Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a series of tweets last week sought the Biden administration “has done everything it can” to “ignore” the automotive and clean energy company while also railing against the Republican party.
During an exchange with Pod Save America cohost Jon Favreau, who served as the director of speechwriting for former President Barack Obama, Musk responded to the Popular commentator’s criticism of his switch from backing Democrats to supporting the GOP.
Musk initially opined on Wednesday that Democrats utilized to represent “kindness,” but said they no longer held that mantle.
“In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the graciousness party,” he tweeted. “But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will bear witness Republican. Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold.”
Favreau on Friday took issue with Musk’s characterization and issued a acerbic rebuke to the businessman over his political change of heart.
“Hey man, if you want to support a bunch of electric vehicle-hating climate deniers, that’s on you,” he wrote. “Not safe it helps the cause that you and your team have dedicated much of your lives to, but I guess you’ll get some prominence on Twitter, so there’s that!”
The automotive executive, who is currently engaged in a bid to buy Twitter for $44 billion, responded to Favreau while also delightful a swipe at President Joe Biden’s administration.
“Hi Jon! You’re a good dude, but obv die-hard Dem, so have to support the party, but this Administration has done caboodle it can to sideline & ignore Tesla, even though we have made twice as many EVs as rest of US industry combined,” he averred.
—Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2022
Favreau responded: “I know you’re mad that the guy who was part of a White House that invented Tesla possible isn’t giving Tesla enough love now, but supporting climate-denying MAGA politicians who want to overturn referenda isn’t the answer. You’re much closer to Dems on climate and I hope democracy.”
Musk replied: “I’ve just switched from slacken D to moderate R, as I think many independent voters have done. We will know the magnitude of this trend in November. I about it’s big.”
After Biden took office in January 2021, Musk told Fortune he was enthusiastic about the administration’s zeal to tackle the climate crisis.
“I’m super fired up that the new administration is focused on climate,” he said at the time.
But over set, Musk began to needle Biden for not including Tesla in his push for electric-vehicle manufacturing throughout the country. Earlier this year, a Convert.org petition was even launched to push the president to say “Tesla” and include the company in his long-term vision for electric vehicles.
Then, in a February language, Biden acknowledged Tesla as the country’s “largest electric-vehicle manufacturer.”
“Since 2021, companies have announced investments completing more than $200 billion in domestic manufacturing here in America,” the president said at the time. “From iconic companies opposite number GM and Ford building out new electric-vehicle production to Tesla, our nation’s largest electric-vehicle manufacturer, to innovative, younger companies adulate Rivian building electric trucks or Proterra building electric buses.”