If you like to put the pedal to the metal, you might want to avoid running for President of the United States, as a bizarre stipulation means you probably won’t be able to make the most of your classic car collection.
We’re used to seeing President Donald Trump being motored around in his armored vehicle known as ‘The Beast’. Stocked with the POTUS’ blood type, door handles that can shock attackers, and bulletproof windows, the $1.5 million vehicle can withstand chemical attacks and is Trump’s regular runaround.
Still, Trump has boasted an impressive car collection over the years, including a 1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, 2015 Rolls-Royce Phantom Saloon, and even an OG Tesla Roadster.
With the recent drama surrounding Tesla, Trump has gotten firmly behind best buddy Elon Musk and bought a brand-new EV.
The POTUS won’t be able to take his new Tesla for a spin (Andrew Harnik / Staff / Getty)
Turning the White House into his own personal Tesla showroom, the POTUS posed in front of a fleet of Teslas and picked out a shiny red Model S that retails at around $80,000.
The President joked about “giving the Secret Service a heart attack” as he sat in the driver’s seat and said about how the vehicle can reach 95 kilometers per hour in just few seconds.
Saying, “That’s beautiful, that one,” Trump continued: “I’ll give him a check. I do it the old fashioned way …and I don’t want a discount.”
Speaking to the crowd, Trump concluded: “Here’s the bad news. I’m not allowed to drive the car
“I haven’t driven a car in a long time and I like to drive cars. But I’m going to have [the Tesla] in the White House and I’m going to let my staff use it. I’m going to let the people in the country use it and everyone is excited about it. I’m not allowed to use it. Can you believe it?”
It’s not a case of Trump not wanting to drive the Model S – he’s not allowed.
Following the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, the Secret Service enacted a rule that no serving or former President can drive on the roads. Lyndon Johnson was the last President to drive on public roads, and although the rule isn’t law, it’s adhered to by all parties.
Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton all steer clear of getting behind the wheel, while Hillary Clinton says she hasn’t driven since 1996.
The fact that former Presidents aren’t allowed to drive is a cause of contention for them, with Clinton telling Ellen DeGeneres that not being able to drive is the thing he misses the most. Speaking in 2012, he joked: “I mean, if I wanted to give up Secret Service protection for life, I could do it.”
The same year, President Obama was seen driving a Chevy Volt around the White House, with Secret Service agents closing the gates so he wasn’t driving in public. When serving as Vice President, Joe Biden lodged a complaint when speaking at the United Auto Workers conference in 2014, grumbling: “There are a lot of reasons to run for president, but there’s one overwhelming reason not to run for president. I like to get that [Corvette] Z06 from zero to 60 in 3.4 seconds.”
Biden used his appearance on Jay Leno’s Garage to give his ’67 Corvette a rare drive around a Secret Service training area in Maryland.
The Secret Service are tasked with keeping the President and former Presidents safe because they’re trained in “evasive and defensive driving maneuvers,” and while we’re not questioning the driving skills of the POTUS, it looks like he’ll have to admire his new Tesla from afar.