Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in a series of tweets last week, claimed that the Joe Biden administration “has gone to great lengths” to “ignore” the clean energy and auto company, while criticizing the Party. Democrat.
During an exchange with Pod Save America co-host Jon Favreau, who served as former President Barack Obama’s director of speechwriting , Musk responded to the Democratic commentator’s criticism of his switch from supporting Democrats to supporting the Republican Party.
Musk initially opined Wednesday that Democrats used to stand for “niceness,” but said they no longer had that mantle.
“In the past I voted for the Democrats, because they were (mostly) the party of goodness,” he tweeted. “But they have become the party of division and hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican. Now watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold.”
Favreau took issue Friday with Musk’s characterization and issued a sharp rebuke to the businessman for his change of political mind.
“Hey, if you want to support a bunch of EV-hating climate deniers, it’s up to you,” he wrote.
“I’m not sure it will help the cause you and your team have dedicated so much of your lives to, but I guess it’ll get some attention on Twitter, so that’s it!”
The auto executive, who is currently involved in a bid to buy Twitter for $44 billion, responded to Favreau and also criticized the administration of President Joe Biden.
“Hey Jon! You’re a good guy, but obviously Dem is a diehard, so you have to support the party, but this Administration has gone to great lengths to sideline and ignore Tesla, even though we’ve manufactured the twice as many electric vehicles as the rest — of American industry combined,” he said.
Favreau responded, “I know you’re mad that the guy who was part of a White House that made Tesla possible isn’t giving Tesla enough love now, but supporting MAGA politicians who deny climate change and want to nullify the election. is not the answer.” You’re much closer to the Democrats on climate and hopefully democracy.”
Musk responded: “I just switched from moderate D to moderate R, as I think a lot of independent voters have done. We’ll know the magnitude of this trend in November. I think it’s big.”
After Biden took office in January 2021, Musk told Fortune that he was excited about the administration’s push to address the climate crisis.
“I am very excited that the new administration is focused on climate,” he said at the time.
But over time, Elon Musk started bugging Biden for not including Tesla in his push to build electric vehicles across the country.
Earlier this year, a Change.org petition was even launched to pressure the president to say “Tesla” and include the company in his long-term vision for electric vehicles.
Then, in a February speech, Biden recognized Tesla as the “largest electric vehicle manufacturer” in the country.
“Since 2021, companies have announced investments totaling more than $200 billion in domestic manufacturing here in the United States,” the president said at the time.
“From iconic companies like GM and Ford building new production electric vehicles to Tesla, our nation’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, to innovative, younger companies like Rivian building electric trucks or Proterra building electric buses.”