Former Vice President Kamala Harris described President Joe Biden's decision to exclude Tesla CEO Elon Musk from a 2021 White House electric vehicle summit as a significant error. Speaking at a Fortune event, Harris argued that overlooking Musk's innovations sent the wrong message. The exclusion, tied to union priorities, strained relations with Musk, who later supported Donald Trump.
In August 2021, President Joe Biden hosted an electric vehicle event at the White House, inviting executives from General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, but notably omitting Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, the leading U.S. EV manufacturer. The snub was perceived as support for the United Auto Workers union, given Tesla's non-unionized workforce.
Harris addressed this during an interview with Fortune Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell at the Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., on October 14, 2025. Referencing her memoir "107 Days," she stated, "I write in the book that I thought it was a big mistake to not invite Elon Musk when we did a big EV event." She emphasized Musk's role, saying, "I mean, here he is, the major American manufacturer of extraordinary innovation in this space."
Harris believed the exclusion signaled Biden's disapproval of Musk's anti-union stance but argued it "simply doesn't make sense" to sideline the industry's top player. Then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki defended the guest list, noting it included "the three largest employers of the United Auto Workers," and when asked if it punished non-union Tesla, replied, "I'll let you draw your own conclusion."
The administration later offered an apology to Musk, according to reports, and aides attempted to mend ties, but tensions persisted. Musk reacted sharply on social media: "Yeah, seems odd that Tesla wasn’t invited." A month later, he criticized the administration as "controlled by unions" and "not the friendliest."
Harris reflected that presidents should "put aside political loyalties" to recognize innovation, assuming the snub "hit him hard and had an impact on his perspective." In her book, she wrote, "Musk never forgave it." Musk endorsed Trump in 2024 and donated roughly $300 million to Republican campaigns.