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White House Science Director’s Metaphor on U.S. Tech Fuels Online Conspiracies

Michael Kratsios’s comments on U.S. innovation as ‘manipulating time and space’ spark viral speculation and highlight challenges in government communication.

Michael Kratsios delivers a speech on the last day of the Web Summit in Lisbon on November 7, 2019.
ime Is Flying By - Spiral Clock And Cloudscape - Physics, Infinity, History, Progress stock photo
Trump's Science Director Says US Can "Manipulate Time And Space", Prompting Wild Conspiracy Theories
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Overview

  • Michael Kratsios, White House science director, described U.S. technologies as capable of ‘manipulating time and space’ during an April 14 policy speech in Austin, Texas.
  • The phrase, intended as a metaphor for transformative innovation, has been widely misinterpreted online as a literal claim about secret advanced technologies.
  • Social media platforms like Reddit and X amplified the statement, fueling conspiracy theories about hidden U.S. capabilities.
  • The White House has not issued a formal clarification, leaving room for continued speculation despite contextual evidence supporting a figurative interpretation.
  • Kratsios’s address was part of the Trump administration’s push to reduce regulatory barriers and invest in emerging fields like AI, biotechnology, and semiconductors.