President Donald Trump’s ridiculous automotive salesman schtick on the White Home Tuesday made a mockery of the Govt Workplace. It was pathetic seeing Trump and Elon Musk—the 2 strongest folks on the earth—crying about how persecuted they assume they’re.
It was additionally horrible enterprise for Musk.
His drawback is that the core marketplace for electrical autos—rich environmentally acutely aware liberals—has turned onerous towards Tesla since Musk has come out as a loud and proud Nazi.
Additional tying Tesla to electrical vehicle-hating Trump solely drives away much more potential patrons whereas doing little to win over Trump’s base of poorer Individuals who’re hostile towards the setting and EVs.
And it was horrible politics for Trump.
Trump received due to inflation. All different tradition struggle nonsense performed a task, certain, however ultimately, Trump upended the standard marketing campaign dynamics by successful voters making lower than $50,000, whereas former Vice President Kamala Harris received voters making greater than $100,000.
The Democratic Get together is now the occasion of the educated elite, whereas the Republican Get together has change into the occasion of the decrease socioeconomic strata.
Regardless that Trump received white voters handily by 57-42, Harris received college-educated white voters by 53-45, in response to 2024 exit polls. Trump additionally received non-college white voters by 66-32. General, Harris received college-educated voters by 56-42 and misplaced non-college voters by 56-43.
In different phrases, Trump voters don’t purchase Teslas. So how is that this horrible politics for Trump?
Tens of thousands and thousands of Individuals voted for Trump as a result of they believed his repeated guarantees that “Starting on Day 1, we will end inflation and make America affordable again.”
As an alternative, Trump spent Day 1 renaming the Gulf of Mexico and Mount Denali in Alaska, beginning nonsensical commerce wars with Canada and Mexico, aligning himself with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, firing tens of 1000’s of presidency employees, slashing widespread authorities packages—a lot of which immediately profit his personal base—and in any other case doing every little thing however decrease costs.
And whereas he’s actually stuffed with excuses, none of them are, “Sorry, I got distracted. Let me get back to working on lowering prices.”
In actual fact, Trump is full steam forward on his commerce wars and deportation plans, which is able to solely improve costs … by quite a bit. So now the inventory market is tanking and Social Safety is in danger.
In the meantime, Trump is internet hosting Tesla infomercials on the White Home to advertise Musk’s Tesla autos—a number of of which price greater than $100,000.
Even Trump’s beloved Fox Information couldn’t ignore the horrendous optics of this stunt.
Trump stated he would purchase an $80,000 purple Tesla Mannequin S for White Home employees, since he doesn’t drive. However how will they cost the automotive? Trump is actually eradicating charging stations from all authorities buildings—simply one other instance of how Trump’s hatred for EVs is in direct battle along with his must please Musk.
On the finish of the day, Trump doesn’t give a rattling about his supporters, a lot much less the broader American folks. After all, nobody must be shocked, contemplating he stated on the marketing campaign path, “I don’t care about you. I just want your vote.”
