Harris says Biden made mistake not inviting Musk to electric vehicle summit

Former Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned her former boss, former President Joe Biden, made a “huge mistake” by not inviting Tesla CEO Elon Musk to a 2021 White Home occasion on electrical autos.

In August 2021, Biden hosted an EV occasion on the White Home with executives from Basic Motors, Ford and Stellantis, however Musk was not invited, regardless of Tesla being the nation’s largest EV producer.

“I write within the ebook that I believed it was an enormous mistake to not invite Elon Musk once we did an enormous EV occasion,” Harris advised Fortune editor-in-chief Alyson Shontell on Tuesday on the information outlet’s Most Highly effective Ladies Summit in Washington, D.C., referring to her memoir “107 Days,” wherein she criticized Biden for initially working for workplace for re-election regardless of his well being issues.

“I imply, right here he’s, the nice American producer of extraordinary innovation on this area,” Harris mentioned of Musk, who can be the CEO of SpaceX.

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Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks in the course of the 2025 Fortune Most Highly effective Ladies Gala on the Washington Nationwide Cathedral on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC (Getty Photographs)

Musk’s criticism was extensively seen as an try to help the United Auto Staff and arranged labor on the whole, since Tesla factories will not be unionized. Harris wrote in her ebook that she believed Biden was “sending a message about Musk’s anti-union stance,” however that she thought excluding him as the highest participant within the area “merely did not make sense.”

Then-White Home press secretary Jen Psaki mentioned the occasion included “the three largest employers of the United Auto Staff,” emphasizing that Tesla employees will not be unionized.

Requested whether or not Musk’s criticism was punishment for his workers’ lack of unionization, Psaki advised reporters: “I will allow you to draw your individual conclusions.”

The Biden administration defended inviting solely these automakers, calling them essential companions within the president’s push for union jobs.

Elon Musk’s criticism was extensively seen as an try to help the United Auto Staff union and arranged labor on the whole. (REUTERS/Nathan Howard)

Harris mentioned presidents should “put political loyalty apart” relating to recognizing technological innovation.

“So I believed that was a mistake, and I do not know Elon Musk, however I’ve to imagine that was one thing that hit him laborious and had an impression on his perspective,” she mentioned.

Musk gave the impression to be offended after not being invited to the occasion, making quite a few jokes about Biden.

“Sure, it appears unusual that Tesla was not invited,” Musk wrote on social media on the time.

A month later, he mentioned the Biden administration “appeared managed by unions” and was “not the friendliest administration.”

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Former President Joe Biden hosted an EV occasion on the White Home in 2021 with executives from Basic Motors, Ford and Stellantis, however Elon Musk was not invited. (AP)

After Musk realized that Tesla wouldn’t be invited, authorities officers apologized, in accordance with The Wall Avenue Journal. Biden aides later tried to calm issues down, however tensions continued.

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Harris’ feedback on Tuesday echoed a passage from her new ebook wherein she wrote that the Biden administration’s resolution to not embody Tesla was a mistake and that it appeared to alienate Musk, who later grew to become considered one of present President Donald Trump’s prime backers.

“Musk by no means forgave,” she wrote.

Musk later supported Trump within the 2024 election and contributed roughly $300 million to the Republican marketing campaign effort.