Donald Trump Slams EVs Again, Calling Them a Threat to America's Greatness

 

In a fiery resurgence of old grievances, former President Donald Trump has reignited his war of words against electric vehicles (EVs), declaring they should "rot in hell" and accusing them of "destroying our once great USA." These explosive comments, resurfaced recently across social media and conservative platforms, offer a window into Trump's ongoing resistance to the Biden administration's green energy push — and his broader vision for America's industrial future.

The timing of these comments is particularly telling, as the auto industry undergoes a massive transition toward electrification. Automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis have committed billions to EV development, chasing both federal incentives and a rapidly shifting global market. But for Trump, these changes symbolize a betrayal of traditional American manufacturing and a dangerous gamble with the nation’s economic security.

Trump's Longstanding Grudge Against EVs

Trump's distaste for electric vehicles has been consistent throughout his political career, but the vitriol of his recent language marks a new peak. Speaking at a closed-door fundraising event earlier this year, Trump reportedly told donors that EVs were "a plague on American soil" and that "no real American wants a car that dies halfway to the grocery store."

This rhetoric aligns with earlier public statements in which Trump accused Democrats of trying to "force Americans into electric cars they don't want, don't need, and can't afford." In his view, the EV revolution is not just about changing what Americans drive—it's about eroding the country's freedom of choice and sacrificing economic independence on the altar of environmental activism.

"It's about control," Trump said in a leaked video clip. "They want to control where you go, how far you go, and when you can charge. It's a scam."

Linking EVs to National Decline

Trump's broader message frames the shift to EVs as symptomatic of a nation in decline. He frequently ties this narrative to other cultural and economic grievances, including the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs, rising inflation, and perceived overreach by environmental regulators.

"America was great because we built the strongest industries in the world," Trump said during a Michigan rally. "We made things that lasted. We didn’t need to plug our cars into a wall and pray the power didn’t go out."

His comments tap into a potent mixture of nostalgia and economic anxiety, particularly in Rust Belt states where manufacturing jobs have historically been a pillar of local economies. By positioning EVs as a threat to these jobs, Trump seeks to galvanize blue-collar voters who feel alienated by rapid technological change and progressive environmental policies.

An Industry Moving Forward — With or Without Trump

Despite Trump's attacks, the momentum behind electric vehicles seems unstoppable. The Biden administration has made EV adoption a cornerstone of its economic and environmental strategy, offering generous tax credits, funding nationwide charging infrastructure, and pushing for stringent new emissions standards that will effectively require automakers to sell more EVs.

The auto industry, sensing where the wind is blowing, has largely embraced the transition. Ford announced a $50 billion investment in EVs by 2026, while GM has pledged to go all-electric by 2035. Even traditionally conservative companies have jumped into the fray, partnering with battery manufacturers and tech firms to future-proof their businesses.

Still, Trump's supporters argue that these moves are being driven more by government mandates than genuine consumer demand. They point to surveys showing that many Americans remain skeptical of EVs due to concerns about price, range, and charging infrastructure — concerns that Trump eagerly amplifies.

A Clash of Visions for America's Future

Ultimately, Trump's tirades against EVs are about much more than cars. They represent a fundamental clash of visions for America's future: one rooted in nostalgia for a manufacturing-centric, fossil-fuel-powered economy, and the other embracing a tech-driven, carbon-neutral revolution.

In Trump's America, oil and gas are not dirty words; they are symbols of independence and strength. Coal miners and assembly-line workers are heroes, not relics. And government attempts to reshape the economy in the name of climate change are seen as dangerous overreach that threatens individual liberty.

By contrast, the Biden administration — and much of corporate America — sees the clean energy transition as both an environmental necessity and an economic opportunity. They argue that failing to compete in the global EV race would leave America economically weakened and beholden to countries like China, which currently dominates battery production and EV manufacturing.

Looking Ahead to 2024

As Trump gears up for a possible rematch against President Biden in 2024, his attacks on EVs are likely to remain a major talking point. They fit neatly into his broader campaign narrative of "American decline" under Democratic leadership and provide a tangible symbol for voters' unease about rapid change.

For Trump's base, the battle over EVs is about more than just cars — it's about reclaiming a sense of agency in a world that feels increasingly alien. For his critics, it's just another example of Trump's resistance to progress and his tendency to traffic in fear rather than solutions.

Either way, one thing is clear: in the political battle for America's future, the humble electric vehicle has become an unlikely — but powerful — symbol of the country's deepest divisions.