Donald Trump considered selling or giving away the red Tesla Model S he bought at the White House in March 2025, but the available official record does not establish that the car was ever sold, donated, or returned. The report surfaced on June 6, one day after Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk publicly turned on each other in a rapidly escalating dispute over Trump’s tax-and-spending bill, government contracts, and political influence.
The short version
Trump purchased the red Tesla on March 11, 2025, during a public event on the White House South Lawn where several Tesla vehicles were displayed and Musk was present. The purchase was presented as a show of support for Tesla and Musk while Tesla faced political backlash and protests connected to Musk’s role in the Trump administration.
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On June 5, Musk attacked Trump’s sweeping tax-and-spending legislation. Trump responded by threatening to terminate or reconsider federal support and contracts involving Musk’s companies. Musk then suggested that Trump should be impeached. The following day, NBC News reporting carried by CNBC and separate reports from Axios and The New York Times said Trump was considering selling or giving away the Tesla.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →That wording matters. Some early reports described a planned sale, but later coverage characterized the decision as still under consideration. In a later official exchange, when Trump was asked what would happen to the car, he said he had not thought about it and had not decided whether to keep it. No authoritative vehicle-transfer record or White House disposition notice located for this report confirms a completed transaction.
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What kind of Tesla did Trump buy?
The White House event took place on March 11, 2025. Tesla vehicles were displayed on the South Lawn, and the official White House account of the event identifies Trump as having purchased a Tesla.
In the contemporaneous presidential transcript, Musk identified the red vehicle as a Model S Plaid and described its acceleration as approximately two seconds from zero to 60 mph. That was a description made at the event, not a current Tesla specification sheet. Model-year changes, testing methods, software configuration, wheels, tires, and market-specific equipment can affect published performance figures, so the transcript should not be treated as a current specification for every Model S Plaid.
The purchase was unusual because Trump had previously criticized electric vehicles and argued for consumer choice between gasoline-powered and electric cars. At the South Lawn event, he made a similar qualification: he said he was not advocating that everyone drive an electric vehicle and that consumers should have options.
That distinction was central to the symbolism of the event. Trump could support Tesla and Musk publicly without formally endorsing an all-electric vehicle market or abandoning his broader political position on consumer choice.
Why did Trump and Musk fall out?
The public rupture began on June 5, 2025. Musk criticized Trump’s major tax-and-spending bill, objecting to its spending and policy consequences. Trump replied that the government might end or reconsider support and contracts connected to Musk’s companies. Musk escalated the dispute by suggesting that Trump should be impeached.
The conflict had two overlapping layers:
- Policy: The legislation raised questions about federal spending, electric-vehicle incentives, and the government’s relationship with companies such as Tesla and SpaceX.
- Personal and political: Trump and Musk had built a highly visible alliance through public appearances, endorsements, and mutual praise. Their disagreement quickly became a direct exchange of threats and accusations on their own social-media platforms.
Reuters and Bloomberg described the break as developing with unusual speed. The immediate argument was about legislation and government policy, but the intensity reflected the collapse of a relationship that had been deliberately displayed in public.
What was reported about selling the Tesla?
On June 6, reports attributed to anonymous White House officials said Trump was considering selling the red Model S or giving it away. The car was still associated with the White House grounds during the initial coverage.
The reporting evolved over a short period:
| Date | What the record shows |
|---|---|
| March 11, 2025 | Trump appeared with Musk at the White House, purchased a Tesla, and was shown with the red Model S Plaid. |
| June 5, 2025 | The Trump–Musk alliance publicly fractured over Trump’s tax-and-spending bill and the federal relationship with Musk’s companies. |
| June 6, 2025 | NBC News/CNBC and Axios reported that Trump was considering selling or giving away the Tesla. Early wording varied between “planned” and “under consideration.” |
| Later official exchange | Trump said he had not decided whether to keep the car, leaving a completed sale unconfirmed. |
Accordingly, the accurate description is that Trump considered selling or giving away the Tesla. It is not accurate to state as a settled fact that he sold it.
Why the car became a political symbol
The Model S was not simply an ordinary private-car purchase. Trump bought it in front of cameras, at the White House, with Musk present, while explicitly framing the purchase as support for Tesla. The vehicle therefore became a physical reminder of the partnership.
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That makes the possibility of selling or giving it away politically meaningful. Disposing of the car could be read as a visible repudiation of Musk after the alliance collapsed. That is an interpretation of the timing and setting—not a statement that Trump explicitly described the Model S that way.
