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Jaw-dropping amount of recall notices on $90,000 Tesla that Donald Trump 'purchased' from Elon Musk

Home> Technology> News

Published 11:51 13 Mar 2025 GMT

Jaw-dropping amount of recall notices on $90,000 Tesla that Donald Trump 'purchased' from Elon Musk

The president announced plans to buy his new Model S Tesla to show support for Musk amid what the POTUS has described as a 'boycott'

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

Donald Trump became the new owner of a shiny red Tesla after he and Elon Musk turned the White House lawn into a showroom earlier this week, but the model he opted for has had its fair share of issues over the years.

The POTUS announced his plan to buy a 'brand new Tesla' in a post on Truth Social on March 11, in the midst of what he alleged was a 'boycott' against Musk's electric car company which has taken a hit to its stock price in recent weeks.

Trump said his purchase would be a 'show of confidence and support' for Musk, though he later admitted that he wouldn't actually be able to drive his new car.

After bringing a variety of Teslas to the White House, Trump declared one red Model S as a 'beautiful' vehicle and made it his car of choice - though some internet users have speculated as to whether the president would have really paid full price for the $90,000 car.

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Eagle-eyed viewers noticed that Trump had pricing for each of the Teslas written out as he inspected the cars, but there were some details missing from his cheat-sheet - their recall history.

Since the Model S first took to the streets in 2012, the model has been subject to a whopping 37 safety recalls from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The most recent recall came in January, when a recall was issued due to a problem in which the 'computer circuit board may short, resulting in the loss of the rearview camera image' and potentially increasing the risk of a crash.

Donald Trump's Model S car sells for $90,000 (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Donald Trump's Model S car sells for $90,000 (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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That particular recall covered certain 2024-2025 Model 3 and Model S cars, as well as certain 2023-2025 Model X and Model Y vehicles.

It affected 239,382 cars in total, with the NHTSA explaining: "These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, 'Rear Visibility'.”

The issue could be tackled with an over-the-air software update which would change 'the vehicle power up sequence to prevent the shorting failure condition to the primary and/or secondary power component'.

Previously, recalls have related to issues with airbags, power-steering assist, door handles, brake discs and the car's self-driving feature.

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Trump bought his Tesla to show 'support' for Musk, despite not being able to drive it (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Trump bought his Tesla to show 'support' for Musk, despite not being able to drive it (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

It's worth noting that Tesla isn't the only brand to have been subject to numerous recalls in recent years, though Trump's inability to drive his new car means he likely won't be too affected by any future issues anyway.

Trump's restriction around the car stems from a rule enforced by the US Secret Service, which states that presidents are not allowed to drive on public roads for the purpose of their own safety.

Instead, they are driven by a member of the Secret Service.

Featured Image Credit: The Washington Post/Getty

Topics: Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Tesla, Electric Cars

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.

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