State Department plans $400M armored Tesla vehicle purchase

The U.S. State Department is reportedly planning a $400 million purchase of armored Tesla vehicles, likely the Cybertruck, as indicated in a procurement forecast. Despite initial mentions of Tesla in the document, its name was later removed amid concerns over potential conflicts of interest involving Elon Musk, who is closely connected to President Trump and oversees efforts to cut government spending. The procurement is set to finalize by the end of the year, although the exact model of the armored vehicles remains unspecified. Musk's dual roles have raised questions about ethics and transparency, especially given his companies' previous government contracts totaling billions. While Musk has downplayed the conflict of interest, emphasizing the need for efficiency, critics remain skeptical of the integrity of such dealings. The situation reflects ongoing scrutiny of government spending, particularly involving companies tied to influential political figures.