President Donald Trump confirmed that the White House is replacing the Secret Service fleet with 250 Cadillac Escalades.
President Donald Trump confirmed that the White House is replacing the Secret Service fleet with 250 Cadillac Escalades. It is one of the largest government orders for luxury SUVs in history, and the announcement came during the first visit by a sitting president to GM's legendary Milford Proving Ground in Milford, Michigan.
A standard Escalade starts at $91,000, but that price gets you only the regular consumer version. The Secret Service vehicles are an entirely different story. Replacing the aging Chevrolet Suburbans that have long served the protective detail will be Escalades built on a reinforced body-on-frame chassis with full armor, bullet-resistant glass, and eight-lug wheel hubs instead of the standard six. In simple terms, it's essentially a Suburban with Cadillac styling and a price tag that climbs dramatically.
Speaking to GM employees, Trump did not hide his enthusiasm. "The one and only Escalade. We ordered, I think, 250 of them? You know, we look great in those vehicles. Our people are really lucky—they'll be driving them. They like the Escalade. I do too." The president also recalled that his father, Fred Trump, liked to buy a new Cadillac every two years.
The order is tied to an earlier Department of Homeland Security contract for the development of the next presidential limousine, known as The Beast. In March 2025, GM received a $14.8 million contract from the department, with the potential value increasing to $40.8 million by 2029. The visit to Milford was more than a public relations event—it also served as a demonstration of the partnership between the federal government and the automaker.
The event, hosted by GM CEO Mary Barra, turned into a full-scale showcase. Trump watched a drag race featuring the Corvette ZR1X and the GMC Hummer EV, inspected military hybrid trucks from GM Defense, and even sat inside the luxury Cadillac Celestiq. Before leaving, the president signed the hood of a special anniversary edition Corvette Stingray created to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States.
While the president was celebrating the strength of the American auto industry, Fox News viewers criticized him as a narcissist for spending taxpayer money on expensive vehicles instead of social programs. Even so, for a presidential motorcade expected to project security and professionalism, armored Escalades are presented as a matter of prestige and protection rather than luxury.