It was one of those moments that felt like a glitch in the simulation. Back in March 2025, the world watched as Donald Trump stood on the White House lawn, flanked by Elon Musk, and actually bought a car. A red Tesla Model S, to be precise. He paid full price—$80,000—and called Musk a "patriot." It was a weird, high-stakes infomercial for American manufacturing. But fast forward a few months, and the "bromance" hit a brick wall. Suddenly, headlines were everywhere about trump selling his tesla.
People were confused. Was it a political statement? A personal spat? Or just a billionaire being a billionaire? Honestly, the story of Trump and his short-lived relationship with that red EV is basically a masterclass in how quickly power dynamics shift in Washington.
The $80,000 Statement That Didn't Last
Let’s be real for a second. Donald Trump doesn’t drive. The Secret Service doesn't exactly let presidents hop behind the wheel of a Ludicrous Mode sedan to go grab a Diet Coke. When he bought that Tesla, it was never about the 0-60 speed or the yoke steering wheel. It was a symbolic middle finger to critics who said he hated electric vehicles and a massive "thank you" to Elon Musk for his campaign support.
Trump even joked about giving the Secret Service a "heart attack" while sitting in the passenger seat. He told reporters he was buying it for the White House staff to use. It was supposed to show confidence in Tesla at a time when the stock was sliding. But by June 2025, that confidence had evaporated faster than a battery charge in a North Dakota winter.
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The fallout was messy. It started with Musk criticizing a spending bill—the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"—calling it a "disgusting abomination." Trump doesn't take criticism well, especially from people he thinks he’s "made." The retaliation was swift. Reports leaked from the White House that the red Tesla was going on the auction block.
Why Trump Selling His Tesla Shook the Market
When the news broke about trump selling his tesla, it wasn't just a gossip item for the tabloids. It had real-world financial consequences. Tesla’s stock, which had already been struggling in early 2025, took a 14% nosedive in a single day.
Investors were spooked. If the President of the United States—the guy who literally just had an "Auto Mall" event on the South Lawn—was dumping the brand, what did that mean for federal EV subsidies? What did it mean for SpaceX contracts?
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The feud got personal. Musk started tweeting about Trump’s age and past associations, while Trump suggested at a rally that Musk should "go back to where he came from." It was a total meltdown of the alliance that had defined the 2024 election cycle. For a few days in June 2025, it seemed certain the car was gone. A White House official even told Car and Driver that the sale was a "done deal" to signal a clean break from Musk’s influence.
The Great 180: Did He Actually Sell It?
Here is where it gets kinda typical for politics. Just as the world was bracing for a public auction of "The Presidential Tesla," the rhetoric cooled down. By June 10, 2025, Trump did what he does best: he changed the narrative.
He announced that he wasn't going to sell the Tesla after all. He said he might "move it around," but the car would stay in the fleet. Why? Because by then, the point had been made. He’d shown Musk he could hurt the brand if he wanted to. The "threat" of trump selling his tesla was more powerful than the actual sale.
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Why the drama matters for you
- Market Volatility: It proves how much "headline risk" exists when CEOs get too close to politicians.
- EV Policy: It showed that Trump's support for EVs was tied to a person, not a policy. When the person annoyed him, the support vanished.
- Brand Perception: Tesla’s reputation shifted from a "tech company" to a "political football" almost overnight.
In the end, the car stayed at the White House, but the damage was done. By the start of 2026, Tesla lost its crown as the world's top EV seller to BYD. Analysts like Dan Ives from Wedbush pointed out that the constant political drama—the buying, the threatened selling, the public brawling—alienated the very people who actually buy electric cars.
What This Means for the Future of EVs
If you're looking at this as just another Trump-Musk headline, you're missing the bigger picture. This saga changed how people view car ownership as a political statement. It’s not just about miles per gallon anymore; it’s about whose "team" you’re on.
For the average consumer, the lesson is simple: don't buy into the hype of celebrity endorsements or political stunts. A car is a tool, not a loyalty badge. If the President can "buy" a Tesla and then threaten to "fire" it three months later, it shows how fickle these associations are.
Next Steps for Savvy Observers:
Check the federal register for updates on the EV tax credits that were phased out in late 2025. This was a direct result of the cooling relations between the administration and the EV sector. If you're in the market for a used Tesla, keep an eye on government surplus auctions. While the "Presidential Red" Model S hasn't hit the market yet, the administration's pivot away from EVs means more federal fleet vehicles might be up for grabs soon. Finally, diversify your portfolio—relying on a single CEO's relationship with a world leader is a high-risk strategy that rarely pays off in the long run.