Former Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Joe Biden for omitting Elon Musk from a 2021 White House electric-vehicle summit, calling the oversight a “big mistake.”
Speaking at a leadership summit while promoting her memoir, Harris said she believed Musk—then heading Tesla Inc., America’s largest electric-vehicle manufacturer—should have been included. She noted that three major automakers with strong union ties were invited, but Tesla was left out, a decision she suggested sent the wrong signal.
Harris explained that the exclusion may have been driven by political calculations tied to labor alliances, and said the choice likely affected Musk’s perspective on the administration. She added that, in her view, innovation in the EV industry should transcend partisan boundaries.
The remarks represent one of her sharpest public critiques of the administration she once served, and they highlight tensions around the intersection of union policy, tech leadership, and political strategy.