Former Vice President Kamala Harris has openly criticized her previous boss, Joe Biden, regarding his 2021 decision to not invite Elon Musk to a significant White House electric vehicle event, labeling it as a “major error.” This criticism surfaced as the 82-year-old ex-president is currently receiving radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
Speaking at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., Harris expressed her view that the exclusion of Musk — perceived by many as a political maneuver favoring organized labor — was poorly handled and has had enduring consequences.
In her remarks, Harris stated, “I mention in my book that not inviting Elon Musk to our prominent EV event was a considerable mistake,” as she told Alyson Shontell, Editor-in-Chief of Fortune.
In her recent public appearances promoting her memoir, “107 Days,” Harris has also called out Biden for his “recklessness” in pursuing re-election despite his health challenges.
During an event in August 2021, Biden had gathered executives from General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis to announce a goal of transitioning half of all new vehicle sales to zero emissions by 2030; however, Tesla—America’s premier EV manufacturer—was not included.
At that time, former White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted that the invitees included “the three largest employers of the United Auto Workers,” highlighting Tesla’s lack of a unionized workforce.
When pressed about whether the omission was a form of punishment, Psaki responded, “I’ll leave it to you to draw your own conclusions.”
At the time, Musk, whose company outperforms all three auto manufacturers combined in EV sales, tweeted: “Yeah, seems odd that Tesla wasn’t invited.”
Subsequently, Musk referred to the Biden administration as “not the friendliest” and suggested it was “controlled by unions.”
While the Biden administration defended its engagement with the Big Three automakers, asserting they were vital allies in Biden’s effort to promote union jobs, Musk accused them of partiality and ridiculed Biden on social media following SpaceX’s first all-civilian mission, which the president did not acknowledge.
During the Fortune event, Harris emphasized that leaders ought to “set aside political affiliations” when acknowledging technological advancements.
The former vice president’s remarks aligned with comments from her book, indicating that the Biden administration’s decision distanced Musk, who subsequently became a key financial supporter of President Donald Trump.
Musk contributed nearly $300 million to groups aligned with the GOP during the 2024 election cycle.
Harris also took the opportunity to express her belief that the early legislative focus of the Biden administration was misaligned.
“When we decided to prioritize the infrastructure bill and the CHIPS Act, I think that was a mistake,” she stated.
Harris cautioned that neglecting basic needs during soaring inflation could trigger backlash from voters feeling left behind.
Reports suggest that Tesla representatives had persistently sought engagements with the White House but faced rejection amid pressures from the United Auto Workers after the inauguration.
Upon learning of the exclusion from the event, Tesla officials reportedly contacted the company to extend their apologies, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Weeks after, Biden praised GM’s Mary Barra for having “electrified the entire automobile industry,” a statement that provoked Musk, whose company had delivered over 115,000 EVs in the U.S. that quarter against GM’s 26,000.
Efforts by Biden’s aides to reconcile with Musk included arranging calls with senior White House officials, as reported by the Journal, but tensions remained unresolved.
As time progressed, Musk aligned more closely with Republican ideologies, criticizing what he termed “the woke mind virus” and denouncing Democratic policy agendas. By 2024, he had begun financing Trump’s comeback effort through a super PAC called America PAC.
This latest commentary from the former vice president represents her most pointed public criticism of the administration she once served, coinciding with Biden’s most serious health condition post-presidency.
Recently, Biden made his first public appearance since commencing a five-week course of radiation and hormone therapy for Stage 4 prostate cancer, seen leaving evening Mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Church in Wilmington, Del.
Aides have indicated that the treatment is ongoing, reporting the cancer as “high-grade” yet hormone-sensitive.
Photos display a visibly frail Biden, slowly walking with the assistance of a woman, with a noticeable scar from skin cancer surgery above his right eye as he greeted churchgoers.
The Post has reached out for comments from Biden and Musk.
