Democrats were struck by President Donald Trump’s purchase of Red Tesla on Tuesday.
Trump flaunted the White House’s South Lawn vehicle with SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. He is heading the newly created Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE), as Tesla stock surprised him earlier this week. Stock prices rose following the White House event.
Democrats condemned the move, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee named the Trump administration “the most corrupt administration in American history.”
However, Biden held a similar event at the White House in August 2021. He drove an Electric Jeep Wrangler at the White House South Lawn as part of a meeting with top executives at General Motors, Ford and Stella Lantis.
The event was in response to Biden signing an executive order aimed at a zero-emission vehicle manufactured in the US to compensate for half of vehicle production by the end of the decade.
Trump buys a red Tesla model with Elon Musk at the White House: “I like to sign checks!”
President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speak to a reporter near the red model Tesla vehicle on the south grass of the White House in Washington on March 11, 2025. (Pool via AP)
Musk and Tesla were not invited to Biden’s 2021 election vehicle event. Musk called out the Biden administration in a post from X at the time, saying, “Yeah, it seems strange that Tesla wasn’t invited.”
When asked at the time why the White House ruled out Tesla, the largest U.S. electric car maker, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki suggested that Tesla receive an invitation to future events.
“Well, we, of course, welcome the efforts of car manufacturers to recognize the future potential of electric vehicles and help them to reach the president’s goals. And Tesla is one of those companies,” Psaki said in August 2021.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration’s refusal to meet Musk served as a catalyst for Musk’s departure from Democrats, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Journal reported in July 2024 that Musk voted for Biden in 2020 and reached out to the Biden White House after the inauguration ceremony, but the White House refused to speak to him.
The Journal reported that Tesla is the only non-union automaker in the United Autoworkers (UAW) unions, and that the Biden White House was hesitant to steal musk in the offer due to concerns that his connections with him would disrupt the United Autoworkers (UAW) unions.
Psaki said at the election vehicle event, “because it is the three largest employer of United’s auto workers, you can draw your own conclusions.”
Tesla rebounds after Trump defends Musk and brings EVS to the White House
Then White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki signaled that Tesla would be invited to other electric car events in the future. (Alex Brandon/Applications)
Others criticized Trump at his Tesla Show on Tuesday. “All those who have retired, lost their jobs and health care for Trump are happy to see the White House become the richest male car dealer on the planet,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin told X-Post.
Fox Business’s Breck Dumma contributed to this report.
Diana Stancy is a political reporter for Fox News Digital, covering the White House.
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