- A list at the U.S. State Department that appeared to show an impending big purchase of Tesla electric vehicles over the next few years has been removed, according to Bloomberg News. Tesla is the company owned by Elon Musk, who now has a high-profile role in the Trump administration.
- Bloomberg reports that the item appeared on a spending list in December, but is now gone.
- Musk went on social media to refute that his company, Tesla, is going to get hundreds of millions of dollars in the deal.
Full Story
The State Department procurement forecast has scrubbed the listing of Elon Musk’s company, Tesla. It originally appeared as a possible $400 million purchase of armored electric vehicles.
What were the initial plans?
Bloomberg News said that reports surfaced on Wednesday, Feb. 12, about the State Department’s plans, which appeared in the December version of the list as an armored Tesla budget item. The buy was slated to begin this year and cover five years.
What is a procurement list?
Governments often use procurement lists to buy supplies or services from specific organizations or to list such products and services. Bloomberg reports the State Department altered the document to remove Tesla’s name after reports surfaced in other media outlets.
Musk, who heads President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, said his activities as leader of the cost-cutting organization would be transparent.
Where did the listing appear?
The Tesla name had appeared near BMW. The State Department is planning to buy armored BMW X5 and X7 SUVs. While the BMW name is reportedly still on the list, the Tesla name is gone, and the $400 million contract now only has a listing as Armored Electric Vehicles, with no company specified.
What is the reaction at the State Department?
A State Department spokesperson told Bloomberg that no government contract has been awarded to Tesla or any other automaker to produce electric vehicles.
What is Elon Musk’s response?
“I’m pretty sure Tesla isn’t getting $400M,” Elon Musk posted on social media company X. “No one mentioned it to me, at least.”
Awareness and attention have increased on Elon Musk about potential conflicts of interest due to his high-profile role in the Trump administration and the fact that he owns six companies. Among them is SpaceX, which works with NASA and has government contracts.