US President Donald Trump bought a Tesla vehicle in order to show his support for senior advisor and CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, stating, “This man has dedicated his energy and life to this and I think he has been treated unfairly.” Trump also mentioned that violent actions towards Tesla dealers would be considered as acts of terrorism.

President Trump appeared on camera alongside Musk, posing with Tesla vehicles brought to the White House garden. Trump, who usually does not drive himself, emphasized that he would purchase a vehicle to show support for Musk, stating, “I’m going to buy it because, first of all, it’s a great product, as good as possible. Second, this man has dedicated his energy and life to do this and I think he has been treated unfairly.”

“ATTACKS ON TESLA DEALERS CONSIDERED DOMESTIC TERRORISM” President Trump stated that allegations of violent acts towards Tesla dealers would be considered as “domestic terrorism” and that the perpetrators would face severe consequences. Trump chose a red Tesla Model S from a fleet parked at the White House, and posed for the cameras inside the vehicle.

Trump mentioned, “I’m going to get one now. The bad news is, I’m not allowed to drive it because I haven’t driven a car for a long time. I love driving but I will use it at the White House and allow my staff to use it. I’m not allowed to drive it.”

TESLA SHARES FELL

The company’s shares have dropped by over 50% from the peak of $490 in December. Tesla, which saw a drop of over 15% yesterday, fell to $222. The company’s market value also dropped from a peak of $1.5 trillion to $850 billion. The electric car giant experienced a loss of momentum due to CEO Musk’s actions and his support for far-right political parties in Europe. Tesla’s sales in Germany had declined by 76.3% annually. Musk had spent over $200 million on Trump’s election campaign.