Former US President Bill Clinton has criticized President Joe Biden for failing to embrace Elon Musk, suggesting it was a mistake that contributed to the Tesla CEO’s support for Donald Trump. Speaking at the New York Times DealBook Summit, Clinton pointed to Biden’s decision to exclude Musk from a 2021 White House electric vehicle summit as a pivotal moment, describing it as an attempt to appease trade unions.
Clinton revealed he had advised the White House at the time to reconsider this move, arguing that it would have been beneficial for Biden and Musk to collaborate. “It might be worth taking a little heat from the unions because I think that Tesla is one of the most significant contributions to transportation,” Clinton said. He emphasized Tesla’s role in addressing emissions, noting that “our biggest emissions source is still transportation. And I think the Tesla is a great car… I believed it would be helpful if they were working together.”
Musk, once a prominent supporter of the Democratic Party, had a history of donating to Democratic campaigns, including those of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. He is believed to have voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012, Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Biden in 2020.
However, the relationship soured, with Musk recently contributing millions to Donald Trump’s campaign. Clinton characterized the fallout as “all about” the 2021 summit decision, suggesting that Biden’s move to exclude Musk alienated the entrepreneur at a crucial moment.
