US President Donald Trump recently said that the Tesla CEO and tech billionaire Elon Musk is a friend. While praising Musk at a media event after his second cabinet meeting on March 24, Trump called him a ‘patriot’. He said: “Elon, I want to thank you. I know you’ve been through a lot with this horrible situation that happens. He is a patriot.”
“He’s become a friend of mine. He has become a friend of mine, and supported me in the election. That’s when I got to know him really,” Trump added. “I knew him a little bit from the first term, but not much”.
“He has never asked me for a thing. He could have,” Trump stated, jokingly adding “that’s always subject to change, and if it does change, I’ll let you know about it.”
During his address, Trump also highlighted “I got rid of the electric car mandate. I have no idea how that affects it, but possibly not good”. Just hours after taking office in January this year, Trump revoked a 2021 executive order from President Biden that aimed to make 50% of new vehicle sales electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030.
Donald Trump on Tesla attacks
He also talked about ongoing protests and attacks on Tesla cars. Stating that if Musk wasn’t supporting Trump (and leading the DOGE), “he wouldn’t have any of these”. Calling those attacking Tesla cars as ‘high level terrorists”, Trump said that the police will find the perpetrators. He also said that the people supporting these protestors could very well be the people he knows. He further stated that “those (people) are in big trouble”.
Musk attended the cabinet meeting, wearing a “Trump Was Right About Everything” red baseball hat.
