Can Trump Legally Drive? The President Revs Up Speculation With Weird Comments
President Donald Trump has made some interesting claims through the years, whether it's the wild things he's said about Taylor Swift, or moments captured on camera that can never be erased. So we approach many of his comments with a bit of a "boy who cried wolf" caveat.
What's the latest in questionable quotes made by the President? That he can't drive. It all began on March 11, 2025, when Trump gathered a group of press members outside the White House and stood with Elon Musk and his curiously-named son, X, who appears to be the Space X owner's favorite accessory of late. Trump prattled on about how unfair "a small group" was being to the X owner about his department of government efficiency (DOGE), which has been questioned about its own efficiency in firing large groups of government employees. In response, Tesla sales have dropped globally, which Trump said is unjust. (Poor richest man in the world! Must be hard!) In a show of support, he said he is buying a Tesla, but wouldn't be "allowed" to drive it.
Is the president actually not allowed to drive?
For a change, it seems Donald Trump spoke the truth. And no, Trump doesn't abstain from driving because he is used to taking the subway in New York, or being chauffeured to Atlantic City, or driving a golf cart around Mar-a-Lago. Instead, it's because in the late '50s, the Former Presidents Act of 1958 was put into law. Among other things, it states that past presidents can't drive on public roads. So you won't find Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, or Barack Obama cruising down the highway in their favorite roadsters either. It's a shame for Trump, and not just because he can't drive his new wheels; he reportedly has an impressive car collection worth millions.
Instead, Trump said he's going to let his staff drive the new Tesla. Hm, how are those self-driving Teslas coming along? What would the 1958 act say about that? And are those Teslas still injuring people? How does presidential immunity work in that case? So much to consider.