Trump's Tesla Shoutout Falls Flat — No Spike in Orders or Inventory Movement

Bibhu Pattnaik

March 15, 2025

Benzinga

President Donald Trump‘s publicity stunt for Elon Musk-owned Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has not resulted in a sales uptick, as per the latest inventory check and new order delivery timelines in the U.S.

What Happened: A high-profile Tesla event in front of the White House this week has not yet had a positive effect on the company’s sales.

According to a report by Electrek, despite being only four days since the event took place, it seems to have had minimal impact on Tesla’s sales, based on inventory checks and new order delivery timelines.

This event took place a day after Tesla’s stock took a 15% dive, significantly impacting Musk’s wealth.

Musk, a substantial financial backer of Trump, is reportedly considering another $100 million donation to Trump, leading to speculation about a potential reciprocal arrangement.

As of March 14, Tesla’s U.S. inventory showed no significant changes since the day of Trump’s ad. The Model 3 and Cybertruck inventories remained stable, with the only noticeable change being a decrease in the Model Y inventory by about 800 units.

Also Read: Trump vs Musk? Federal Workers Unconvinced He’ll Take Action: ‘If They Don’t Cut, Elon will, Comments Show Who’s Really In Charge’

On March 11, the day of the White House event, Tesla's U.S. inventory included 1,136 Model 3s, 2,332 Model Ys, and 1,010 Cybertrucks, according to Troy Teslike. As of March 14, the inventory stood at 1,435 Model 3s, 1,500 Model Ys, and 1,006 Cybertrucks. While Model 3 listings increased slightly, overall inventory levels remained relatively stable, showing no significant impact from the event.

However, attributing this decrease to Trump’s ad might be hasty, as Tesla has been aggressively discounting the old generation Model Y to make way for the new generation.

While the event may have helped Tesla clear some old Model Y units, it’s highly unlikely that it spurred new orders for the new Model Y.

Why It Matters: The lack of a sales boost following the event raises questions about the effectiveness of such high-cost publicity stunts.

It also highlights the challenges Tesla faces in driving sales amid market volatility and the transition to new vehicle models.

The situation underscores the importance of strategic marketing and product positioning in the highly competitive auto industry.