ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump’s White House sales event with Tesla CEO Elon Musk sparked ethical concerns when a photographer captured Trump carrying what appeared to be the company’s sales pitch, complete with pricing details.

The notes during Trump’s speech included handwritten details such as “Teslas can be purchased as low as $299/month or $35K” and “All cars have self-driving, just needs to be turned on.”

The image sparked criticism on social media, with users accusing Trump of turning the White House into a platform for unpaid advertising.

“In one of the most embarrassing moments in @WhiteHouse history, @realDonaldTrump starred in his own Tesla infomercial,” one X user wrote.

Another added: “Trump reading a Tesla sales pitch at the White House with Musk shows blatant corruption. Grift never stops, even in office.”

Critics also highlighted Trump’s past mockery of former President Joe Biden for using note cards, with one user noting: “After mocking President Biden for using note cards, Trump got caught red-handed today.”

Trump has frequently boasted about not needing notes for speeches. "They gave me notes. I said: 'I'm not Biden. I don't need notes,'" he said during the sales event.

The event, which featured a fleet of Teslas parked at the White House, saw Trump select a red Model S and express hope that his endorsement would boost Tesla sales.

❝You think Biden could get into that car? I don’t think so❞

🚘 US President Donald Trump hops into a Tesla Model S to show support for key ally Elon Musk amid protests and declining sales of his electric car company pic.twitter.com/TjcI3pURYS

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) March 11, 2025

But the spectacle raised questions about who is truly in charge of the US. Some users speculated, with no proof, that Musk was directing Trump and gave the notes to the president to read with one posting: “At this point, does anyone really believe Trump, not Elon, is in charge?” Another added: “Trump is now a Tesla salesman. If we look at his actions to see who is in charge, Musk and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin are Trump’s bosses.”

Tuesday's sales event aimed to address recent attacks on Tesla dealerships, which Trump vowed to label as domestic terrorism.

While the event temporarily boosted Tesla’s shares, it also drew criticism for blurring the lines between governance and corporate promotion, raising ethical concerns about Trump’s use of the presidency to endorse private businesses.

It was virtually unheard of for a sitting president to explicitly endorse a consumer product because of ethical restraints.