EXCLUSIVE: Trump's Tesla Purchase Unlikely To Boost Sales As 53% Say 'Never'

President Donald Trump recently announced he was purchasing a red Tesla Model S vehicle from Tesla Inc TSLA during a White House event.

The purchase was made to help Tesla CEO Elon Musk and drew plenty of attention to the car company, but Benzinga readers are torn about whether the event made them more or less likely to purchase a vehicle from the electric vehicle company.

What Happened: Trump's purchase of the Model S may have led to a spike in interest on Google searches for Tesla, but people aren’t rushing out to buy a new Tesla vehicle according to a recent reader poll.

As Benzinga previously reported, Trump won't be allowed to drive the Tesla vehicle on the road without special permission from the Secret Service, but he will allow his staff to drive it.

Benzinga recently polled readers to see if Trump's purchase and praise for Tesla would impact their future vehicle-buying activity.

"Donald Trump recently bought a Tesla. How does this affect your view of Tesla?" Benzinga asked.

Here are the results:

• I will never own a Tesla: 53%
• I'm more likely to buy a Tesla: 23%
• I'm less likely to buy a Tesla: 14%
• I already own a Tesla: 10%

The poll may have some bad news for Tesla fans and investors with the majority saying they will never own a Tesla vehicle.

The good news is that of undecided non-Tesla owners, 23% said they are more likely to buy a Tesla while 14% said they are less likely to buy a Tesla on account of Trump's purchase and sales pitch for the EV company.

Read Also: Trump Tariff Delay On Autos Supported By 75% Of Readers In Poll: Will Pause Lead To More Purchases Ahead Of April?

Why It's Important: Trump announced he was buying the new Tesla vehicle to support his ally Musk, which comes amid mounting protests and boycotts against Tesla.

“He shouldn’t be penalized,” Trump said of Musk.

Tesla's sales have dropped sharply in recent weeks, accompanied by demonstrations and vandalization against the company's vehicles, dealerships and charging hubs, according to ABC News. Declining sales are evident not just in the U.S., but also throughout Europe, China, and Australia.

When asked if buying a Tesla would help boost Tesla's share price, Trump said, “Well, I hope it does."

A picture of Trump with notes shows prices and specs for various Tesla models and talking points in a potential sales pitch for the various Tesla vehicles shown off at the White House event.

A recent report from Electrek citing inventory checks and new order delivery timelines in the U.S. shows that so far Trump's purchase and event has had a minimal impact on Tesla's sales and demand.

Tesla's first-quarter sales figures, which will include the month of March will be among the most watched in recent years given boycotts, sales declines in Europe and now Trump's sales pitch.

Read Next:

• EXCLUSIVE: How High Will S&P 500 Go Under Donald Trump In 2025? Readers Are Optimistic, 26% Say This…

The first two questions/study were conducted by Benzinga from March 13, 2025, through March 14, 2025. It included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older. Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from 155 adults.

Image created using photos from Shutterstock.com.