Trump not allowed to drive red Tesla Model S due to this surprising rule; but does he have a driver's license?
ByShweta Kukreti
Mar 12, 2025 05:48 PM IST
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday shopped for a new Tesla, picking a gleaming red sedan.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday shopped for a new Tesla at a White House lawn, picking a gleaming red sedan. The purchase comes in a bid to demonstrate his support for Tesla CEO Elon Musk's electric vehicle company, which is facing stock declines and criticism due to his efforts to reduce the federal government.
Trump's purchase comes in a bid to demonstrate his support for Tesla CEO Elon Musk's electric vehicle company, which is facing stock declines and criticism due to his efforts to reduce the federal government.
Trump's purchase comes in a bid to demonstrate his support for Tesla CEO Elon Musk's electric vehicle company, which is facing stock declines and criticism due to his efforts to reduce the federal government.
After sliding into the driver's seat of a Model S, Trump said, “Wow. That's beautiful.”
Musk boarded the passenger side and quipped about “giving the Secret Service a heart attack” while they discussed how to start a car that can accelerate to 60 miles per hour (95 kilometers per hour) in a matter of seconds.
Trump delivers ‘bad news’ on driving car
Speaking at a news appearance on Tuesday, Trump acknowledged that he cannot operate the Tesla vehicle he intends to buy.
Being a President, Trump is prohibited from driving on public highways for security concerns, but he may no longer possess a valid driver's license.
Calling it “bad news”, the President said that he would not be able to drive the car after its purchase and instead, he would let his employees do so.
“I'm going to buy [a Tesla]. Now, here's the bad news: I'm not allowed to drive because I haven't driven a car in a long time, and I love to drive cars. But I'm going to have it at the White House, and I'm going to let my staff use it. I'm going to let people in the place use it, and they all are excited about that. I'm not allowed to use it, can you believe it?”
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US Presidents and security concerns over car driving
For security reasons, US presidents are not allowed to drive on public highways. The Secret Service enforced this regulation in the wake of President John F. Kennedy's 1963 killing.
Moreover, Trump's driver's license status is likewise unknown.
In 2016, Politico acquired a copy of Trump's New York driver's license through an open-records request, which revealed that it was due for renewal on June 14, 2020, his 74th birthday.
Presidents are permitted to drive on private property. In an effort to support local manufacturing, former President Joe Biden drove a Ford F-150 Lightning electric car in Dearborn, Michigan, in May 2021.
Appearing on CNBC's Jay Leno's Garage in 2017, former President George W. Bush said that he still drives on his family's Texas ranch, but he hasn't driven on a public road in almost 25 years.
In 2015, President Barack Obama informed Jimmy Kimmel Live! that he once used an electric car belonging to a visiting former staffer to drive within the South Lawn of the White House.
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