Kamala Harris Critiques Biden’s Decision on Tesla CEO’s Invitation

Former Vice President Kamala Harris recently expressed regret about an event hosted by her former boss, President Joe Biden, in 2021. She mentioned that not inviting Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, was a “big mistake.”

Biden held an event focusing on electric vehicles, bringing together executives from General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, but Musk, despite Tesla’s prominence in the EV sector, was absent from the guest list. At the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., Harris noted, “In my book, I admit it was a mistake not to invite Elon Musk to a significant EV event.” She referred to her memoir, “107 Days,” where she criticized Biden’s decision to run for re-election while facing health concerns.

Harris highlighted Musk’s contributions, stating, “He is a major American manufacturer with remarkable innovations in this industry.” Interestingly, the absence of unions at Tesla has led to interpretations that this snub was aimed at supporting the United Auto Workers union. Harris pointed out that excluding Musk, a key player in the electric vehicle landscape, simply “makes no sense at all.”

At the time, White House press secretary Jen Psaki explained that the event focused on automakers associated with the United Auto Workers, stressing Tesla’s lack of union representation. When questioned whether Musk’s exclusion was a form of punishment for his employees’ union status, Psaki suggested reporters draw their own conclusions.

The Biden administration defended its decision, claiming that promoting union jobs was a priority. Yet Harris argued that political loyalties shouldn’t influence assessments of technological innovation. “I thought that was a mistake. I don’t know Elon Musk, but it’s likely that impacted his perspective,” she remarked.

Musk’s reaction to his absence was quite vocal; he expressed his displeasure on social media, describing the situation as unusual. Later, he criticized the Biden administration, claiming it seemed to be “run by unions” and was not particularly friendly toward him.

Harris’s recent comments align with sentiments expressed in her book about the mishap with Musk, which appeared to distance him from the Biden administration. Reports indicate that after Musk learned about the lack of an invitation, administration officials sought to smooth things over, though tensions lingered.

Interestingly, Musk’s political inclinations shifted post-incident; he later endorsed Trump for the 2024 election and reportedly donated substantial sums to Republican campaigns.