Last Updated:
Donald Trump said he will buy a new Tesla to show support for Elon Musk, calling him “a truly great American.” He also slammed the ‘Radical Left’ for allegedly trying to boycott Tesla.
Elon Musk (R) jumps on stage as he joins (then) US President during a campaign rally (Photo: AFP)
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would be buying a brand new Tesla car on Wednesday morning, as a show of confidence and support for billionaire Elon Musk, whom he termed “a truly great American”.
Trump’s announcement comes as police across the United States are investigating a series of attacks on Tesla showrooms, charging stations and Tesla vehicles, as vitriol escalates against CEO Elon Musk.
Such protests have also been reported in other countries.
“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! But the Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World’s great automakers, and Elon’s “baby,” in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Socia.
“They tried to do it to me at the 2024 Presidential Ballot Box, but how did that work out?”
“In any event, I’m going to buy a brand new Tesla tomorrow morning as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American,” Trump wrote.
“Why should he be punished for putting his tremendous skills to work in order to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN???” (sic).
In response, Elon Musk quoted Trump’s post and wrote, “Thank you, President.”
ALSO READ | 12 Tesla Cars Torched In France As Anger Toward Elon Musk Grows
There have also been peaceful protests at many Tesla locations, which involve demonstrators carrying signs and chanting “Elon Musk has got to go” in response to the slashing of federal jobs and budgets by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Though the protests have been peaceful, there have also been widespread reports of vandalism.
While there have been no reports of injuries, the incidents pose a potential financial problem for Tesla. The company faces declining sales for the first time due to increased competition and backlash over Musk’s contentious role in the Trump administration.
ALSO READ | Tesla’s China Sales Hit Lowest In 19-month, Overshadowed By 10-times From BYD
In the wake of the backlash, Tesla also reported the first drop in annual sales in its history, and there are indications that sales could be down again this quarter.
According to Reuters, while overall electric vehicle sales in Europe surged by 34 per cent in January, sales of Tesla plummeted 50 per cent. Tesla’s sales fell 29 per cent in China — the company’s second-largest market after the United States — in the first two months of the year.
