President Donald Trump purchased a Tesla and thanked the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, for devoting “his energy and his life” to helping the Trump administration.
Trump appeared with Musk on Tuesday afternoon at the White House. A reporter asked if the president would “buy or lease” the vehicle, to which the president responded he was looking to buy. The president said he was purchasing a Tesla because the car is “a great product,” and Musk has greatly aided his administration and is being treated “very unfairly” by some people.
LIVE NOW: President Trump receiving his brand-new Tesla fleet, Model Y Refresh, Cybertruck, and Model 3, at the White House, joined by Elon Musk and his son, Lil X.https://t.co/FQErUIfOAH
— SMX 🇺🇸 (@iam_smx) March 11, 2025
“And I just want people to know you can’t be penalized for being a patriot, and he’s a great patriot,” Trump said. “And he’s also done an incredible job at Tesla, I mean nobody’s else … has a car company started up in the last 30 years that’s been successful? I don’t think so.”
President Trump buys a Tesla: “Number one, it’s a great product — as good as it gets — and number two, because [@elonmusk] has devoted his energy and his life to doing this and I think he has been treated very unfairly.” pic.twitter.com/lypTYM1PXv
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 11, 2025
Trump was offered a red Tesla Model S, a blue Model Y, or a silver Cybertruck. He ultimately chose the first vehicle, saying, “I love Tesler.” While checking out his new car, Trump also joked that former President Joe Biden would not be able to get into it.
“You think Biden could get into that car? I don’t think so,” he said.
Trump is not allowed to drive the car as president, but he revealed that White House staff can use it and they are all “excited about that.”
Trump was also asked about the recent state of the stock market and the uncertainty surrounding it. He largely brushed off concerns and argued that his first administration’s economy was “the greatest” and his new administration’s economy would “blow it away.”
.@POTUS on the stock market: Our country had to do this. We had to go and do this. Other countries have taken away our business, they’ve taken away our jobs… In my first term, we had the greatest economy in history… This economy, in my opinion, is going to blow it away. pic.twitter.com/jVzfvGc0VJ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 11, 2025
This is not the first Tesla that Trump purchased. He said he bought a Cybertruck last year for his granddaughter, Kai Trump. The president’s granddaughter, the daughter of Donald Trump Jr., went viral in July 2024 when she spoke at the Republican National Convention and detailed how the president is a “normal grandpa.”
Musk also spoke at the event. He announced that Tesla would “double” its vehicle output in the United States in the next two years. The announcement came as Trump has encouraged businesses to build and create their products in the U.S.
🚨 @elonmusk: “As a function of the great policies of President Trump and his administration, and as an act of faith in America, @Tesla is going to DOUBLE vehicle output in the United States within the next two years.” pic.twitter.com/FcXK9Jwo7r
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 11, 2025
Musk has been a key ally to the president, as the Department of Government Efficiency targets wasteful spending across the federal government. On Monday, Musk expressed interest in increasing DOGE’s hiring to employ roughly an extra 100 employees to contribute to the department’s work.
On X, Musk reposted a video from August 2024 in which Trump was checking out the interior of a Tesla Cybertruck, calling it “unbelievable.” Margo Martin, Trump’s communications adviser, uploaded the original video.
JUDGE FIND DOGE WORKS IN ‘UNUSUAL SECRECY’ AND MUST COMPLY WITH RECORDS REQUEST
Amid DOGE’s work to downsize the federal government’s waste, Tesla facilities and vehicles have been under attack, which prompted Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) to call on Trump’s Justice Department to investigate.
In addition to Trump, Fox News host Sean Hannity revealed that he decided to purchase his own Tesla. Former Republican New Hampshire House candidate Lily Tang Williams also purchased her own Tesla and posted a video of her driving it on X.