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Technology
Trump’s AI chief’s big Iran warning gets big time ignored
Do you have cool events to highlight, tips to toss over, and secrets to spill? Send everything to tina.nguyen+tips@theverge.com. Or, if you’re truly tech-pilled, send me a message on LinkedIn.
Surprisingly, artificial intelligence does not take the highest political priority during a war — much less an ill-conceived war with Iran that’s paralyzed the energy markets, destabilized America’s relationships with the Middle East and Europe, and alienated members of President Donald Trump’s diehard MAGA coalition. (Just yesterday, Joe Kent, election denier and onetime Trump-endorsed congressional candidate, announced that he was stepping down as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center in protest of the Iran war.) But the effect it’ll have on the tech and AI industry — and industry in general — is so dire that David Sacks, billionaire and the AI and crypto czar shaping the Trump administration’s tech policies, did something politically risky: He publicly suggested that Donald Trump find some way to get out of the Iran war.
Last Friday on his podcast All In, Sacks and his crew laid out several alarmingly realistic scenarios based on recent developments: Iran indicated it was willing to attack oil and gas depots in neighboring countries, destroy desalination plants crucial for supplying water to over 100 million people (which Sacks described as a “humanitarian crisis” that would render the Middle East uninhabitable), and bombard Israel until it either relented or decided to use a nuclear weapon. The Democrats would probably win the midterms. But also, and arguably worse, World War III was possible. “This would be a really good time to take stock of where we are and try, I think, to seek an off-ramp,” he told his co-hosts. “And look, if escalation doesn’t lead anywhere good, then you have to think about, well, how do you de-escalate? And de-escalation, I think, involves reaching some sort of ceasefire agreement or some sort of negotiated settlement with Iran.”
Whatever advice Sacks may have tried to offer has fallen on deaf ears. On top of the US military’s continued assault on Iranian oil infrastructure, over the past few days, Trump said he was open to putting US troops on the ground in Iran, said that NATO countries hesitant to support him were making a “foolish” decision, and just because, added that he was thinking of invading Cuba next. Trump also told reporters this week that Sacks had not spoken to him about the war, either. Whether that’s true or not, Trump often defaults to this explanation when trying to diminish a critic. And the sources I speak to around the White House — especially the ones familiar with Trump’s MO — are pessimistic that Sacks will have any shot at getting the president to listen to him.
A David Sacks hater may note that the billionaire has hit the boundaries of his perceived influence on Trump. At the same time, every single one of Trump’s former allies — especially the ones who don’t work for him — have hit that limit, too. The MAGA anti-war isolationists have been completely betrayed. The titans of industry who care about the markets are at the mercy of Trump’s whims. Heck, Trump has turned around and embraced the neoconservatives who used to despise him, but are now the only people on the right clamoring for regime change in Iran. (If you want to get a sense of how his administration underlings are enabling Trump, I was literally at the Pentagon last week for a vibe check.)
Out of the Trump oligarch classes, the technologists may suffer the longest term effects. Unlike the MAGA base, who’d supported Trump for intangible ideological reasons, Big Tech’s got a deeply financial incentive to stay allied with the president. So much of their current advantages rely on their direct relationships and ability to assuage his ego, which has certainly paid dividends for them over the past year: antitrust investigations dropped, trade loopholes opened, executive orders signed, and so on. (What do you think the ballroom donations were for?) And it’s possible that they believed that the Iran situation would be similar to Venezuela, wherein they’d reap the benefits of seizing Iran’s oil supply, and decided not to intervene.
But there’s a critical characteristic they overlooked, one that dates back to Trump’s relationship with Roy Cohn in the ’70s: Trump does not like to be humiliated by his foes, and Trump is always inclined to strike back twice as hard in order to crush their spirits, with little care for consequences or long-term damage. It mostly manifests via legal challenges and lawsuits in America, but has occasionally gone in a violent direction (see: January 6th and the ICE protests in Minnesota). In this case, he is trying to one-up a violent religious theocracy, which declared a military jihad against the United States in the wake of Khamenei’s death, and also possesses missiles. The rich nerds who make the beep-boops have very little chance of changing Trump’s mind — especially so long as there’s a political contingent on the right egging him on — and even if Sacks believed he was talking to a friendly audience in an online safe space, there’s no guarantee that Trump will be happy that he voiced dissent at all.
