Former Vice President Kamala Harris recently took a swipe at her onetime boss, President Joe Biden, criticizing his 2021 decision to exclude Elon Musk from a White House electric vehicle (EV) event. Harris called the snub a “big mistake,” comments that come as the 82-year-old former president undergoes radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
Harris appeared Tuesday at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., where she expressed her belief that the exclusion of Musk—widely seen as a political favor to organized labor—was mishandled and had lasting repercussions.
“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,” Harris told Fortune Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell. “I mean, here he is, the major American manufacturer of extraordinary innovation in this space,” she added, referring to Musk.
The former vice president has made numerous public appearances recently to promote her memoir, *107 Days*, in which she criticizes Biden for what she calls his “recklessness” in running for re-election despite declining health.
### The 2021 White House EV Event Controversy
In August 2021, President Biden hosted executives from General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler parent company Stellantis to promote a goal of making half of all new vehicles sold by 2030 zero-emissions. Notably absent, however, was Tesla—the country’s top EV maker.
At the time, then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki explained that the event featured “the three largest employers of the United Auto Workers,” highlighting the fact that Tesla’s workforce is not unionized. When pressed about whether the snub was punitive, Psaki responded, “I’ll let you draw your own conclusion.”
Elon Musk himself tweeted, “Yeah, seems odd that Tesla wasn’t invited.” A month later, he called the Biden administration “not the friendliest” and said it appeared to be “controlled by unions.”
The White House defended its outreach to Detroit’s Big Three automakers, calling them key partners in the president’s push for union jobs. Meanwhile, Musk accused the administration of bias and mocked Biden on social media after SpaceX’s first all-civilian mission went unacknowledged by the president.
### Harris’ Take on Political Loyalties and Technological Recognition
During the Fortune event, Harris said that presidents should “put aside political loyalties” when recognizing technological achievements.
“So, I thought that was a mistake, and I don’t know Elon Musk, but I have to assume that that was something that hit him hard and had an impact on his perspective,” she said.
Her remarks echoed a passage from her book, which states that the Biden administration’s decision alienated Musk. Following the snub, Musk became one of former President Donald Trump’s top financial backers, contributing nearly $300 million to GOP-aligned groups during the 2024 election cycle.
### Harris on the Biden Administration’s Legislative Priorities
Harris also criticized the administration’s early legislative agenda.
“When we made the decision as an administration to put the infrastructure bill and the CHIPS Act first, I actually think that was a mistake,” she said. “Very important work, no question, but we did that before putting the immediate needs ahead of anything else.”
She suggested the White House should have prioritized child care and paid family leave, warning that voters felt abandoned as inflation soared.
“If we can’t meet the basic needs of the people, there will be this backlash, which is going to resonate and sound like it is about ‘blame the rich,’” Harris explained. “It’s about, ‘we need help for our basic needs, and please prioritize those needs.’”
### Behind the Scenes: Attempts to Mend Relations with Tesla
Reports at the time indicated that Tesla officials repeatedly sought meetings with the White House after Biden’s inauguration but were rebuffed due to pressure from the United Auto Workers.
When Musk learned Tesla wouldn’t be invited to the EV event, officials reportedly called the company with an apology, according to *The Wall Street Journal*.
Weeks later, President Biden credited GM CEO Mary Barra with having “electrified the entire automobile industry,” a comment that infuriated Musk. At that point, Tesla had already delivered more than 115,000 EVs in the U.S. that quarter, compared with GM’s 26,000.
Biden aides later arranged calls between Musk and top White House officials in an attempt to repair relations, but tensions lingered. Musk increasingly aligned himself with Republicans, railing against “the woke mind virus” and denouncing Democratic policy priorities. By 2024, he was bankrolling Trump’s comeback bid through a super PAC called America PAC.
### Biden’s Health and Harris’ Sharpest Criticism Yet
Harris’ recent comments mark her sharpest public criticism to date of the administration she helped lead. They come as Biden faces his most serious health battle since leaving office.
On Saturday, Biden was photographed leaving evening Mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Church in Wilmington, Delaware. This was his first public appearance since beginning a five-week course of radiation and hormone therapy for Stage 4 prostate cancer.
Aides say the treatment is ongoing and describe the cancer as “high-grade” but hormone-sensitive. Photos showed a frail-looking Biden walking slowly and holding onto a woman for support. The scar above his right eye from recent skin cancer surgery remained visible as he greeted parishioners.
The *Washington Post* has sought comment from both Biden and Musk regarding the recent remarks.
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*Stay tuned for more updates on this story.*
https://nypost.com/2025/10/18/us-news/kamala-harris-criticizes-joe-biden-for-snubbing-elon-musk-in-2021/
