On March 16, 2025, a controversial account on social media, known as MAGALieTracker, shared a clip from Fox News Sunday featuring host Shannon Bream. In the segment, Bream questioned President Trump’s recent purchase of a Tesla from Elon Musk, which took place amid ongoing market volatility caused by tariffs. The host labeled the purchase as potentially insensitive, framing it as a ‘slam’ that turned the White House into a ‘Tesla dealership.’ Despite a guest defending the action as a promotion of U.S. products, the comments sparked significant backlash.
The clip opened with Bream discussing the context of Trump’s vehicle purchase. She remarked, ‘In the White House, where he surveyed some cars. It was happening as Americans’ 401K accounts were facing some struggles because of the tariff war happening right now.’ As the segment progressed, she raised further politically charged questions, particularly regarding whether it was appropriate for the President to use the White House as a backdrop for such a purchase, questioning the sensitivity of the moment.
Mixed Reactions from Viewers
In response, one guest on the program criticized the narrative presented by Bream, stating, ‘First of all, he’s promoting American-made products. I applaud him for doing that. He’s not the first president to do that. Most presidents have done something like it in the past. Joe Biden did in his term.’
The social media discourse surrounding the clip revealed a stark division among viewers. Some conservative commentators rallied behind Trump’s initiative to support American manufacturing. One commenter noted, ‘It seems you’re just starting to realize that conservatives don’t march in lockstep like the leftist lunatics. Nope, we have differing opinions. I know this is confusing to lemmings like you. I also have taken issue with things Trump has done. I still support him, however.’
Others also voiced similar sentiments. Another conservative user remarked, ‘But Biden doing it was classier, right? Lol I say that because he literally did the same thing. Don’t be so biased. It makes you look stupid…’
Criticism of Bias in Coverage
The backlash to Bream’s questioning included critiques of perceived double standards in media coverage of presidential actions. One commenter stated, ‘Yet when Joe Biden did it, even taking a slow lap in a Jeep, an event Tesla was intentionally left out of due to political reasons, no one had an issue with it.’ This sentiment resonated with many who perceived the media’s treatment of similar actions by different presidents as inconsistent.
Another insightful remark highlighted the contrasting treatment of American and foreign manufacturers, adding, ‘Biden did it with a FOREIGN owned auto maker and Democrats cheered. Trump does it with AMERICAN owned auto maker and the Democrats cry “the sky is falling.” Imagine that…’
As the discussion continued online, it illustrated a broader conversation about media bias, public perception, and the ramifications of political discourse in contemporary America. Those in favor of Trump emphasized the importance of promoting American-made products, while critics underscored the timing of the purchase amid market struggles. This contentious exchange exemplifies the polarizing nature of political commentary in the current media landscape.