And they spent billions and we have much cheaper, much better, not even a question. And you talk to the and you talk to like at the time, the chief of staff of the Air Force, the guy who wrote the four star. And he says, well, Joe, this was written three years ago. It looks like Raytheon probably did help write it.