Oh, right, crypto is still happening, too.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t catch a lot of the Blockchain Conference this year (see: Iran) but it seems like some major developments came out of it, including the CFTC and the SEC dropping a major guidance that most digital assets are not securities, clarifying the way that certain cryptocurrency is regulated and whose rules apply. But though it’s the most comprehensive document released around this crucial issue, they also warned that it still needs Congress to pass laws that would make those changes permanent, and the CFTC is pretty busy as is. In other words: The Clarity Act still needs to be passed, guys. And that seems to be going great. Right?
.. another blockchain-based bar! This time, Polymarket announced the surprise opening of The Situation Room, “the world’s first bar dedicated to monitoring the situation.” According to renderings posted on X, the bar, described as a “sports bar just for situation monitoring,” will have everything one needs to monitor the situation: live feeds on X, sports games, and Bloomberg terminals. (Polymarket did not immediately comment on where said bar would be located.)
screenshot via @polymarket/X.
I’ve been doing some spring cleaning at home and recently found a quart-sized Ziploc bag that’s got a handful of spare change that I’ve been meaning to drop off at a Coinstar for over a year. But I’m lazy, and if there’s anything I’ve learned from TMZ, it’s that paying money for stories works (sometimes). So I will give this bag of loose change to anyone who can send authentic, verified, non-AI generated footage of this reported fight between Sam Altman and playwright Jeremy O. Harris at the exclusive, off-the-record Vanity Fair Oscar Party, allegedly over OpenAI’s contract with the Pentagon. (I presume the audience of Regulator is composed of Hollywood A-listers.)
And, no, I’m not going to send you the cash equivalent of the bag’s value. The condition for the payout is that you have to take this bag off of my hands, including all of the Costa Rican currency. AND I’m keeping all the quarters. And in the extraordinarily unlikely event that someone follows through on this offer, I have to get permission from Nilay Patel to break the ethics policy this one time, because this is technically a quid pro quo, albeit an extremely awful quid pro quo for whomever sends it.
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We still don’t know when Valve will launch the Steam Machine, but we may not have to wait too long. Valve just imported roughly 50 tons of “Game Consoles” into the United States in the two-day period between May 1st and April 30th, according to import records viewed by The Verge.
That’s on top of the “ton” of shipments that Valve watcher Brad Lynch mentioned late last week — and there’s reason to believe these containers have the new Steam Machine or Steam Frame inside, not just an extra batch of the Steam Deck handheld. (The Steam Deck was also designated a “Game Console” for import purposes.)
While Valve’s logistics partners had a dearth of shipments after Christmas 2025, they appear to be ramping back up, with nearly 100 tons of product moving into the US over the past two months. During that time, cargo ships with names like Ever Logic and Ever Shine have brought ten 40-foot containers from China to Los Angeles, CA and Tacoma, WA, weighing 127,228 kilograms (140 US tons) in total.
Each of those 40-foot containers can weigh over 3,700kg when empty, so there’s substantially less than 140 tons of actual product making it into the US. But even accounting for the containers, Valve’s new shipments weigh a good bit different than the previous ones — suggesting they may have a new product inside.
For a few years now, each of Valve’s 40-foot containers to cross the ocean have held up to 42 packages for a total gross weight of around 14,500kg (32,000lbs), import records show. That was true as recently as April 18th, around which time the Ever Sigma deposited a 14,322kg, 42-package shipment in Tacoma, Washington with Valve’s partner Ingram Micro. Perhaps it still had Steam Decks inside rather than Steam Machines?
But a few days later, the Ever Shine brought a notably lighter 12,608kg (27,800lbs) container to Tacoma, again with 42 packages. Import records show Valve’s partners didn’t change to a lighter type of container; it’s still the standard 40-foot model that weighs roughly 3,700kg when empty.
Valve has had at least seven shipments like that since April 23rd, with an average weight of 12,600kg. Subtract the weight of the containers, and you wind up with around 53,124kg of product, packaging, pallets, and padding for the journey, or roughly 50 tons of “Game Consoles.”
