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Today, we’re talking about how the White House lawn became a Tesla dealership yesterday. Plus, we’re covering Ford’s investment into EV charging for its drivers and how Southwest is ending its longstanding free bag policy.

President Donald Trump, long an opponent of Joe Biden’s EV push, threw a political curveball on Tuesday by inspecting—and even considering purchasing—a Tesla at the White House. The moment was seen as an olive branch to Elon Musk, a vocal supporter of Trump’s administration and a key player in the EV industry.

• Despite campaigning against Biden’s EV mandates, Trump praised Tesla’s technology and price points at the event.
• His appearance with Musk comes amid protests and boycotts of Tesla by liberal groups unhappy with Musk’s alignment with conservative policies.
• Tesla’s stock, which saw its worst day since 2020 on Monday, rebounded slightly after the event.
• While admiring Tesla’s tech, Trump drew the line at a new model lacking a steering wheel, saying, “I’m going to pass on that.”
• An eagle-eyed photographer at the event noticed that the President’s handwritten notes looked a lot like a sales pitch for Tesla, with phrases like “Teslas can be purchased as low as $299/month or $35K.”

Ford has officially delivered over 140K NACS adapters to its EV customers. This move grants Ford EV drivers access to Tesla’s vast Supercharger network, marking a major step toward simplifying public charging and expanding infrastructure options.

• The milestone follows Ford’s 2023 announcement to integrate Tesla’s Supercharger network into its ecosystem.
• Ford EVs now have access to over 20,000 Tesla Superchargers—up from 15,300 last year and Ford’s BlueOval Charge Network has  over 180,000 chargers at over 50,000 locations, making it North America’s largest public integrated charging network
• In February, Tesla Superchargers accounted for nearly 20% of Ford EV charging stops.
• Plus, Ford EV drivers using Apple CarPlay can now plan Tesla Supercharger stops directly in Apple Maps EV Routing, eliminating the need for a separate app.

Southwest Airlines is making a major shift, announcing that starting May 28, it will charge for checked bags—ending its long-standing “bags fly free” policy. The change aims to boost profitability but may alienate loyal travelers.

• Only Rapid Rewards A-list members and business fare passengers will still get free checked bags.
• CEO Bob Jordan framed the move as part of an effort to attract new customers and improve profitability.
•  Southwest has also announced plans to introduce assigned seating by 2025, revamp its fare structure, and expand its international routes to stay competitive.
• Southwest previously touted free checked bags as a key rea

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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