David Jeans

Reporter @Reuters covering defense, space and Silicon Valley.

Co-author of WONDER BOY:

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

The WONDER BOY paperback is here!

We're excited to share the story of Zappos leader Tony Hsieh, whose rise and fall told the quintessential Silicon Valley tragedy.

"Mandatory reading for anyone who is interested in big tech" - New Yorker

On sale here: https://t.co/CzVJr7q6Yv

[Reuters @Reuters]

🔊 ‘The response to the death really split the community.’ @DavidJeans2 tells the Reuters World News podcast that a workplace fatality at Elon Musk’s Starbase has divided a Texas community https://t.co/6sfd1Aywug

[Reuters @Reuters]

Life on the edge of Musk's Starbase brings fortunes and fractures https://t.co/WDkjnh10D2 https://t.co/WDkjnh10D2

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

New--

The arrival of Elon Musk's Starbase and its Starship launches has brought hype, wealth and excitement to the Rio Grande Valley.

But a workplace death and damaged homes are splitting the region.

One resident told me: “You can’t stop progress."
https://t.co/LMTBFvIl2p

[Reuters @Reuters]

🔊 ‘Driving into Starbase is kind of a surreal feeling …  there's murals of Elon Musk.  There's one sign that struck me. It said: Mars Embassy, Future Location.’ @DavidJeans2 tells the Reuters World News podcast about his visit to SpaceX’s Starbase https://t.co/PWhfy4Q4cC

[Iain Martin @_IainMartin]

"Reuters found that Shield AI's drone has crashed more than 50 times over the past 18 months, that several staff who raised safety concerns were dismissed and that a Cessna plane...had to take evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision with a V-BAT." https://t.co/86quiVAFBP

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

New-

Military startup Shield AI told me last year it had upgraded its VBAT drone after a Navy official had his fingers partially severed.

A few weeks ago, it happened again:

https://t.co/ynxxohUZI1

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

NEW-

Tensions are rising between the Pentagon and SpaceX over multiple issues, including an episode where Elon Musk's company hiked the price of Starlink/Starshield - used to guide strike drones - at the start of the Iran war.

https://t.co/B44aFa40pO

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

RT @dseetharaman: Couldn't be more proud of my @Reuters colleague @JeffHorwitz & @EngenTham for this enormous achievement. Jeff has deserve…

[Laurie Chen @lauriechenwords]

Convicted former Harvard scientist rebuilds brain computer lab in China - banger of a story by @DavidKirton_ https://t.co/r4Q8Kq0iBp

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

New --

Elon Musk has defied logic for two decades at SpaceX.

Now heading for the largest IPO ever, his company is asking investors to believe in a $28 trillion TAM and its goal "to extend the light of consciousness to the stars."

https://t.co/T0eEbSJvOv

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

Exclusive-

The U.S. has turned to Ukraine for counter-drone help at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia after Iran attacks destroyed aircraft and killed at least one service member.

https://t.co/7Yh6EoCsRC

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

New--

Documents show a global Starlink outage hit a U.S. Navy drone boat test in August, highlighting the challenges of the Pentagon's growing reliance on SpaceX.

https://t.co/BNRZgbQQft

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

New--

The Pentagon said it is using the GARC drone boats to support Operation Epic Fury.

Comes despite a series of setbacks in the U.S. Navy’s ​years‑long effort to field a fleet of uncrewed surface vessels.

https://t.co/Q6cwphv2f9

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

New--

Amid pre-IPO scams, SpaceX's upcoming public offering is driving hype and uncertainty for investors who are turning to secondary markets

w/@DEER_ECHO_
https://t.co/XpOnLj2N36

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

Exclusive-

Palantir’s Maven AI military system -- used for weapons targeting -- will be established as an official Pentagon program of record, according to a letter issued by Pentagon DepSec Steve Feinberg.

https://t.co/BWeXflEkBa

[Reuters @Reuters]

🔊 ‘The Pentagon and Pete Hegseth really underscored that they still want to use Anthropic's AI, but they want to use it without the usage policies.’ @DavidJeans2 on the Pentagon’s ultimatum to Anthropic https://t.co/0F21bEHdu8

[Reuters @Reuters]

A Miami-based ticket broker offered investors 50% returns over six months through a plan to resell FIFA World Cup tickets at steep markups, even as angry fans say 'extortionate' prices are shutting them out of the world's most-watched sporting event https://t.co/CmUku6Cs31

[David Jeans @DavidJeans2]

New: Anthropic has no intention of easing its usage restrictions for military purposes, following a high stakes meeting with the Pentagon today.

https://t.co/xJSpn0Od27

[joshua steinman (🇺🇸,🇺🇸) @JoshuaSteinman]

@pmarca @a16z @isaiah_p_taylor @ADoricko @RainmakerCorp @rasmusdeymeyer A month later, @DavidJeans2 dropped the first/definitive article about what was going on in LA with the nascent hard tech scene.

N.B. he even says "Silicon Valley," as this was before "Gundo" really came into common usage as a non-Valley thing:

8/ https://t.co/FsxN2dHJtO

[Mike Stone @MichaelStone]

Scoop: AeroVironment's LOCUST counter-drone laser used by US Army near El Paso airport, sources say https://t.co/1XxKd32WOW w @DavidJeans2