- Donald Trump would not see eye-to-eye with Elon Musk on electrical autos.
- The previous president stated the Biden administration’s EV mandate was made by “very stupid people.”
- Trump confirmed he met with Musk however stated he would not know if he’ll get his assist.
Donald Trump could also be courting Elon Musk for potential marketing campaign assist, however do not anticipate the previous president to alter his messaging on EVs anytime quickly.
Trump confirmed that he met with the Tesla CEO lately in an interview on CNBC’s SquawkBox on Monday, however stated he did not know whether or not he would ultimately obtain Musk’s endorsement.
He added that, whereas he personally likes the Tesla CEO, the 2 are “obviously” not on the identical web page with regards to “a minor subject called electric cars.”
“They don’t go far, they cost too much, and they’re all going to be made in China,” he stated.
Whereas Trump stated he’s “all for” EV manufacturing, he instructed that an all-electric future is impractical within the brief time period as a result of state of the US electrical grid, which he described as “obsolete and a disaster.”
“You have to have all of the alternatives,” he stated.
“Electric cars — there’s not even the possibility to go all-electric,” he added. “This Biden all-electric mandate is by very, very stupid people.”
The previous president was presumably referring to his successor’s push to ramp up EV manufacturing to 60% of recent autos by 2030. These targets, introduced final yr, are reportedly being loosened due to lagging EV gross sales lately.
The Biden administration has additionally invested in billion-dollar efforts to strengthen the facility grid and broaden the provision of charging networks.
Trump made headlines on Christmas for a submit on Fact Social the place he stated that supporters of “Electric Car Lunacy,” amongst others, are “THUGS” who can “ROT IN HELL.” Trump posted the message, which additionally talked about “No Energy Independence” and the “Green New Scam,” as he lashed out towards the legal fees he faces.
Trump met with Musk in Palm Seashore, Florida, final week, as he seems to spice up donations to his presidential marketing campaign. Musk later stated that he wouldn’t donate cash to “either candidate for US president” — although some are unconvinced.
Throughout the Trump administration, Musk served on two presidential advisory councils however left after Trump elected to withdraw the US from the Paris Local weather Accords.
Musk has beforehand instructed that Trump’s hyperlinks to the oil and fuel business restricted his assist of EV producers like Tesla throughout his presidency. Musk additionally claimed he voted for Biden, not Trump, in 2020 — although, in keeping with his biographer, he really stayed house on Election Day. In Could 2022, Musk stated he deliberate on voting Republican in “this election,” however did not specify if he meant the midterms or the 2024 presidential election. Later that yr, he stated he was undecided on whether or not he’d vote for Trump.
Trump hasn’t shied away from criticizing Musk lately. In 2022, Trump stated the tech billionaire had come to the White Home asking for assist “on all of his many subsidized projects,” together with his “electric cars that don’t drive long enough,” his “driverless cars that crash,” and his “rocketships to nowhere.”
“I could have said, ‘drop to your knees and beg,’ and he would have done it,” the previous president stated on the time.
Trump on Monday acknowledged the United Auto Employees lately endorsed President Biden’s marketing campaign — including that union leaders have been “like blind sheep.” Nonetheless, he asserted that “the autoworkers are going to vote for Trump.”
