Trump Mocks EV Drivers in Vegas Speech, Calls Range Anxiety a "Disease"

President Donald Trump took his ongoing campaign against electric vehicles a step further during a speech at the Red Rock Casino Resort in Las Vegas, taking direct aim at EV drivers themselves.

Addressing supporters on the administration’s economic agenda, Trump characterized the habit of monitoring battery depletion on long journeys as a mental condition. "You're driving along in an electric car, they have a disease, you know, it's a disease," Trump said. He went on to describe motorists worrying about finding a charging station while their battery state of charge is still at 75 percent, adding, "These people are crazy".

The rhetorical attack follows a series of policy actions taken during Trump's second term that directly targeted the domestic EV sector. The administration eliminated the $7,500 federal EV purchase tax credit, relaxed EPA tailpipe emissions rules, and froze federal funding allocations intended to expand nationwide high-speed charging corridors.

Together, these legislative and regulatory changes have contributed to a noticeable deceleration in U.S. electric vehicle sales growth. Second-quarter figures indicate battery-electric market share has settled around 6 percent, down from roughly 7 percent during the same period a year earlier, while hybrid adoption has climbed significantly.

While range anxiety remains a valid concern for prospective buyers navigating areas with sparse charging infrastructure, modern EV trip-planning software and expanding charging networks have made routine range monitoring standard practice for long-distance drivers.

Beyond targeting EV owners, Trump made broad claims regarding domestic energy reserves, stating the U.S. controls "60 percent of the world's oil and gas, including Venezuela," before asserting that America possesses "a thousand years of gasoline." The inclusion of foreign reserves comes despite Venezuela remaining a sovereign nation following the early 2026 U.S. military intervention that ousted Nicolas Maduro.

The remarks come as AAA reports the national average for regular gasoline sitting at $4.06 per gallon, underscoring ongoing fuel price pressures as automakers adjust their production plans toward hybrid and internal combustion lineups.