Ken Bensinger
“I think it’s incredible,” said Mr. Trump as he eyeballed the electric vehicle, which was parked in the porte-cochère of Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence in Florida.
The car — closely associated with the Trump-supporting chief executive of Tesla, Elon Musk, and subject of an ongoing culture war — has been in short supply since Tesla began selling it in late 2023. This one, which Mr. Ross drove to the interview, was festooned in red, white and blue with Mr. Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” emblazoned on the hood.
On each side was the now-ubiquitous photo of the Republican presidential nominee, fist raised defiantly, taken seconds after the attempt on his life at a campaign rally last month.
Before a streaming audience that at times topped 500,000 , Mr. Trump then climbed into the Cybertruck and, along with Mr. Ross, listened to songs from a custom playlist prepared for the occasion. “Who doesn’t like the Beach Boys?” Mr. Trump asked. He was equally admiring of the watch. “Wow, that’s so nice,” he chirped, fondling the green leather box containing the timepiece.
Per Tesla’s website, a base model Cybertruck has a sticker price of $60,990, with high-end trims topping $100,000. A customized wrap — the printed vinyl sticker covering every exterior surface of the vehicle — starts around $4,000. Rolex watches typically start at $5,000.
