Overview

• Harris said the Biden White House erred by not inviting Elon Musk to the August 2021 EV event that featured GM, Ford and Stellantis.
• She urged presidents to put aside political loyalties when recognizing American technological innovators such as Tesla.
• The 2021 omission was widely seen as deference to unionized automakers, since Tesla’s plants are not unionized.
• According to the Associated Press, Musk later met senior Biden aides in January 2023 to discuss EVs and electrification, though he did not meet Biden.
• Fortune reported that Musk went on to back President Donald Trump and other Republicans in 2024, contributing nearly $300 million.