Just remember that 50 tons isn’t actually a lot! Valve says the Steam Machine weighs 2.6kg (roughly 5.73lbs) per console, so the recent surge in shipments could add up to fewer than 20,000 Steam Machines, particularly if any of them are pre-bundled with a controller or other items which increase each package’s weight. (Valve told us bundles would be available.)
The Steam Controller appears to have already sold out on launch day. Unless Valve plans to create a huge stockpile, the Steam Machine could go even faster. I’m less sure about the Steam Frame, even though I’m personally excited for competition in the gaming headset market.
It’s still possible all of these containers have Steam Deck handhelds inside, and something else accounts for the change in weight. Either way, Valve’s finally getting hardware moving again. Valve designer Pierre-Loup Griffais recently told us the company was “working hard on trying to address” supplies of its handheld so you can buy that one again, too.
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Your phone buzzes. A text message pops up saying you have an outstanding traffic violation, and if you scan the attached QR code immediately, you can pay a $6.99 balance and avoid a court appearance.
It looks official. It sounds urgent. And it is completely fake.
Scammers are now targeting drivers across the U.S. with text messages that impersonate state courts, demanding payment for traffic violations that never happened. This campaign has already hit residents in New York, California, North Carolina, Illinois, Virginia, Texas, Connecticut and New Jersey, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
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FAKE SSA EMAIL ALERT: SPOT THIS SCAM FAST
Scammers send fake court texts with QR codes demanding $6.99 payments for nonexistent traffic violations. (Neil Godwin/Future via Getty Images)
What makes this fake court text scam different from last year’s toll texts
You might remember the wave of smishing scams in 2025 that we reported on, which pretended to be from state toll agencies. Those texts pushed people toward phishing websites through direct links. This new variation takes a different approach, and a more convincing one.
Instead of a plain text link, these messages include an image that looks like an official court notice. It carries formal language, official-sounding headings and a QR code embedded directly in the document. The shift from a clickable link to a scannable code makes it harder for automated security tools to flag the message as dangerous.
One example Bleeping Computer shared claimed to be from the “Criminal Court of the City of New York.” The notice warned that an unpaid parking or toll violation had entered the “formal enforcement stage” and demanded immediate payment, or else an in-person court appearance. Real courts communicate through official mail, not unsolicited text messages with QR codes.
SAMSUNG MESSAGES ENDING? WHAT ANDROID OWNERS MUST KNOW
Cybercriminals target drivers nationwide with fake violation texts designed to harvest sensitive information. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
How this court impersonation text scam actually works
Scanning the QR code takes you to an intermediary page with a CAPTCHA. That step is intentional. Scammers use it to filter out security researchers and automated scanners so their phishing infrastructure stays under the radar longer.
Once you complete the CAPTCHA, you land on a site designed to look like your state’s DMV or another government agency. It presents an “unpaid balance,” always $6.99 in every case documented so far. That suspiciously round number creates urgency without raising an immediate alarm.
Clicking to pay takes you to a form that asks for your name, address, phone number, email address and credit card information. Everything you enter goes directly to the scammers. That data can fuel follow-on phishing attempts, identity theft, financial fraud or be sold outright to other bad actors.
For reference, fake New York DMV sites in this campaign have used hostnames like “ny.gov-skd[.]org” or “ny.ofkhv[.]life,” neither of which has anything to do with actual New York state government infrastructure.
Ways to stay safe from traffic violation text scams
These scams are sophisticated enough to fool a lot of people, but a few smart habits can keep you well ahead of them.
1) Never scan QR codes from unknown senders
The most important thing you can do is also the simplest: do not scan QR codes from unknown senders. If a text arrives from a number you don’t recognize, and it asks you to scan something or make a payment, treat it as suspicious until proven otherwise. State agencies across the U.S. have made their position clear. They do not send text messages requesting personal information or payment details. If you genuinely owe a fine, you will receive official correspondence through the mail with verifiable contact information.
2) Always go directly to your state’s official website
Never enter credit card information on a site you reached through a QR code in a text message. Go directly to your state’s official .gov website instead, type the address manually into your browser and look up your actual account status there. If a charge is legitimate, it will show up when you log in through the real site.
