TOI Correspondent from Washington: He is not allowed to drive for security reasons. He is also not a fan of electric vehicles (EVs), preferring American gas-guzzlers because, hey, the country is sitting on vast reserves of oil — “liquid gold” in his words. And he has reservations about Elon Musk manufacturing his signature Tesla EVs abroad, including in India.
Yet, US President Donald Trump “bought” a Tesla from a fleet of EVs his patron Elon Musk wheeled into the White House grounds on Tuesday to bail out the world’s richest man whose stock (and that of Tesla) has plunged, ostensibly because of the hatchet he is wielding to cull federal spending and government personnel.
“That’s beautiful,” Trump said, getting into the front seat of a red Model S on the South Lawn of the White House, showering more love on the vehicle than on the Beast, the traditional presidential limousine he is restricted to.
He then bought a red Tesla Model S, listed for $73,490 to $88,490, saying, “I think he’s (Musk) been treated very unfairly by a very small group of people, and I just want people to know that he can’t be penalized for being a patriot, and he’s a great patriot, and he’s also done an incredible job with Tesla.”
He said he would be buying it the “old fashioned way” by writing a check, and would abjure a discount — and a monthly installment plan Musk offered, going by the notes Trump was holding during the event.
Trump has long been an EV skeptic, and has publicly expressed disquiet about Musk the prospect of Musk manufacturing the vehicles in India. The US President’s on-off relationship with EVs includes having his General Services Administration “temporarily suspend” orders of zero-emission vehicles, stopping the installation of new EV charging stations, and ordering some existing stations to be shut down.
But the verbal attacks on Musk, plunging Tesla sales and stock, and physical attacks, including arson and vandalism, at Tesla showrooms in the US. because of the billionaire owner’s support for the President’s agenda, has evidently stirred him to the defense of a company he once scorned.
On Tuesday, he heartily endorsed Tesla amid charges he is shilling for a private company from federal property.
“Number one, it’s a great product — as good as it gets — and number two, because @elonmusk has devoted his energy and his life to doing this and I think he has been treated very unfairly,” Trump said.
He addressed the irony of him hawking Tesla given his long opposition to EVs. Acknowledging that he ended the electric mandate, he said he expected Musk to “raise hell” with him, but the Tesla honcho never broached the subject with him.“He never called me. If I were him. I would have called,” Trump said. Asked what vanity plate he would have for the vehicle, Trump thought for a moment and said, “Truth.”
The US President also indicated he was open to the idea of labeling those committing violence against Tesla owners and dealerships as “domestic terrorists.”
“I’ll do it. I’m gonna stop them…because they’re harming a great American company,” he said in response to a reporter’s question. “When you hurt an American company, especially a company like this that supplies so many jobs that others are unable to do.”
Following Trump’s gesture, Tesla stock rose 7 per cent on Wednesday morning, having lost nearly 50 per cent of its value from its December peak. In apparent gratitude, Musk also announced on X that “In support of the policies of President @realDonaldTrump and to demonstrate our confidence in the future of the United States, @Tesla commits to doubling vehicle production in the US within 2 years!”