U.S. President Donald Trump was photographed clutching a handwritten note with prices of numerous Tesla models written on it while purchasing one of the electric vehicles from Elon Musk on the lawn of the White House on Tuesday.
On the morning of the sale, the president announced on Truth Social that he would be buying a Tesla from Musk as a “show of confidence” in the billionaire tech entrepreneur.
“To Republicans, Conservatives, and all great Americans, Elon Musk is ‘putting it on the line’ in order to help our Nation, and he is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!” he wrote.
The move comes days after a wave of anti-Tesla protests swept through the U.S. and parts of Europe, resulting in the burning of numerous vehicles in France and damage to a showroom in New York City.
Accompanied by Musk, and after some deliberation, the president opted for a red Model S, which, according to his note, is worth US$108,990 in blue.
Serving U.S. presidents are not permitted to drive, but that did not stop Trump from jumping into the front seat of the stationary vehicle, one in a line of four parked on the South Lawn of the White House, showroom-style.
“Watch Secret Service go crazy,” the president said before opening the car door.
While Trump did not start his vehicle of choice, he was quick to admire its interior.
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“Everything’s computer,” he said in reference to the Model S operating system. “That’s beautiful, wow,” he continued, as Musk hopped in the passenger side.
During the event, Trump told the press the last car he purchased was a Cybertruck for his 17-year-old granddaughter, Kai.
“She’s a great golfer, and she puts the clubs in the back and I guess it’s a very safe deal, she loves it,” he said.
The president referred to his price sheet multiple times throughout the interaction.
“I have a lot of information, including the price,” the president said, briefly waving the note around in the air as he spoke.
“I wanna make a good deal here.”
The president’s endorsement of the company follows a period of steep decline for Tesla. Its stock has tumbled in recent weeks as global sales drop off and contempt for its founder and his involvement in the Trump administration swells.
However, Trump’s car salesman stunt may have prompted some to buy in.
Fox News host Sean Hannity shared on X Tuesday evening that he had ordered a brand new “self driving” Tesla.
The president’s backing of Tesla, which specializes in producing electric vehicles (EVs), contravenes previous comments he has made about EVs over the years.
In September 2023, Trump bashed electric cars, saying they were “the idea of the Radical Left Fascists, Marxists, & Communists.”
On Tuesday, he accused “Radical Left Lunatics” of “trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla.”
During his inaugural address, Trump vowed to “revoke the electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto industry.”
The Biden administration never implemented an EV mandate, though it did incentivize buying them and encourage manufacturers to focus on producing electric vehicles.
The president has also shown support for electric vehicles in the past.
In 2020, on the South Lawn of the White House, he congratulated Lordstown Motors on its 2021 Endurance vehicle, a full-size electric pickup truck.
“This is a great technology,” he said.
Similarly, during a rally in Atlanta in August 2024, Trump said, “I’m for electric cars. I have to be because Elon endorsed me very strongly.”
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