White House Science and Technology Director Michael Kratsios made waves this week after claiming that the U.S. possesses technology that can "manipulate time and space.”
What Happened: Kratsios made the statement during a speech at the Endless Frontiers tech retreat in Texas, where he advocated a renaissance of American innovation.
“Our technologies permit us to manipulate time and space. They leave distance annihilated, cause things to grow, and improve productivity,” Kratsios said.
Kratsios mourned a downturn in technological advancement in comparison with the mid-20th century.
"A gap lies between our moment and the speed of transformation America experienced midcentury," he said.
He ascribed this “stagnation” to national choice rather than capability and said, "Our technologies permit us to manipulate time and space."
While he did not specify which tools he was referring to, Kratsios did reference artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and semiconductors in the same address.
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Why It Matters: The comments come as the Trump administration makes policy moves targeted at promoting the tech sector, including tariff exemptions for electronics like Apple’s iPhones and semiconductor equipment.
A new presidential memo released this week also instructs federal agencies to increase the use of emerging technologies in infrastructure.
At the same time, NASA is facing a proposed 50% reduction to its science budget under the Trump administration's draft plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
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