Red Tesla Road Trip: Trump and Musk's Sour Separation
Trump tires of his distinctive red Tesla.
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link What initially seemed like a bromance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk has turned into a face-off worthy of a prime-time soap opera.
The once amicable relationship between the two powerful figures has hit a rough patch: The US president is reportedly planning to ditch his red Tesla Model S, a car he bought back in March. According to the "Wall Street Journal," a high-ranking White House official reveals that Trump is contemplating either selling or giving away the Tesla[1]. On Thursday evening, the car could still be seen parked outside the West Wing of the White House.
The tale of the Tesla began at a unique infomercial-style event at the White House, where Trump bought the car to boost Tesla sales. Despite his known disinterest in electric cars, Trump gushed over the Model S, declaring, "I love Tesla." He marveled at the car, saying, "All computer, that's beautiful. Wow."
A Crisis Call Cancelled, Tempers Flare
Just hours before news of Trump's potential Tesla decision, it emerged that a phone conversation between the two men had fallen through[2]. Apparently, Trump isn't keen on chatting with Musk at the moment, as reported by ABC News, citing a phone interview Musk had with Trump on Friday morning (local time). The White House also expressed disinterest in speaking with Musk.
When ABC News brought up the planned phone call for that day, Trump apparently retorted, "You mean the man who lost his mind?" Musk had expressed a desire to talk, Trump claimed, but he’s not ready yet.
Politics and Provocations
Musk and Trump's public spat was ignited by Musk's criticism of Trump's budget and tax bill. Musk referred to the plans as a "disgusting abomination" that must be stopped, citing concerns about its impact on the budget deficit and national debt[3]. He's also upset that the tax law proposes eliminating tax credits for electric cars like Tesla.
Trump responded publicly for the first time last Thursday, calling Musk "crazy"[3]. Musk quickly fired back with a series of aggressive posts on Twitter, to which Trump volleyed his own set of insults. Trump even threatened to withdraw government contracts for Musk's companies, while Musk suggested starting an impeachment process against Trump[3].
A Friendship Cut Short
Recently, there were no signs of this heated exchange between the powerful figures: Last Friday, Musk stepped down from his role as a "special government advisor" in Washington D.C. During a farewell event in the Oval Office of the White House, Trump praised Musk to the skies and even presented him with a symbolic key to the White House[4].
- Donald Trump
- Elon Musk
- Tesla Motors
[1] Wall Street Journal[2] ABC News[3] ntv.de[4] chr
Enrichment Data:- The falling out between Musk and Trump was primarily due to Musk's public opposition to Trump's budget and tax bill, which led to a public feud filled with insults and accusations.- Trump's threat to cancel government contracts with Musk's companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, could potentially impact Tesla's access to government contracts and subsidies but did not indicate a plan to eliminate the company entirely.- Musk suggested that Trump's name appeared in the Epstein files, sparking a heated exchange between the two figures[1].- The threat of canceling government contracts was significant enough to cause Tesla shares to drop by 14% on the day of their online exchange[2].- While Trump and Musk's relationship has soured, Trump has since stated that he is not interested in reconciling with Musk[2].
I'm not going to say that Trump's dispute with Musk is merely an entertainment spectacle, given the political and general-news implications. Despite their previous camaraderie, their public disagreement over the budget and tax bill has escalated into a heated exchange, with each man trading insults and accusations on Twitter.