GOOGLE SEARCH LED TO A COSTLY SCAM CALL
A new phishing scam impersonates U.S. courts, using QR codes to steal personal and financial data. (Anna Barclay/Getty Images)
3) Use strong antivirus software on your devices
Strong antivirus software adds a critical layer of protection that works even when you don’t. A good security app can detect phishing attempts, flag malicious sites before you enter any information and alert you to threats that arrive through text or email. Make sure your antivirus is active and updated on every device you use to open links or scan QR codes. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.
4) Consider using a data removal service
If your personal information has already been exposed through a scam like this one, a data removal service can help limit the damage. These services scan data broker databases and request the removal of your name, address, phone number and other personal details that scammers rely on to target you. It won’t undo what happened, but it can reduce your exposure going forward and make it harder for bad actors to reach you again. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com.
5) Sign up for an identity theft protection service
This scam collects exactly the kind of information that makes identity theft possible: your name, address, phone number, email address and credit card details. An identity theft protection service monitors your accounts, credit file and personal information for suspicious activity and alerts you the moment something looks off. Some services also provide recovery assistance and insurance if your identity does get compromised, which can make an overwhelming situation a lot more manageable. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at CyberGuy.com.
6) Act fast if you have already entered your information
If you already entered your payment information on one of these sites, contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to dispute charges and request a new card number. Check your credit reports for any unusual activity and consider placing a fraud alert with one of the major credit bureaus.
7) Report the text to your carrier and the FTC
If you receive one of these texts, report it. Forward the message to 7726 (SPAM), which is the carrier reporting shortcut used across major U.S. networks. You can also file a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and alert your state’s attorney general’s office.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
This scam works because it exploits something real: the anxiety most people feel when a government notice shows up demanding action. The fake court language, the formal tone and the embedded QR code all contribute to an experience designed to short-circuit your skepticism. But the tells are there if you look. No legitimate court sends text message ultimatums with QR codes. No state DMV asks you to scan an image from a stranger’s phone number to pay a $6.99 balance. When something feels urgent and slightly off, that combination is usually the scam talking.
If a court could send you a text message threatening legal action for less than the cost of a coffee, and millions of people might actually pay it, what does that tell us about how little most of us actually trust ourselves to spot a scam in the moment? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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May the Fourth be with us all on this Star Wars Day. While things have been relatively quiet with the multimedia gold mine that is Star Wars, with just some murmurs about upcoming movies (The Mandalorian and Grogu excluded), a lone live-action show on the horizon, and a long way to the release of the Fate of the Old Republic game, it’s nevertheless a day to celebrate the franchise. And by that, I mean it’s time to save money on some Star Wars goodies.
Whether you celebrate Star Wars Day by hosting a movie marathon, or you just have a mild appreciation for the franchise, the power of the force will compel you to buy everythi — whoa, sorry about that. We’ve rounded up deals on video games, Lego kits, movies, and more. If you’re buying for a superfan, Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy are all offering deals on all sorts of Star Wars merchandise, from toys and Band-Aids to water bottles.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is steeply discounted at multiple retailers for all platforms right now. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X physical editions are down to $19.99 (previously around $30) at Best Buy, GameStop, and Walmart, while the game costs just $10.75 on Steam. Sadly, the digital console versions are still full price at $69.99.
$11
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the captivating sequel to 2019’s Fallen Order, one that continues the story of Cal Kestis and his little droid, BD-1. It’s an action-adventure game blending elements of games like Tomb Raider, Metroid, and God of War with Dark Souls — except you’re a Jedi with a lightsaber. Read our review.
Fans of third-person Star Wars games have had plenty to feast on the past couple of years, with Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws being another one worth checking out, especially now that it’s cheaper than usual. You can grab the physical version on PS5 and Xbox Series X for $20.99 (previously $29.99) at Best Buy, or for $19.93 at Walmart. The more recent Nintendo Switch 2 version is also going for $35.97 (about $42 off) at Amazon, though it has recently sold for about $5 less.
$20
Star Wars Outlaws is an original open-world adventure set in the vast universe of the iconic film series. It stars Kay Vess, a protagonist looking to steal from criminal overlords to gain her freedom. Read our review.
