President Donald Trump said he’d buy a Tesla to support his friend Elon Musk, the head of Tesla, because Musk has been under fire for his involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency.
There have even been protests at Tesla showrooms.
Trump even spent some time checking out various Tesla models outside the White House today before picking one out.
Here’s the thing — if Trump actually buys a Tesla, he can’t drive it on public roads.
If former presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, or George W. Bush bought a Tesla, they wouldn’t be able to drive it on public roads, either.
That’s because once you’re sworn in as president, you give up your driving privileges for the rest of your life. Even once you leave office.
If you do, you’re breaking the law. The Former Presidents Act of 1958 prevents an ex-president from driving on public roads, going anywhere alone without Secret Service Protection, or reading their mail without the Secret Service seeing it first.
It’s all about keeping the former presidents safe, but also keeping them from spilling state secrets. I guess those who passed the law were worried that an ex-POTUS out for a joyride could be kidnapped and forced to give up inside info to our enemies?
With all the above in mind, I believe Trump can still legally purchase a vehicle — though when it comes to Tesla, one wonders about conflicts of interest, given Musk’s position within DOGE. But he won’t be driving it on the Beltway anytime soon — if he plans to take the wheel, he’d have to do it at Mar-a-Lago.
Or he can give it to his staff to drive — that’s what Trump said he’d do.
[Image: Koshiro K/Shutterstock.com]
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