(Headline USA) Rep. Alexandria Ocasio–Cortez, D-N.Y., insisted this week that she plans to trade in her Tesla for a union-made vehicle after being pressed on her support for striking United Auto Workers members this week.
During an interview with CBS News’s Face the Nation on Sunday, Ocasio–Cortez was asked to reconcile her personal purchase of a Tesla, which is not unionized, with her support for the UAW strike.
“One of the things that’s happening in the auto industry, as you know, is this market shift and transition to electric vehicles,” host Margaret Brennan began.
“You were quoted in July saying you look forward to buying a union made electric vehicle, but you currently have a non-union made Tesla,” she continued. “… Is it a problem with the quality? Is it a problem with the style? Is the market just not there?”
“No,” Ocasio-Cortez responded.
She went on to claim that she bought a Tesla during the pandemic because it was the “safest way” to travel between New York and Washington at the time.
“But that was prior to some of the new models coming out on the market that had the range available,” Ocasio–Cortez continued. “But we’re actually looking into trading our in our car now. So, we’re looking into it, and hopefully we will soon.”
This isn’t the first time Ocasio–Cortez has committed to ditching her Tesla. Last May, she similarly claimed her Tesla was the “only EV” that could take her from New York to Washington.
“At the time, it was the only EV that could get me from New York to Washington on like one, or one-and-a-half charges,” she said. “I would love to switch.”
Ocasio–Cortez’s plans to sell her car come after several public spats with Tesla founder Elon Musk.
