Donald Trump decided to get rid of his recently acquired Tesla vehicle after a rift in his relationship with entrepreneur Elon Musk, according to information published by The New York Times, citing a senior White House official.
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In March, the President of the United States purchased a red Model S, valued at around $80,000, as a gesture of support for the electric vehicle company amid a drop in its value.
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Trump even lent the gardens of the White House to stage a choreographed show of support for Tesla and its former friend, former ally, and former financier Elon Musk.
The decision was a political and commercial gesture by the president, who has always supported traditional internal combustion engine cars produced by large American companies.
Another chapter in Trump’s rift with Musk
The decision arises amid growing tensions between Trump and Musk, who had been until recently a key ally in government initiatives and had become the second most powerful man in the White House in the early months of the Republican president’s administration.
The distance between them became evident after the businessman expressed harsh criticism of a legislative proposal promoted by the current administration.
At the time, Trump decided to acquire the electric vehicle as a way of publicly showing his support for Tesla. The company was facing a wave of attacks, including acts of vandalism against cars and properties related to the brand.
The purchase was interpreted as a political signal, especially following the controversies surrounding Musk’s involvement in the DOGE project, an ambitious initiative to reduce state spending and the federal workforce that turned out to be a political failure for the South African entrepreneur.
Public Breakup between Trump and Musk
The bond between the president and the tech mogul began to deteriorate rapidly over the past week. The breaking point came on Thursday, when Musk openly questioned one of the key legislative pieces that Trump is trying to push through Congress: a new tax law.
In response to those criticisms, the president referred to Musk as “crazy” and suggested that he could cancel federal government contracts with companies led by the entrepreneur, including the aerospace company SpaceX. These statements marked a significant shift in the relationship between the two, which had previously been characterized by occasional cooperation on economic and technological issues.
At the moment, the vehicle remains parked near the White House, unused.