by The 2021 Summit Event
In 2021, a high-profile summit dedicated to electric vehicles took place at the White House. It was organized by then-President Joe Biden, and the event was presented as a defining moment for the country’s transition to electric transport. The event was attended by leaders of auto giants such as General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis.
However, the absence of Elon Musk or any other representative of Tesla was noticeable. This did not go unnoticed, especially when Biden publicly stated that GM was leading the electric revolution.
Reasons for Ignoring Tesla
Publicly, little was said about the details of that summit in the following years, but during an interview at the 2025 DealBook Summit, GM President Mary Barra shed new light on what was happening behind the scenes. According to Barra, she personally approached President Biden during the event to redirect some of the praise he was expressing to her.
He was giving credit to me, and I said, ‘Actually, I think a lot of that credit belongs to Elon and Tesla.’ As you know me, Andrew, I don’t want to take credit for what others have done.
The snub of Tesla was likely partly intended to demonstrate the White House’s support for the United Auto Workers and the companies GM, Ford, and Stellantis, all of which have unionized workforces. In contrast, Tesla has no unions. Musk has openly criticized labor unions for years, which has often put him at odds with Democratic politicians.
Consequences and Acknowledgment of the Mistake
The story did not end there. As reported, in her recent memoirs, then-Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged that not inviting Musk was, in hindsight, a misstep.
If you convene the country’s electric vehicle manufacturers, and the biggest player in the industry is absent, it just doesn’t make sense. Musk never forgave that.
In a separate interview, Harris added that she considers it a mistake and suggested that this incident deeply affected Musk and influenced his views.
Political Shifts and Possible Alternatives
It is difficult to measure exactly how much this snub shaped Musk’s political views, but for many years the Tesla CEO supported Democratic candidates, voting for figures such as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
However, starting around 2022, Musk’s political sympathies began to shift to the right, and he subsequently played a significant role in helping Donald Trump get elected for a second term. One can only speculate whether events could have unfolded differently if Biden had acknowledged Musk’s achievements at that summit.
Let’s not forget how the White House snubbed Tesla, excluding us from the EV summit and crediting GM with ‘leading the electric revolution’ in the same quarter they made 26 EVs (that’s not a typo), and Tesla made 300,000.
This case vividly illustrates how political decisions and symbolic gestures can have far-reaching consequences, shaping the relationship between the government and key innovators. The lack of dialogue with the largest electric vehicle manufacturer at the time not only caused personal offense but also possibly contributed to a radical shift in political alliances, affecting the broader political landscape. The story serves as a reminder of the importance of inclusivity and acknowledging real achievements even in the case of ideological differences, especially in such nationally prioritized sectors as clean energy and transport.
