Sardonic comments recently emerged about one of Donald Trump’s publicized purchases of a Tesla vehicle, as it was pointedly highlighted that the former President couldn’t even pronounce the company’s name correctly. The unfortunate slip of the tongue resulted in ‘I love Tesler!’, which was met with humor and disbelief, as it seemed to blend two names synonymous with Elon Musk – Tesla and Hitler.
This embarrassing incident unfolded during a press event where Trump and Musk presented a fleet of the electric vehicles. All this, ironically, amidst the backdrop of Tesla’s stock taking a significant hit and Musk’s loss of nearly $30 billion in stock value. The company’s stock has experienced a sharp 50% fall since December, a free fall which some would strangely refer to as a public demonstration of profound detestation for Musk.
One might wonder if the hype around Trump’s Tesla acquisition was meant to divert attention from the company’s faltering situation, or perhaps, it was a genuine miscalculation on Trump’s part, mainly given his understanding of the market dynamics. Nevertheless, one can’t help but laugh at the irony of Trump championing a floundering company, which he can’t even name properly.
Furthermore, Trump made a baffling statement claiming people were attempting to ‘illegally and collusively boycott Tesla’. This led to another torrent of mockery as pundits took to pointing out the absurdity of the claim; how exactly does one ‘illegaly’ boycott a product? Isn’t buying stuff ultimately a choice and not a legally binding obligation?
A hilarious question comes to mind regarding this particular Trump declaration; was he under the impression that the consumer’s choice to not buy a certain product could be branded ‘illegal’? Or perhaps, was he attempting to add layers of undue drama to the situation by making use of such extravagant linguistics?
The spotlight then turned towards the former President’s trade policies. These, too, have elicited criticism, mainly due to their purported contribution to the financial market’s recent tumble. The Dow, specifically, seemed to have taken a dramatic plunge, dropping over 400 points seemingly due to these ill-advised policies.
Yet, it almost seems nonsensical that the policies of a previous administration could have such a radical effect on current market trends. Or perhaps, it really elucidates the destructive power that such short-sighted and disadvantageous policies can still hold, even years after they have been implemented.
The whole spectacle of Trump’s public purchase of a Tesla, his personality-laden mispronunciation of the company’s name, the absurd claim of an ‘illegal boycott’, and the scorn for his dire trade policies only paints a picture of an individual and administration that struggled with comprehension and executing effective strategies.
Despite the flurry of fallacies and comedic material that stemmed from the event, it’s notable how the poor performance of Tesla’s stock was conveniently brushed under the carpet. Instead of focusing on the significant losses endured by one of the world’s richest men, public attention was deflected onto the antics of a former president making waves in the ocean of Tesla’s tumultuous situation.
What this media spectacle truly unveils is a desperate attempt at making light of serious financial concerns, rather than addressing them appropriately. The diversionary tactics utilized, namely the comedic finger-pointing at the former President’s pronunciation error, only served to deflect from the dire economic situation.
Perhaps, instead of directing attention towards an ex-President’s missteps, it would be more prudent to focus on ensuring a solid, future-proof economic plan that not just revives the flailing stock prices of companies like Tesla, but also builds a constant and robust growth pattern.
In this context, the presence of the current administration, namely President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, seems conspicuously silent. If one would laugh at the former administration’s floundering, wouldn’t it be pertinent to ask if the current administration could do any better?
All in all, this episode featuring the former President’s antics and the ensuing media circus truly signifies the need for a more future-proof, holistic, and comprehensive strategy to bolster economic growth and market stability. It’s unfortunate that the current administration seems unable to present any viable solutions but instead, emulates the same comedic stumbles and fallacies that they so aptly criticize.