This Christmas, Elon Musk, the vocal CEO of Tesla, didn’t hold back while airing his complaints about President Joe Biden. Musk criticized the way the administration was handling his electric car startup on his favorite platform, X.
Musk accused the White House of giving Tesla the “cold shoulder” by keeping the business out of the Electric Vehicle (EV) summit and giving General Motors (GM) too much credit in a harsh article published on Christmas Day. Musk drew attention to the paradox that, although GM only produced 26 electric vehicles in the same quarter that Tesla produced an astounding 300,000, the company was nevertheless recognized as the pioneer of the electric car revolution.
The Tesla CEO didn’t stop there, extending his criticism to President Biden’s alleged allegiance to unions. According to Musk, the Democratic Party, and particularly Biden, are significantly influenced by unions, with Biden himself acknowledging this in a speech posted on WhiteHouse.gov. Musk quoted Biden stating, “the UAW elected me,” implying a close relationship between the president and labor unions.
Musk’s frustration with the administration’s treatment of Tesla dates back to the exclusion of the company from Biden’s EV summit in 2021. The Tesla CEO has consistently brought up this incident in various forums, emphasizing the perceived injustice of not being invited to the summit, where Biden publicly praised GM for leading the electric car revolution.
The strained relationship between Musk and Biden has likely influenced the billionaire’s political stance. Once a supporter of Barack Obama, Musk revealed at a recent summit that he would not be backing Biden for re-election. Instead, he expressed support for GOP presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, citing a preference for a “sensible and centrist” leader.
As the feud unfolds, representatives for Musk and Biden have yet to respond to requests for comment. The public spat between the Tesla CEO and the President underscores the complex dynamics between government and influential figures in the private sector, particularly in industries as pivotal as electric vehicles.