The 2021 event featured automakers like General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, but Tesla was excluded, despite being a major EV producer.

Harris stated she did not know Musk personally but believed excluding Tesla was a significant oversight given Tesla’s innovation in the EV industry.

Elon Musk publicly expressed frustration over Tesla’s exclusion, criticizing the Biden administration as “not the friendliest” and calling the omission “odd.”

Kamala Harris publicly acknowledged that excluding Elon Musk and Tesla from the 2021 White House EV summit was a significant mistake, emphasizing the importance of bridging political divides to promote American innovation.

The 2021 EV summit, hosted by the Biden administration, aimed to advance electric vehicle adoption but notably excluded Tesla due to labor and unionization debates, which Harris later criticized as a missed opportunity.

Harris expressed regret for not inviting Musk, recognizing that Tesla's contributions to EV technology should have been acknowledged, especially given the industry's competitive landscape.

She pointed out that political biases favoring unionized automakers led to Tesla's exclusion, which strained relations and overlooked Tesla's role in advancing EV innovation.

Public reactions to Harris’s admission are mixed, with some praising her for acknowledging the mistake and others criticizing the initial exclusion as a sign of political partisanship.

Harris emphasized that U.S. presidents should recognize technological achievements regardless of political loyalties, particularly when they benefit the country.

The incident serves as a lesson that inclusive strategies, transcending labor and political conflicts, are essential for the U.S. to remain competitive in the global EV market.

Elon Musk later supported Republican candidates in the 2024 election, donating nearly $300 million to GOP campaigns, highlighting his political leanings.

Despite initial tensions, Musk engaged with Biden aides in 2023, indicating a move toward more inclusive dialogue and potential collaboration on EV policies.

Harris advocates for bipartisan cooperation and inclusive innovation, stressing that future policies should recognize all key industry players like Tesla to maintain U.S. leadership in EVs.