President Donald Trump has disclosed who gets to borrow the keys to his new Tesla at the White House.
Trump took an off-ramp onto the topic during a cabinet meeting that ran for more than an hour, and where he engaged in the 'weave' of topics including naval shipping, China tariffs, and Musk's DOGE.
Trump brought it up when he was asked about claims touted by DOGE that thousands of people had applied for fake unemployment insurance benefits. That got Trump to praising Musk and his Tesla company's cars – with no mention of Musk's role in a MAGA civil war over tariffs.
'Look, he's sitting here, and I don't care. I don't need Elon for anything other than I happen to like him,' Trump said.
'But I'm telling you, this guy, this guy did a fantastic job. I don't need his car. I actually bought one, because if they said, "Oh, did you get a bargain?" No, I said, 'Give me the top price,' Trump continued.
Then Trump revealed that he is letting a few of his young aides take turn driving his red Model S, which goes for about $80,000 and comes with a card key for loaning.
'I paid a lot of money for that car. But honestly, he makes a great car. You know what I do with it? I let the people in the office drive around in it: Margo, Natalie, they're all – Chamberlain. They're all driving around the most beautiful car. It's gorgeous, but I did that as a sign of just a show of support,' he said.
President Donald Trump brought up his new Tesla while praising Elon Musk, and revealed which aides get to drive it
Trump bought the car after staging an event that promoted Tesla at the White House after its stock price had been hammered amid dropping public support for Musk.
He was referring to Margo Martin, 29, his glamorous deputy director of communications who has has often been pictured accompanying Trump on the campaign trail, to Mar-a-Lago, and even to his hush money trial in Manhattan.
Natalie Harp, 34, is a former One America News anchor who has earned the nickname 'human printer' for her role providing printed materials to Trump when he is out and about.
Chamberlain Harris, a veteran from Trump's first administration, works in the Executive Office of the President. All three aides have office space in close proximity to the Oval Office.
Trump's deputy communications chief Margo Martin is among those able to get behind the wheel
Natalie Harp, who was frequently at Trump's side during the campaign, also got Tesla privileges
Aide Chamberlain Harris, a veteran of Trump's first term, also gets behind the wheel of the $80,000 vehicle
Musk spoke at Thursday's cabinet meeting, this time talking near the end rather than being the first official Trump invited to speak.
He announced that his DOGE had identified $150 billion in savings through 'reduction of waste and fraud.' That is a steep drop from the $1 trillion he indicated last month was achievable.
Before Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk said $2 trillion was the 'best case outcome.'
This month it emerged that Musk would be stepping back from his role, amid dropping public approval ratings and chaos in early DOGE moves.
DOGE has claimed that 24,500 people over age 15 have claimed $59 million in benefits. The data could not be immediately confirmed, and experts have quibbled with Musk's earlier claims about Social Security payments going to dead people, after the agency said names on the list weren't necessarily getting benefits.
'I think it's terrible. I just heard it from Lori [Labor Secretary Chavez-DeReemer], and I appreciate it. And you heard it from Elon's people, right? Elon's done a fantastic job.'
Tesla's stock is down 34 percent for the year.
Trump indicated that his car purchase was to send a message.
'Numerous people have done that just a show of support, because, you know, he's done a fantastic job, but he hasn't been treated properly – hasn't been treated properly,' Trump said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi also spoke about Tesla during the extended cabinet meeting – indicating that it was at Trump's directive that defendants weren't getting plea deals.
'You also gave us a directive to prosecute the people who are going after Tesla to the fullest extent of the law,' Bondi said as Trump went around the table to have cabinet secretaries provide updates. Many devoted some of their time to praising Trump.
Bondi called it 'some of the greatest police work I've seen. We've made four arrests. There will be no negotiations at your directive. They're all looking at 20 years in prison. And within the next 24 hours, you're going to be seeing another huge arrest on a Tesla dealership, president, and that that person will be looking at at least 20 years in prison with no negotiations.'
She was referencing acts of violence against Tesla dealerships and automobiles.
