Could Elon Musk Get The US Government To Buy A Bunch Of Teslas?

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Final Up to date on: eighth February 2025, 12:01 am

It’s no secret — Elon Musk has been one thing like a shadow president early on in Donald Trump’s second time period within the White Home. Up to now, that has largely targeted on issues not very associated to Tesla. Nonetheless, one has to marvel how a lot Tesla enterprise may begin getting rolled into White Home enterprise. Possibly….

In fact, there may be not alleged to be any humorous enterprise occurring between a rich businessman’s companies and his position within the authorities when he takes on a authorities place, however, nicely … I virtually began laughing there. Donald Trump is thought to be extraordinarily corrupt. There’s corruption operating by the veins of his White Home, as there was to an insane diploma throughout his first time period. Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, and Donald Trump walked away with billions of {dollars} of assist from different international locations throughout and after Trump’s final time in workplace. There have been quite a few different examples of nepotism and favoritism as nicely. And Trump’s method to enterprise has lengthy been modeled after — and linked to — New York Metropolis mafia norms. You scratch my again, I’ll scratch yours. You don’t, and I’d simply have somebody come on your knees — or worse.

Musk might imagine he’s a good and goal individual, however he at all times assumes he and his companies are unmatched throughout the board of their markets and deserve the world. It could simply be “logical” that Tesla would win huge contracts and get big orders from the federal authorities. So, with Musk such an enormous a part of Trump’s present crew, on one hand, it might not be stunning in any respect if Tesla abruptly received some big orders from the US authorities — for vehicles, EV chargers, and/or battery storage methods.

Nonetheless … there are few potential dampeners for Elon Musk and Tesla right here.

To begin with, Musk has fully caved on quite a few Tesla-related subjects prior to now 12 months. He has claimed local weather change isn’t such an excessive risk in spite of everything (insanely idiotic), claimed that we truly shouldn’t decrease fossil gas manufacturing, and claimed on a number of events that the EV trade shouldn’t be getting assist from the federal government. Tesla very just lately wiped outdated content material off its web site, together with its mission, to speed up the transition to sustainable vitality. Elon Musk has made a U-turn on what constructed Tesla as much as the place it’s immediately. (Good luck with that.) Within the meantime, Trump hasn’t actually budged or given an inch to EVs. He has mentioned they’re not for everybody, and he hasn’t precisely given glowing reward to Tesla automobiles. Actually, at a number of instances, he has derided the corporate. Who wants enemies while you’ve received buddies like these?!

Reportedly, Trump finds Musk a bit annoying and really bizarre. There’s an opportunity — that is going to shock you — there’s an opportunity Trump used Musk for his reputation and cash as a way to get elected however is raring to dump him overboard as soon as given the chance. There’s additionally newer reporting out that “Elon Musk is driving Trumpworld absolutely insane.” It appears lots of different influential individuals round Trump are actually desperate to push Musk and his chaos crew into the closest deep physique of water. “Even the people closest to Donald Trump are suffering under Elon Musk’s sudden takeover of the executive branch, and they’re turning to an unexpected savior to intervene: White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles,” The New Republic prints. “In an interview with MSNBC’s Ali Vitali, Wired’s Jake Lahut revealed Friday that a slew of longtime Trump loyalists have turned to the so-called ‘ice maiden‘ to liberate the administration from Musk’s influence.” If Musk will get dumped within the Atlantic Ocean — or perhaps extra appropriately, the Arctic Ocean — it won’t be really easy to persuade Trump that the federal authorities can purchase a bunch of Tesla automobiles. Or … perhaps agreeing to purchase a bunch of Teslas for some peace and quiet within the West Wing is the answer everybody needs. (Actually, although, I feel that’s an unlikely resolution.)

Then there’s the matter of Hertz shopping for tens of hundreds of Teslas solely to show round and ditch them. Hertz discovered that Tesla automobiles had been concerned in additional accidents than ordinary, upkeep took too lengthy and was too costly, and the vehicles ate by tires. If Trump is already biased in opposition to EVs and anybody concerned in procurement choices for the federal authorities introduced these issues up, it’s exhausting to think about Trump greenlighting mass-scale EV procurement, even procurement of Teslas. It’s straightforward to see him utilizing the chance to trash Tesla and Elon.

And that truly brings us to a different factor of the story. Donald needs to be #1, needs to be seen as the massive boss, needs the world to revolve round him. Elon needs all the identical issues, and he usually will get extra public consideration than Donald. This may begin to actually grate on Trump’s ego. It’s straightforward to think about Trump turning into resentful of Musk and dealing to hinder and hurt the bizarre geek somewhat than develop into buddy buddy with him.

We are going to see. Another factor that’s no secret is Tesla sales have been struggling lately. Tesla had a year-over-year gross sales decline in 2024, which was its first one because the Mannequin S got here out (in 2012). It seems that gross sales are already off to a rocky begin in 2025. If issues proceed to go within the incorrect route for Tesla, and Musk will get determined, you might very simply think about him forcing federal procurements of Tesla automobiles — and arising with rationalizations for why it completely made sense and wasn’t because of corruption or getting favors from Trump.

I don’t actually know what I feel, however pressured to guess, my guess is that Musk doesn’t truly safe notable Tesla fleet purchases from the Trump admin. It doesn’t seem like he has a lot curiosity in Tesla any extra, and he doesn’t wish to look determined and admit he has made poor choices. However who is aware of?… If issues get unhealthy at Tesla, all bets are off the desk.

Every other ideas on the query within the title and among the factors introduced up right here?