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US President Donald Trump has bought a red Tesla to show his support for Elon Musk. While he won’t be driving it himself, his White House staff will be using the vehicle.
Trump buys Tesla to show his support for Elon Musk amid backlash.
Amid the ongoing anti-Musk protests, US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce his intention to buy Tesla to double down on his “support” for Elon Musk in “making American great again”. Just hours after this post, the White House became a temporary Tesla showroom with five brand new cars.
A video of Trump sitting in a red Tesla Model S is all over the Internet. “That’s beautiful. Wow,” Trump said after getting inside the car. He was impressed by the vehicle’s futuristic interface and said that it is a different panel that he has seen in any car and that “everything is computer”. Elon Musk then took the driver’s seat, personally guiding the president through the car’s features.
“I’m gonna buy [Tesla] because it’s a great product as good as it gets and this man [Elon Musk] has devoted his energy and his life to doing this, and I think he has been treated unfairly by a very small group of people,” Trump told reporters outside the White House in the afternoon.
Read| Elon Musk Says ‘Tesla Will Double US Production In 2 Years’ As Company’s Slumping Stock Climbs
Elon Musk is a patriot: Trump
He added, “I just want people to know that you can’t be penalised for being a patriot. And he is a great patriot. He has also done an incredible job with Tesla. I mean, nobody else has a car company started up in the last 30 years that’s been successful, I don’t think so.”
“But because he’s finding all sorts of terrible things that have taken place against our country, we want to penalise him in an economic sense. And I just think that’s very unfair. So I just wanted to make a statement. I’m going to buy one now,” he went on to say.
Tesla will double US production in 2 years: Musk
“As a function of the great policies of President Trump and his administration, and as an act of faith in America, Tesla is going to double vehicle output in the United States within the next two years,” Elon Musk told the reporters outside the White House as Trump pats on his back.
Trump then says, “And by the way he makes one car, this one I don’t understand and this one I don’t want but that’s okay… It comes without a steering wheel.” He then asks Musk to say something more about the car.
The billionaire CEO added, “The Cybertruck starts production in Texas next year and it is a self-driving car. It will not have steering, it will not have pedals.”
“In support of the policies of President Donald Trump and to demonstrate our confidence in the future of the United States, Tesla commits to doubling vehicle production in the US within 2 years!” Musk wrote in post on Twitter (now X) on Wednesday.
The duo later walked over to a Cybertruck, where Musk highlighted its durability, proudly noting, “This car is bulletproof.”
Trump did not take the Tesla for a test drive, clarifying that he is not permitted to drive. However, he stated that his White House staff would use the vehicle.
Anti-Musk protests
Elon Musk, whom Trump tagged as “a truly great American”, has been facing backlash from people amid his role as a White House adviser and head of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Tesla shares have declined after he slashed government jobs, cancellation of contracts and and other measures.
South Korea’s second-biggest carmaker, Kia, too joined the protestors as they shared a Instagram post where its small SUV EV3 has a sticker pasted on it. It reads, “I bought this after Elon went crazy.”
One of the anti-Musk stickers that is being sold online reads, “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy.”
“Anti-Elon Tesla Club,” reads another.
A third states, “Elon killed my resale value.” Another that is up for sale asks Musk to “Shut up”.
