Trump is against anyone with an electric car

Yet the Republican candidate for the US presidential election had the backing of Elon Musk

By: Massimo Grassi

Aug 3, 2024 at 5:18am ET

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The fact that Donald Trump was not an ardent supporter of electric mobility has long been known. To leave no doubt, the Republican US presidential candidate underlined this during an interview, declaring "I'm against anyone with an electric car".

This statement came at the end of a sentence in which Trump commented on the support given to him by Elon Musk, confirming the friendship between the two. Despite the fact that they have diametrically opposed views on the electric car.

Friends/enemies

But what is the real relationship between Musk and Trump? According to rumours gathered by the Wall Street Journal the Tesla number one has set up a fund to support the former president's campaign, a fact denied by Musk. It is no mystery that relations between the two are cordial, as evidenced for example by the reopening of Trump's Twitter account shortly after the South African businessman took over the social network, or the rumours that would have him as an advisor in the eventual new Republican administration.

Just rumours, which however clash with Trump's statement, and according to him, today in the United States "they are forcing you to buy an electric car". It is one thing for Biden to welcome the transition, but in none of the 50 states are motorists forbidden to buy cars with heat engines.

In the meantime, however, Musk cannot rest easy because, beyond the interviews, Trump's plans include imposing duties on cars produced in Mexico, the country where the new Tesla factory is to be built.