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Tesla Lawyer Questions Altman's Truthfulness; He Affirms Honesty

5/16/2026

Summary

Altman Claims Truthfulness

A lawyer representing Tesla CEO Elon Musk asked OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in federal court whether he always tells the truth.
Altman responded that he believes he is a truthful person.
The lawyer then asked if people Altman does business with might think he misled them.
Altman said he cannot answer that for other people, noting that several individuals have already spoken about the issue in court.

Summary

Musk Backdoor

The judge required Elon Musk and Sam Altman to use a back-door entrance and undergo ordinary visitor security screening.
The judge denied Musk’s request to mute the YouTube-streamed audio during Shivon Zilis’s testimony, citing no security risk.
The nine-person jury, which includes a nursing assistant and a small-business painting contractor, faced demonstrators who erected a 15-foot inflatable Musk doll performing a Nazi salute outside the federal building.

History

Historical Context

In May 18, 1998 the U.S. Department of Justice and twenty states sued Microsoft, and Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson oversaw a trial that highlighted Bill Gates’s evasive testimony. That focus on truthful testimony now echoes in today’s high-profile federal legal current courtroom clash between Elon Musk, Sam Altman and Judge James Donato.

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Altman Claims Truthfulness

A lawyer representing Tesla CEO Elon Musk asked OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in federal court whether he always tells the truth.
Altman responded that he believes he is a truthful person.
The lawyer then asked if people Altman does business with might think he misled them.
Altman said he cannot answer that for other people, noting that several individuals have already spoken about the issue in court.

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