why donald trump just ordered 250 cadillac escalades, U S Secret ServiceU.S Secret ServicePresident Donald Trump announced that the White House has ordered 250 heavy-duty Cadillac Escalades to overhaul the government's security motorcades.The announcement came directly from the President during an official visit to GM's Milford Proving Ground in Michigan. Addressing an audience of General Motors autoworkers, engineers, and executive staff, he praised the domestic workforce and credited his administration's tariff policies with revitalizing American industrial operations.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe new fleet will replace the aging Chevrolet Suburbans currently used by the U.S. Secret Service. While a consumer-grade Cadillac Escalade carries a retail starting price of $91,100, the specialized government specification will be vastly more complex and costly to build.The U.S Secret Service debuted a version of the armoured Cadillac SUV earlier this year when Trump rolled up to the World Economic Forum in Davos riding in the back of one. The current Cadillac Escalades used by the Secret Service are just reskinned Suburbans, and actually use an older Escalade fascia. The newly ordered trucks should be consistent with the current-generation Escalade.why donald trump just ordered 250 cadillac escaladesMuch like the Suburbans they will replace, the motorcade Escalades will ditch consumer-spec running gear in favor of heavy-duty commercial truck architectures. To handle the extreme weight of full-body ballistic armor plating and bullet-resistant glass layers, the SUVs will utilize specialized high-load components, including heavy-duty eight-lug axles and reinforced braking systems. The result is effectively a military-grade tactical vehicle masked behind modern Cadillac styling.Since the early 2000s, the Secret Service has used Suburbans alongside the purpose-built presidential limousine affectionately known as "The Beast." The limo outwardly looks like a Cadillac sedan but actually rides on a truck-based platform.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe government's massive order is part of an overarching procurement contract first initiated by the Department of Homeland Security. General Motors was originally tapped to engineer the next-generation presidential limousine, alongside the tactical support vehicles.why donald trump just ordered 250 cadillac escaladesThe event was the first time a sitting U.S. president has formally toured GM's 4,000-acre Milford facility since its opening in 1924. Trump was hosted directly by GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra alongside GM President Mark Reuss. The timing is fitting as General Motors is in the running for the contract to build a new tactical truck for the U.S Army.Trump's time in Milford also featured head-to-head performance demonstrations, where the President watched high-speed acceleration runs involving the Corvette ZR1X and the GMC Hummer EV.President Trump also conducted physical inspections of specialized defense hardware developed by the automaker's GM Defense military supplier division, getting a close-up look at both the Heavy-Duty Tactical Truck Hybrid platform and the open-air Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV).
+57 others
