🥁 Axios PM: Twitter's next act

Plus: White House wonderland | Monday, November 29, 2021

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Facebook   Axios PM By Mike Allen ·Nov 29, 2021 Hello, Cyber Monday. Today's PM — edited by Justin Green — is 476 words, a 2-minute read.     1 big thing: Twitter's next act Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios   Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey is exiting the company he helped build at a time when its future has never been so uncertain. Why it matters: The person who controls Twitter controls the de facto public square — with implications for politics, media and free speech. The big picture: Twitter is in the midst of transforming from an ad-based social network, focused on text, to a subscription-based platform centered around smaller communities and multimedia, reports Axios Media Trends author Sara Fischer. In a resignation letter, Dorsey said it's "severely limiting and a single point of failure" when founders lead tech firms. Dorsey is expected to focus on cryptocurrency and blockchain — both being pioneered at Square, where he is CEO. Behind the scenes, tension has been brewing between Dorsey and stakeholders who argued he was a part-time CEO. Twitter staffers told Axios they felt like Dorsey was never fully committed to the job. Sources said Twitter employees found out about Dorsey's resignation via news reports. What's next: The new CEO is Parag Agrawal, who long served as CTO. Agrawal will be on the hook for plans to grow Twitter's most lucrative user base by roughly 50% and double its global annual revenue by the end of next year.     2. Pics of the day: White House wonderland Photo: Evan Vucci/AP A Marine who is a military social aide opens the East Wing entrance of the White House today during a press preview of holiday decorations. Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Dr. Jill Biden yesterday placed a gingerbread teacher next to the schoolhouse in the gingerbread White House display. The 350-pound gingerbread village adds eight community buildings — including a warehouse — to represent front-line workers. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images See the 20-page tour book.     A message from Facebook Support a cause like Operation BBQ Relief on GivingTuesday     Operation BBQ Relief provides millions of meals to communities in need with the help of fundraising tools on Facebook. Tomorrow is GivingTuesday! Make a difference by starting or donating to a cause you care about. Explore more ways to give.     3. Catch up quick Ghislaine Maxwell enters a Manhattan courtroom today to begin the trial on whether she was Jeffrey Epstein's accomplice. Courtroom sketch: Elizabeth Williams/AP. Get the latest. President Biden said he'll release a strategy later this week for fighting COVID this winter: "Not with shutdowns or lockdowns, but with more widespread vaccinations, boosters, testing and more." Go deeper. Scoop: Israel has shared intelligence with the U.S. and several European allies suggesting Iran is taking technical steps to prepare to enrich uranium to 90% purity — the level needed to produce a nuclear weapon, Axios Tel Aviv author Barak Ravid reports. Seven children remain hospitalized after last weekend's parade tragedy in suburban Milwaukee. Four of the kids are in serious condition. Six people have died. Get the latest. Sunday was TSA's busiest day since the beginning of the pandemic, with 2.5 million screened. Go deeper.     4. Golf loses a hero Honorary starter Lee Elder waves as he arrives at the opening ceremony prior to the start of the first round of the Masters in 2021. Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images   Lee Elder, who became the first Black golfer to play in The Masters in 1975, died Sunday at the age of 87, the PGA Tour announced today. "The game of golf lost a hero in Lee Elder," Jack Nicklaus tweeted. The big picture: Elder was 40 when he played in his first Masters, with many of his prime years already stolen from him by the scourge of racism, AP notes.     A message from Facebook Facebook is helping nonprofits like Operation BBQ Relief grow     100% of donations made on Facebook to charitable organizations go to the charity, helping organizations like Operation BBQ Relief. We're committed to helping nonprofits grow and will match up to $8 million in qualifying donations to eligible US nonprofits. Learn about our matching program.   Like this email style and format? Learn more about Axios HQ. It'll help you deliver employee communications more effectively.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: