Fact Check: Is video of Donald Trump announcing he's banning Tesla production in US real?
WASHINGTON, DC: A viral video claiming President Donald Trump has banned Tesla production in the US sent shockwaves across social media this week.
The video emerged in the wake of a fiery but now de-escalated feud between the commander-in-chief and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The clash began when Musk slammed Trump’s sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill” as a “disgusting abomination,” triggering a series of sharp exchanges between the two.
Though tensions flared for several days, Musk has since issued a public apology, admitting his comments “went too far.” With the feud now cooling, the rumor continues to stir confusion and debate among the public.
Claim: Donald Trump is banning Tesla production in the US
A video making the rounds on social media shows President Donald Trump announcing an immediate ban on the production of Tesla vehicles in the US.
In the clip, Trump is heard saying, “Today, I am here to announce that I will be banning the production of all Teslas in the United States of America effective immediately."
He goes on to add, "As everyone knows, Elon stabbed me in the back a couple days ago and went crazy on his platform X, lying about my involvement in the Epstein files, so I can't have this snake Elon making money in this country while I'm the president. Nobody likes Teslas anyways, unless you're a nerd."
The MAGA leader continued by criticizing Tesla vehicles, saying, “They catch fire and break down easily. So it's definitely not the best electric car out there. And yes, I bought a Tesla a few months ago to show my support for Elon, but I have never driven it."
Trump concluded by saying he plans to sell the car and added, “And more importantly, that snake will now go bankrupt. [laugh] He will come back begging to me in a few days again."
The video has triggered concern and skepticism online. One user on X commented, “This is getting dirtier by the day,” referencing the ongoing and increasingly bitter feud between Trump and Musk.
Fact Check: Video of Donald Trump declaring a ban on Tesla production in the US is fake
Although some internet users believed the video showing Trump announcing a Tesla production ban was genuine, others questioned its authenticity.
Fact-checking site Snopes confirmed the video to be fake, identifying it as AI-generated. One clear indicator was a watermark linking to an Instagram account called @dangerousaireturns, a page known for sharing similar AI-generated content.
There are several red flags found in the video. First, Trump’s speech style in the video lacks his trademark unpredictability — there are none of his usual off-the-cuff remarks, digressions, or quirky pauses.
Second, the video includes language and phrasing that, while provocative, would almost certainly have been picked up by major news outlets if real, yet no reputable source has reported on such a statement. A search for credible coverage turned up no matching reports, further suggesting the clip is fabricated.
Adding to the evidence, the video on platform X (formerly Twitter) now carries a warning label: “Misinformation! This video is AI-generated. Nothing to do with reality.”
Altogether, these findings confirm that the viral video claiming Trump banned Tesla production is unequivocally false.
