On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump announced his plans to buy a "brand new Tesla" the next day as a show of solidarity with Elon Musk, whom he praised as "a truly great American."
In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Musk, his long-time supporter, while attacking what he called "radical left lunatics" who were opposing both Tesla and its CEO.
Speaking to his supporters, Trump penned, "To Republicans, Conservatives, and all terrific Americans, Elon Musk is 'putting it on the line' to assist our Nation, and he is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!" His tweet, posted just after midnight on Tuesday, went on to blame the opposition for trying to sabotage Musk and Tesla illegally.
"But the Radical Left Lunatics, as they always do, are attempting to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World's great carmakers, and Elon's 'baby,' in an effort to attack and cause harm to Elon, and all that he represents," Trump asserted.
The President also accused the same strategy being employed against him in the 2024 election, equating the present boycott campaign with previous opposition.
"I'm going to purchase a brand new Tesla tomorrow morning as a display of confidence and encouragement of Elon Musk, a genuine great American. Why must he be punished for using his phenomenal abilities to make an effort to make AMERICA GREAT AGAIN????" he declared.
Elon Musk quickly reacted to Trump's support, posting a screenshot of the message and saying, "Thank you, President!"
Trump's public endorsement of Musk is in the midst of continuous protests against Tesla, which have been driven mostly by the tech billionaire's role in the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Protests have been staged throughout the US, with protesters holding signs that say "Elon must go away" and "Tesla takedown." Although the majority of protests have been peaceful, some have turned violent.
At the same time, Tesla's shares remain on a downturn, ending Monday with a steep 15% fall. In the last month alone, the firm's stock has lost over 30%, prompted largely by investor nervousness regarding Trump's mooted import levies and economic policy.
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