Donald Trump is adding to the distractions plaguing his administration a fleet of security vehicles on the road.
Trump, 80, has been harping on extensive protective upgrades, and it seems he made good on at least one of his demands.
Now, Cabinet members can travel like the president in Cadillac’s stretch Escalade V Canella editions with layers of safeguards. The base model retails for $91,000 to $94,000, and the entire convoy costs taxpayers upwards of $75 million.
It is considered a “fortress on wheels” and features fold-out tables, leather reclining seats, hidden compartments, sirens, a two-way system, blue and red lights, and more.
The public knew the SUVs would eventually surface but had no idea what Trump’s enhancements would look like.
“We ordered 250 Escalades,” announced Trump during a July 27 speech at a General Motors facility in Detroit.
“That’s so we look sharp in those calvacades, you know? We look sharp in those Escalades. Our guys are very spoiled. They’re very spoiled. They like the Escalade, so do I. They were great to deal with, General Motors, they’re making literally 250 of them, and it was about time,” he continued.
Northern Virginia Police Cars captured the first viral sighting. The account posted a video of the high-power automobile.
Their video showed the blacked-out SUV en route to the Washington National Cathedral for the funeral of Sen. Lindsay Graham. Secret Service trailed closely behind.
NEW: President Trump reveals that the White House has ordered 250 new Cadillac Escalades for the presidential motorcade.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 27, 2026
"Our guys are very spoiled. They like the Escalade. So do I."
"We look sharp in those Escalades."
Trump praises General Motors for making the vehicles,… pic.twitter.com/4zlKQY62ma
The passenger is believed to have been U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.
“Overkill on full display! And Trump was just bragging about buying 250 Escalades, WTF? Good thing the country’s avaerage citizen isn’t drowning in debt!” cried one person.
Someone else expressed a frustration that read, “Why can nobodies in the government get their own batmobiles I thought this only happened in dictatorships or something.”
However, one feature stood out, which says a lot considering the security motorcade already turns heads.
A white box is fixed to the car where the windshield seam and the roof meet. A storage-like kit on the roof makes the object that much more noticeable.
Viewers immediately determined the device is the Elon Musk-developed Starlink satellite.
A reaction read, “That looks ridiculous. That could have been nicely integrated on the roof facing straight up for even better signal and would be way less obvious. Why have an armored vehicle and place Starlink as a bright white target.”
“They really need to make a black version!” commented a second onlooker.
Others were baffled by the Escalade’s extended size, resulting in an unusual number of windows — located on the driver/front passenger side, in the vehicle’s midsection, the back seat, and along the trunk area.
An X user wrote, “That’s a weird looking Escalade why does it look like 3 doors and 3 windows on the side.”
According to Grok, “Those side windows are multi-layered ballistic glass. In armored Escalades like this, the stock glass is swapped for thick transparent armor rated for high-caliber threats. The heavy tint adds privacy and security, so from outside they look solid black with strong reflections. Windows often only drop a few inches to keep the protection intact.”
Trump has avoided grave injuries during three separate attempts on his life; the most recent incident unfolded at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April.
Nowadays, his public appearances often look a little different. For instance, he was shielded from potential danger by bulletproof glass during his speech at the Great American State Fair.
Despite the threat of attacks, the president refuses to wear a bulletproof vest. Several staffers reportedly advised he reconsider body armor in the wake of the dinner fiasco.
Instead, the politician is moving forward with his $600 million White House ballroom that will house a secure military facility several feet below the surface.
