In a significant policy shift, the Trump administration has officially annulled a substantial agreement initiated by the Biden-Harris administration, which involved the U.S. State Department's procurement of $400 million worth of armored Tesla Cybertrucks.
This decision marks a departure from the previous administration's push towards electrifying the federal vehicle fleet.
As reported by American Military News, the Biden-Harris administration had instructed the State Department to gauge interest from private enterprises in producing electric vehicles, aligning with their broader mandate to transition the federal government's fleet from gas and diesel to electric.
According to NBC News, a State Department spokesperson confirmed that the agency had sought to "solicit interest" from companies, with only one expressing interest at the time. The next procedural step would have involved sending out official solicitations for contract bids. However, the plan to purchase Cybertrucks from Tesla has been put on hold, with no current plans to proceed with the solicitation.
The Post Millennial highlighted that the Biden-Harris administration's initiative was part of a broader strategy to implement an electric vehicle mandate. However, following President Trump's inauguration, this plan was reversed. The Hill further noted that the State Department's "Procurement Forecast" for 2025 initially included a contract for "armored Teslas," which was expected to be finalized by September. This document has since been revised to encompass "armored electric vehicles" more generally, rather than specifically naming Tesla.
Speculation had arisen, as reported by The Post Millennial, regarding Tesla CEO Elon Musk's potential influence in securing government contracts due to his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency under the Trump administration. Addressing these concerns, Musk tweeted, "Im pretty sure Tesla isnt getting $400M. No one mentioned it to me, at least," dismissing the notion of any confirmed deal.
In a recent White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the potential for conflicts of interest involving Musk's work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). She assured reporters that, "If Elon Musk comes across a conflict of interest with the contracts and the funding that DOGE is overseeing, then Elon will excuse himself from those contracts," emphasizing Musk's compliance with all relevant legal requirements.
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