‘X’ MEETS ZERO DAY? MUSK SAYS ‘MASSIVE CYBERATTACK’ HIT X—BUT WHO’S BEHIND IT? X went dark three times on Monday, as Elon Musk claimed the platform was hit by a "massive cyberattack"—possibly by a nation-state.
WHAT HAPPENED?
🔻 5:30 AM ET: First outage, thousands affected
🔻 9:30 AM ET: 40,000+ reports flood Downdetector
🔻 11:10 AM ET: Another wave of disruptions
Musk later posted: “We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot of resources.” He told Fox Business the attack originated from Ukraine IP addresses—but experts say IPs don’t prove the real attacker.
WHY YOU CARE 💻⚠️ If a major social platform can be crippled this easily, what does that mean for financial markets, news flows, or even elections? Was this a test run? And who pulled the trigger?
Source: NBC News
hello, future. it’s me, kev.
…and this is a dispatch from the digital frontier. It’s time to meet the future NOW — with the latest on markets, tech, and freedom. The day is 69. The year is 2025. The planet is Earth. My name is Kevin Cirilli —> LinkedIn. Spotify. Sign-up to receive the future in your inbox here.
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FUTURES
MARKETS PLUNGE AS WALL STREET BRACES FOR TRUMP’S TRADE WAR. The U.S. stock market took a beating Monday as investors questioned how far Trump will push tariffs to get what he wants.
🔻 S&P 500 down 2.7%—nearing a 9% drop from its peak last month
🔻 Dow sinks 890 points after dropping more than 1,100 earlier
🔻 Nasdaq nosedives 4% in its worst day yet
Source: AP
CRYPTO
CRYPTO CRASHES AS MARKETS TANK
🔻 Bitcoin drops below $80K
🔻 Ethereum slips under $2K
🔻 Altcoins (SOL, ADA, APT, AVAX, NEAR) fall 7-10%
The sell-off hits hard across the board, with crypto-linked stocks like Coinbase (COIN) and MicroStrategy (MSTR) plunging 10%. WHY? Macro headwinds—tariff fears, economic slowdown, and no bullish catalysts—are shaking both Wall Street and Web3.
Source: CoinDesk
SPACE
EXCLUSIVE: SPACE FORCE ASSOCIATION SHOWS UP TO MEET THE FUTURE AT THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB.
We will have our takeaways tomorrow from our exclusive conversation with Maj. Gen. Gregory Gagnon — U.S. Space Force Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Intelligence, U.S. Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. Thank you, to Gen. Gagnon for showing up to MEET THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU to everyone at Space Force Association for a great breakfast…
SPOTTED AT THE FUTURE: Maj. Gen. Gregory Gagnon… Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Damon Feltman… Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mary O’Brien… Kevin Cirilli (me)… Danny Pritchard… Holly Page… David Fuscus… Anthony Vinci… Tom Reed… Dee Dee Bass… Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Palmer… Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch… Diane Ashley… Mark Dreiling… NPR’s Louise Schiavone… NBC News’ Shannon Pettypiece… CNBC’s Emily Wilkins… CNN’s Zack Cohen… Blair Gladding… Chris Donahoe… Morgan Viña… Nick Lochrie… Charles Moran… Rich Cooper… Anastasia Dellaccio… Joel Seidman…
SPACE // QUANTUM // ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
🚀 MOON BASE LOADING: GATEWAY TAKES SHAPE: NASA’s Gateway space station is moving from concept to construction, setting the stage for the next era of lunar and deep space exploration. This permanent outpost orbiting the Moon will be a critical hub for Artemis missions, a launching point for Mars, and a testbed for living in deep space.
—> BUILT FOR THE FUTURE: The HALO habitation module—where Artemis IV astronauts will live and work—is nearing completion in Italy before heading to the U.S. for final assembly. Meanwhile, Maxar is building the most advanced solar electric propulsion system ever flown, SpaceX is prepping Starship for lunar landings, and international partners from Canada, Japan, and the UAE are adding high-tech life support, robotics, and docking systems.
—> A LUNAR INTERNET? YEAH, THAT'S HAPPENING. ESA’s Lunar Link will beam high-speed communication between the Moon and Gateway, enabling real-time data transfer, remote operations, and eventually, seamless astronaut connectivity.
—> WHY YOU CARE 🌕➡️🚀➡️🔴 Gateway isn’t just a stepping stone—it’s the first real deep space infrastructure for a sustained human presence beyond Earth. Think: routine Moon missions, permanent research stations, and the foundation for getting humans to Mars. Artemis is happening. The future of space is unfolding now.
Source: NASA | Sci Tech Daily.
GEOPOLITICS
CHINA’S $138 BILLION QUANTUM GAMBIT: THE TECH ARMS RACE HEATS UP: Beijing is funneling 1 TRILLION yuan ($138 billion) into emerging technologies—including quantum computing, AI, and semiconductors—under a government-backed war chest designed to dominate the future. This isn’t just about innovation; it’s about control.
A HIGH-STAKES TECHNOLOGY ARMS RACE: China has spent years building state-sponsored quantum networks and pushing the limits of AI and cryptography—and now, with this massive public-private fund, it’s accelerating. The fund will tolerate high-risk, long-term bets to push dual-use quantum tech (think military applications, unbreakable communication, and next-gen surveillance).
WESTERN TECH FACES A MASSIVE CHALLENGE: While U.S. and European researchers are still fighting for funding and regulatory approvals, China is going all in, positioning itself as the leader of a quantum-powered future. With this level of investment, Beijing isn’t just catching up—it’s trying to take the lead in the biggest computing revolution since the internet.
WHY YOU CARE 🛑💻🔒 A world where China controls quantum computing means a world where Western encryption could be obsolete, AI warfare could shift power dynamics overnight, and Beijing's grip on global tech could tighten. This isn’t just an investment—it’s a warning shot.
Source: Quantum Insider
ONE MORE THING
LOVE IN THE TIME OF AI: YOUR DATING APP WINGMAN IS A ROBOT. Forget swiping right—your AI assistant is now crafting the perfect opening line for you, selecting your hottest pics, and maybe even flirting on your behalf. Welcome to the future of romance, where your dating app profile is basically written by ChatGPT… and so is everyone else’s.
DID WE JUST AUTOMATE DATING? Match Group (Tinder, Hinge, etc.) is doubling down on AI—offering virtual dating coaches, message writers, and photo curators. No social skills? No problem! AI will be your Cyrano—but be warned: your dream date might also be using an AI assistant. Which means two bots could be flirting with each other while their human counterparts watch in existential dread.
WHY YOU CARE: ROMANCE IS DEAD (BUT YOUR AI THINKS YOU’RE HOT)
🤖 Dating is now an arms race – Upgrade your AI or risk getting out-charmed by a bot.
💔 Is anyone even real? – Are you falling for a person… or their algorithm-optimized, AI-enhanced digital twin?
🥲 Good luck on the actual date – Hope you don’t need AI-generated banter when you're face-to-face and can’t phone a chatbot for help.
AI “wingmen” might smooth out awkward first texts, but if you need a machine to make yourself interesting, what happens when it’s just you, a candlelit table, and a very real human expecting a conversation?
Swipe left on reality at your own risk.
With gratitude,
Kev
ABOUT mtf.tv’s meet the future: mtf.tv’s meet the future is a cutting-edge platform focused on addressing key challenges at the intersection of national security, technology, and business. With a mission to embrace freedom to meet the future’s challenges and opportunities, mtf.tv offers forward-thinking media offerings and forums.
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