President Donald Trump’s ridiculous automotive salesman schtick on the White Home Tuesday made a mockery of the Government Workplace. It was pathetic seeing Trump and Elon Musk—the 2 strongest individuals on this planet—crying about how persecuted they suppose they’re.
It was additionally horrible enterprise for Musk.
His downside is that the core marketplace for electrical automobiles—rich environmentally acutely aware liberals—has turned arduous 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 consumers whereas doing little to win over Trump’s base of poorer People who’re hostile towards the setting and EVs.
And it was horrible politics for Trump.
Trump received due to inflation. All different tradition battle nonsense performed a job, positive, however in the long run, Trump upended the same old marketing campaign dynamics by profitable voters making lower than $50,000, whereas former Vice President Kamala Harris received voters making greater than $100,000.
The Democratic Social gathering is now the social gathering of the educated elite, whereas the Republican Social gathering has develop into the social gathering of the decrease socioeconomic strata.
Though Trump received white voters handily by 57-42, Harris received college-educated white voters by 53-45, in line with 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 hundreds of thousands of People voted for Trump as a result of they believed his repeated guarantees that “Beginning on Day 1, we are going to finish inflation and make America reasonably priced once more.”
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 in style authorities packages—lots of which straight profit his personal base—and in any other case doing every thing however decrease costs.
And whereas he’s definitely stuffed with excuses, none of them are, “Sorry, I received distracted. Let me get again to engaged on reducing costs.”
Actually, Trump is full steam forward on his commerce wars and deportation plans, which is able to solely enhance 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 automobiles—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 crimson 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 together with his have to please Musk.
On the finish of the day, Trump doesn’t give a rattling about his supporters, a lot much less the broader American individuals. In fact, nobody must be stunned, contemplating he stated on the marketing campaign path, “I don’t care about you. I simply need your vote.”
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