The symbolism also worked in the opposite direction. Keeping the car would not necessarily have meant that Trump and Musk had reconciled. A vehicle can remain in a presidential motor pool, at a residence, or in storage for practical reasons even after its political meaning has changed. Without a documented disposition, the car’s eventual status cannot reliably be inferred from the feud alone.
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Did Trump actually sell, donate, or return it?
No completed transfer is established by the evidence reviewed. The most useful official follow-up is Trump’s own response when asked what would happen to the vehicle: he said he had not thought about it and had not decided whether to keep it.
That later statement is important because it qualifies the first wave of anonymous-source reporting. A White House official reportedly confirmed that a sale was being considered, but consideration is not the same as a transaction. The researched material does not include:
- a bill of sale or other authoritative vehicle-transfer document;
- a White House announcement that the car had been donated or sold;
- a Tesla transaction record confirming a return or resale; or
- an official statement identifying a recipient or final owner.
Unless a later primary source documents what happened, headlines claiming that Trump definitively sold the Tesla go beyond the evidence available here.
What did the feud mean for Tesla, SpaceX, and Washington?
The dispute immediately created questions well beyond one vehicle. Trump’s threats concerning federal support and contracts raised potential consequences for Musk’s companies, particularly SpaceX, whose business has substantial government exposure. Tesla faced a different but related problem: the company’s chief executive had become deeply identified with a political fight that could affect the brand, customers, investors, and the future of electric-vehicle policy.
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Contemporary reporting also documented a sharp reaction in Tesla’s share price during the initial rupture. Market prices are volatile, however, and a percentage move should always be tied to a specific trading session and source. A single day’s decline cannot, by itself, prove that the feud caused a lasting change in Tesla’s business value.
The dispute also exposed a political risk for Republicans. Musk had become an influential public supporter and policy advocate, while Trump’s administration had sought to associate itself with business efficiency and technological innovation. A prolonged break could divide supporters, complicate the administration’s treatment of electric vehicles, and turn federal contracts into part of a personal political confrontation.
The available material does not justify declaring that the relationship was permanently repaired or permanently destroyed. The documented point is narrower: the alliance collapsed publicly in June 2025, and that collapse prompted a report that Trump was considering what to do with the Tesla bought during their earlier partnership.
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What this story does—and does not—show
- Established: Trump bought a red Model S Plaid at the March 11 White House event.
- Established: Musk and Trump publicly broke over the tax-and-spending bill and the government’s relationship with Musk’s companies on June 5.
- Reported: Anonymous White House officials said Trump was considering selling or giving away the Tesla on June 6.
- Not established: That Trump completed a sale, donation, or return.
- Interpretive: That disposing of the car would have symbolized a rejection of the former Trump–Musk alliance.
The car mattered because of how it entered the story: as a public presidential purchase and a highly visible gesture toward Musk. But the strongest conclusion remains a careful one. Trump considered getting rid of the Tesla after the feud; the available official record does not show that he actually did.
Sources and reporting basis
This account is based on the official White House gallery and presidential transcript for the March 11 event; Reuters and Bloomberg reporting on the June 5 rupture; NBC News reporting carried by CNBC; Axios; The New York Times live coverage; and Tesla’s official owner and accessory materials. Reports about the possible sale were attributed to anonymous White House officials and are presented as such.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Donald Trump sell the Tesla Model S he bought with Elon Musk?
The available official record reviewed for this article does not confirm a completed sale, donation, or return. Trump later said he had not decided whether to keep the car.
What Tesla did Trump buy?
At the March 11, 2025, White House event, Elon Musk identified the red vehicle as a Tesla Model S Plaid. Musk described its acceleration as approximately two seconds from zero to 60 mph, but that event description should not be treated as a current, universal specification for every Model S Plaid.
Why was Trump considering getting rid of the Tesla?
The report followed the June 5 public rupture between Trump and Musk. Musk criticized Trump’s tax-and-spending bill, Trump threatened to terminate or reconsider federal support and contracts involving Musk’s companies, and Musk responded with a call for Trump’s impeachment. The car had also become a visible symbol of their earlier alliance.
When did Trump buy the Tesla?
Trump bought it on March 11, 2025, during a Tesla display on the White House South Lawn with Musk present.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Trump reportedly considered selling or giving away the red Tesla Model S he bought at the White House, immediately after his public feud with Elon Musk. But “considered” is the verified claim; the available official material does not prove that the Tesla was ultimately sold, donated, or returned.
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