Get ‘Em While You Can! Desperation Over Tesla EV Sales Is On Display On The White House Lawn – CleanTechnica

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Last Updated on: 13th March 2025, 12:06 pm

The scene was something out of Barnum and Bailey — and why not? The cast of characters are consummate showmen, torn out of the pages of the carnival and snake oil circuit. C’mon down! Tesla EV sales have plummeted around the world as their CEO sucks the toes of autocrats and madmen, plunders the US federal government, and lies — oh, the lies — profusely, constantly, and darkly.

The show must go on.

The President, sidekick and contemporary Faust, stroked the cherry red Tesla Model S, Satan in a business suit, oohing over its minimalist control panel and white faux leather seats. “Whoa,” the president proclaimed, “it’s beautiful!” But it’s not for the masses, clearly. As described by Kelly Blue Book, the 2025 Tesla Model S is a large, all-electric luxury car with a great maximum range of 402 miles. Pricing starts at $76,880.

And who said the White House wasn’t transactional? Punish your enemies, reward your friends. The President — who hasn’t purchased a personal transportation vehicle for eons — bought a Tesla. Or so he said.

No longer was the South Lawn of the White House a site to parade around pardoned turkeys. To coddle furry Easter bunnies. To preen over a majestic lit tree for the December holidays. No, it was a car lot, and onto it were placed five Teslas, parked for the pleasure of the President.

Hear ye, hear ye: one of these vehicles could be in your driveway for the oh-so low price of $35,000, the shyster-in-Chief proclaimed. (Reality check! Pricing starts at $44,130, according to Kelly Blue Book.) The Mad King spent about 30 minutes talking with reporters about the value of a Tesla.

Historian Heather Cox Richardson stated that “the corruption in the administration was out in the open” as Trump advertised Elon Musk’s cars at the White House. Even the Washington Post — that bastion of ambivalence owned by the world’s second wealthiest person — expressed alarm that the Trump-Musk team had converted “one of the country’s most revered public spaces into a billboard.”

The president endorsed Tesla, calling it “a great product, as good as it gets.”

Wait — don’t federal regulations prohibit White House staffers from using their government positions to endorse or promote private companies or products? Oh, that doesn’t include the President. Right. And the Supremes have made sure that anything Trump does as a self-interested autocrat in his role as the leader of the free world is no longer grounds for censure.

He complimented Musk, saying he is “a great patriot, and you should cherish him.” Ah, the Patriot nomenclature in the US. Remember the Patriot Act — which took enormous freedoms from US citizens and never actually nailed the Saudis for their role in the 9/11 attacks on US soil? Such a handy word: Patriot.

In 1776, another immigrant published a small pamphlet that ignited independence in America and shifted the political landscape of the patriot movement from reform within the British imperial system to independence from it. “These are the times that try men’s souls,” Thomas Paine said in The American Crisis. “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” Now that’s patriotism — rising up and speaking truth to power.

Ah, what a difference a year makes. The same guy who derided EVs, claiming they were only good “if you have a towing company,” now defends the vehicles and their CEO. “I just want people to know that he can’t be penalized for being a patriot,” Trump expressed firmly.

Questioned whether the event would spark an increase in what has been a downward spiral of Tesla EV sales, Trump responded, “When somebody is a great patriot, they shouldn’t be hurt. He’s a great patriot.” The head of DOGE has been dismantling the US government, which is the opposite of some definitions of “Patriot.” For example, US author Edward Abbey wrote, “A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.” Not happening here.

Tesla EV Sales Plummet as the Dark Lords Rule

Tesla was supposed to be achieving 50% growth per year through 2030, yet sales actually declined year over year in 2024. A March look at the best selling EV models found the Model Y starting the race in its usual #1 spot, but then a sales drop by 6% to 66,536 units made for the worst performance since January 2023.

In the US and Europe, one of the most common explanations for the sales hit is that people don’t want to support Elon Musk after all of his far-right political engagement, Nazi-looking hand motions, and disruption of the US government and alliances in Europe.

In Australia, Tesla’s sliding popularity is the result of several other trends in the market, according to the Guardian. These include the move away from pure battery electric cars in favor of hybrid vehicles; the increasing availability of cheaper Chinese rivals; and the broader waning appetite for cars that saw Australians buy 10,000 fewer vehicles in February than the same month in 2024.

Now that he has built factories in China, Texas, Germany, and Nevada, Musk assured the America-or-nothing White House lawn audience that said he was going to expand production of his cars in the old U S of A. “We have the biggest factory and the most advanced automotive factory in Texas. … These are great products,” Musk said. “The Model S has won best car ever. All these cars have won several awards. They’re great cars, and they’re American-made.”

If anyone was unsure if the event was a publicly-staged Tesla EV sales event, Musk put any doubts to bed. “You know, try it. You’ll like it.”

The Tesla Cybertruck loomed heavily on the stage set lawn. The trapezoidal, stainless steel exterior, designed to stand out in a fiercely competitive market, hasn’t really made the dent in the full-size (electric or otherwise) pickup market. Trump said he had purchased one of the beasts earlier for his granddaughter. “This is bulletproof,” Musk bragged, adding that the Cybertruck design was intended to evoke a Blade Runner vibe.

Trump jumped in on cue. “In terms of imagination, I think I have a great imagination,” he congratulated himself. “Who else but this guy would design this, and everybody on the road is looking at it?” (Not really a good question — no other automakers have emulated the model.) Trump purred on. “It’s amazing, actually. As soon as I saw it, I said, ‘That is the coolest design.’”

He also promoted a forthcoming model of the Cybertruck that won’t have a steering wheel because Tesla is so confident in the “self-driving” technology. “I’m going to pass on that,” Trump reacted.

Wasn’t it candidate Donald who disavowed Project 2025? Pshaw. Unpopular? No problem. It was Machiavelli, of course, who said, “A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.”

A White House official said the president is paying for the vehicle with his own money. Well, that’s good news — since he’s pillaging the federal fiscal coffers, it’s a relief to know we’re not buying a Tesla from Trump… or are we?

Trump won’t actually be driving his new Tesla, though, because he is chauffeured around in an armored presidential car. Without offering details, he said the EV would be used at the White House. Ah! It’s a symbol to foot-kissing Republicans that it’s okay to keep those IRA funds in their red states. We get it now. More tranactionalism on display.

Tesla EV sales seemed brighter. Though many investors — including several Tesla board of directors — had sold large blocks of stock on Monday, Tesla was up in value nearly 4% by end of day Tuesday. At the moment, it is down 5% today.

Then again, my financial advisor sent along a doomsday forecast for my retirement portfolio, noting, “In such an uncertain environment, it is very difficult for economists to forecast economic growth, for analysts to predict profits, and for companies to plan.” Great! That’s what nearly half the nation signed up for, right? And to think some people were worried about “inflation” as they voted in November. Ha! You get what ya asked for, people.

Musk’s 4-year-old son, X, stood by his side, fidgeting and rolling a toy truck on the ground and up his father’s leg. Ah, out of the eyes of babes….