$28
Sometimes, you want your Star Wars fandom to be low-key, noticeable just to super fans. Thankfully, Owala’s limited edition FreeSip bottles come in a slew of hues modeled after the signature looks of Boba Fett, Darth Vader, and the iconic Imperial stormtrooper.
$21
The best price we’ve seen in more than a year is happening at Amazon. The discounted set includes the original film on 4K Blu-ray, as well as a 1080p Blu-ray and digital copy.
Moving on to toys, Lego is offering deals on select Star Wars sets through May 6th for those who have a free Lego Insiders account. You can get similar prices at Amazon, though you’ll be missing out on some free gifts you’ll get with select purchases (not to mention extra loyalty points). Orders of $40 or more for Lego Star Wars sets will include a miniature Razor Crest, which is a $5 value. If you buy more than $160 worth of Lego gear, you’ll get the 278-piece Darksaber set (a $30 value).
- Getting into the limited-time deals, the 1,138-piece C-3PO with articulating arms and a movable head is currently on sale for $111.99 ($28 off) at Amazon and Lego’s online storefront (for Insiders). It includes a C-3PO minifigure, too, and was designed for ages 18 and up.
- The 700-piece, brick-built Star Wars logo for ages 18 and up is great for displaying on a shelf, and it’s down to $47.99 for Lego Insiders. Alternatively, you can grab it for $2 more at Amazon.
- Lego and Amazon are both offering the same price on The Mandalorian Helmet, a 584-piece set aimed at ages 18 and up. It’s $55.99 for Lego Insiders, or you can get it for the same price at Amazon. If you’re really into Mando, check out the new Lego-exclusive N-1 Starfighter set, which just launched. Through May 6th, the $249.99 set includes a free lenticular display inspired by the upcoming movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu.
There are several other Lego Star Wars sets available for less than usual, even though they don’t include freebies like the ones above. The classic 525-piece AT-AT walker is down to $51.99 ($13 off) at Amazon and Target, which is a new low price. If you or a loved one is into Ahsoka, you can also get a set that includes the Ghost and Phantom II ships, plus a set of five Ahsoka minifigures, for $111.99 (was $159.99) at Amazon.
$144
The Dark Falcon set is a 1,579-piece kit that lets them re-create the dark version of the Millennium Falcon, complete with a removable cockpit, bunk beds, and even a throne. The set also includes minifigures like Darth Jar Jar, Beach Luke, and Bounty Hunter C-3PO.
If you have $70 to spend on an Amazon smart speaker, we recommend the new-ish Echo Dot Max because it offers great sound quality. But our recommendation changes if you’re a Star Wars fan. Amazon still sells its fifth-gen Echo Dot speaker with a Grogu stand for $71.98. While a deal compared to buying the speaker and stand separately (it’d be about $80), the sale price isn’t new for Star Wars Day.
If you’d prefer your Grogu-skinned Echo Dot not to have eyes, Amazon sells a stand that’s all ears with an Echo Dot for $67.98.
While there are no deals on the 4K Blu-ray set of Andor’s first season (it’s still around $50, with its second season still streaming exclusively on Disney Plus), you can save on a cute little holiday ornament of protagonist Cassian Andor brandishing a blaster. It’s going for $15.99 ($16 off) at Amazon and Hallmark.
A couple of years ago, we surfaced some Nanoleaf multi-panel kits that, when assembled, put a cute Grogu (I mean, “Baby Gu,” since this isn’t a licensed product) on your wall. The prices have come down on both the big and small bundles, letting you pick the one that best suits your budget and room size. The company’s 17-panel “Small Baby Gu” kit is on sale for $199.98 (originally $249.99), while the 53-panel set, which allows for a more detailed recreation of our little green friend, is available for $499.98 directly from Nanoleaf (originally $674.92).
The company is offering several other unlicensed Star Wars-inspired kits on sale today, too. And, just in case you weren’t aware, you can change the colors or layout of the Nanoleaf panels at will. When you aren’t feeling the Star Wars look, just rearrange them as you see fit.
$225
Nanoleaf’s light panels come in distinct shapes that make it easy to connect them in a variety of fun patterns. The panels support up to 16 billion colors and a number of lighting scenes, which can react to music, touch, and your monitor. This set is designed to depict Grogu’s head.
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