President Donald Trump bought a Tesla on the White Home on Tuesday in a present of presidential assist for Tesla’s proprietor, Elon Musk, who can be a Trump senior advisor and head of the Division of Authorities Effectivity, also referred to as DOGE. The transfer got here amid a number of nationwide protests of the carmaker — lots of which have taken place at Tesla dealerships — in response to Musk main the administration’s government-wide effort to slash the federal workforce and packages.
After buying round a number of Teslas on the White Home South Garden, which just about resembled a automotive sale lot, Trump determined to purchase a pink Tesla Mannequin S, which begins at about $80,000. Whereas speaking to reporters, the president denounced protests of Musk and Tesla, saying the tech and enterprise entrepreneur had been handled “unfairly” and “can’t be penalized for being a patriot.”
Musk has turn out to be the face of presidency controversy as hundreds lose their jobs and federal packages see huge cuts. Although the Trump White Home has celebrated Musk’s efforts, critics have decried actions like Musk and his employees having access to taxpayers’ delicate knowledge and making cuts they are saying are arbitrary and can do extra hurt to Individuals than good. What’s extra, Musk, a non-governmental particular worker, has led efforts to freeze or redirect federal {dollars} which have already been accepted by Congress.
U.S. Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. Virgin Islands lambasted Republicans for “abdicating their Article I accountability” below the Structure. She informed theGrio, “[They] are giving it to Donald Trump and Elon Musk…they’ve taken route from them as to how a lot cash ought to be spent on totally different companies, the place the cash ought to be spent.” Plaskett, who serves on the Home Finances and Methods and Means Committees, mentioned Individuals “ought to be involved.”
“Whereas Wall Road and Primary Road brace themselves for an financial disaster, the president stood on the White Home garden for over an hour with the world’s richest man, speaking up paying full sticker worth for a rolling demise lure he’ll by no means drive,” mentioned Markus Batchelor, nationwide political director on the progressive advocacy group, Folks For the American Method.
He informed theGrio, “From tax breaks for the wealthy to tariffs on our closest commerce companions, the president is exhibiting who he’s all the time been in politics for: the well-off and well-connected — all on the expense of the working folks.”
Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross mentioned Trump’s makeshift Tesla showroom on the White Home served as an tried “distraction” from the U.S.’s financial instability, as evidenced by a tumbling U.S. inventory market on account of President Trump’s tariff commerce coverage warfare with China, Canada, and others.
“The shifts within the monetary stability of America, as acknowledged by what we’re seeing from non-public trade, has actually scared lots of people,” mentioned Cross, who famous, “largely that was pushed by Trump telling the reality a minimum of one time that he couldn’t assure that Individuals wouldn’t be harm in offsetting the price of tariffs.”
Cross mentioned Trump’s Tesla showcase was additionally about optics. She defined, “Trump desires to re-establish with the media that he and Elon are nonetheless very shut as a result of there have been loads of rumors and questions on which certainly one of them is definitely operating the White Home.” The political strategist additionally famous that Trump will want Elon Musk’s “money” in a number of “tight districts” held by Republicans within the upcoming midterm elections subsequent yr to retain as many congressional seats as doable.
Trump’s obvious technique to rehabilitate Musk’s public picture and Tesla’s gross sales is starting to work. On Wednesday morning, Tesla shares noticed some positive aspects.
However as Trump and Musk tout their wealth on the White Home whereas additionally slashing federal jobs that propelled many Black and working-class households into the center class, critics proceed to level out the category divide in America between the haves and the have-nots. That’s particularly so for Black and brown communities amid a widening racial wealth hole.
Cross mentioned billionaires like President Trump have constructed their wealth “off the backs of working-class individuals who by no means see these returns.”
“The common earnings of a Tesla proprietor is $150,000 a yr. These individuals who personal Teslas earn much more than the median family earnings,” mentioned Cross. “For Black America, it’s slightly below $57,000, and if we go into sure communities in Chicago and Detroit, in Atlanta, numerous Black cities throughout America, that common earnings, relying in your neighborhood, could possibly be as little as $25,000.”
She added, “In the meantime, [Trump] is flaunting his wealth…whereas America is questioning what they’re going to do.”
