India, March 12 -- US President Donald Trump on Tuesday shopped for a new Tesla at a White House lawn, picking a gleaming red sedan. The purchase comes in a bid to demonstrate his support for Tesla CEO Elon Musk's electric vehicle company, which is facing stock declines and criticism due to his efforts to reduce the federal government.

After sliding into the driver's seat of a Model S, Trump said, "Wow. That's beautiful."

Musk boarded the passenger side and quipped about "giving the Secret Service a heart attack" while they discussed how to start a car that can accelerate to 60 miles per hour (95 kilometers per hour) in a matter of seconds.

Speaking at a news appearance on Tuesday, Trump acknowledged that he cannot operate the Tesla ve...