[markvdb]

A cynic would read this as as "I can't believe our (AES) luck. There's a good chance we can squeeze the Europeans for lots of money. We'll gladly share some of the proceeds with the new US president's cronies for having them do the haggling."

[SiempreViernes]

You want a real conspiracy theory? How about this: some rich Thirty Meters Telescope patron saw the peril the project has been in and set out to sabotage the ELT!

Of course, the ELT is proper funded, so the best he can do is making it useless by ruining it's sky for a decade with construction dust and light.

[markvdb]

Of course this is not about someone having for sole purpose to sabotage the ELT. Someone at AES could have had a run-of-the-mill business plan. They go ahead with it despite scientific objections because their profits > science. Then the election happens, and it's a win-win for them from a business point of view. They get unexpected free leverage from a more transactional presidential administration to either drop the plan and get extra compensation.

[astrolx]

I like that conspiracy ! They should be careful about retribution if the TMT lands on the Canary Island, sombebody could conspire to put another industrial facility next to it