From Boeing’s flying nuclear bunker to the Cadillac-shaped armored personnel carrier, the federal government spares no expense to transport the commander-in-chief safely. However, every diplomat is about to be chaffered like a president. The State Department is preparing to award a $400 million contract to Tesla for armored electric vehicles, despite denials earlier this month. Surely, Elon Musk is going to give taxpayers bang for their buck. The figurehead of the Department of Government Efficiency is not trying to line his own pockets, right?
There’s a level of potential graft I haven’t heard of since Tammany Hall, based on the details uncovered by NPR. A State Department document revealed that the State Department initially planned to spend $483,000 on electric vehicles in 2025 when Joe Biden was still in the White House. Under the Trump administration, that figure ballooned to $400 million. NPR reported:
A former Biden White House official familiar with the State Department’s plans told NPR the steps taken to advance $400 million worth of government business to Tesla appear to be intentional.
“I don’t think this is a clerical error. It was likely someone who is new in [the] State [Department] who decided, ‘OK, we’re gonna do this with Tesla,'” said the former official, who was not authorized to speak about the matter.”
Could Tesla replace GM’s armored vehicles?
Despite the evidence, the State Department denied that the deal was moving forward. The agreement with Tesla becomes even more confounding when the added context is that the State Department gave General Motors’ defense division a $300 million contract to provide armored SUVs. There are no reports that the GM’s 10-year deal has been canceled.
It’s ridiculous that Tesla could suddenly spawn its own defense arm and start producing a fleet of 3,000 armored electric vehicles. The automaker’s EVs are already heavy, and there isn’t a way for Tesla to bolt on the necessary protection without compromising power or range, because a larger battery pack would add even more weight. Musk might claim otherwise, but the internet is flooded with videos proving the Cybertruck isn’t bulletproof. I couldn’t imagine being a diplomat riding around a foreign country inside Tesla. It might as well be a rolling target.
