From vandalized Teslas to gunshots at dealerships, protests have popped up across the nation amid anger and frustration over Musk’s efforts to slash the federal bureaucracy.
Musk is facing mounting backlash over his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is driving mass layoffs at federal agencies, slashing government programs and obtaining access to sensitive personal information.
Tesla — Musk’s electric vehicle manufacturer — has turned into a political lightning rod amid the criticism.
“The role of wealthy industry leaders in government is sort of making the industry or the company’s product a potential target because there’s this sort of entwining of business leadership and political leadership in ways that people are concerned about that they don’t think are healthy for democracy,” said Adria Lawrence, a political science professor at John Hopkins University who studies conflict and collective action.
Many of the demonstrations have been peaceful. But in a few instances, protestors are setting Cybertrucks on fire, spray-painting Tesla showrooms or vehicles with profanity including swastikas, throwing Molotov cocktails or in some places, firing gunshots at dealerships.
No injuries have been reported so far.
It is not clear who is organizing the violent protests, though experts agree they are largely a response to DOGE from a small fringe of the electorate.
“There’s an incredible amount of anger that the richest man in the world has seen fit to not only meddle in the affairs of the federal government but also push people into poverty or at best living check to check because of the abrupt firings,” political strategist Basil Smikle said.
The attacks against Musk’s Tesla vehicles have come against the backdrop of an already agitated electorate, who in recent weeks have heckled lawmakers at town halls across the country about the tech billionaire and DOGE.
Lawmakers — both Republican and Democratic — have been confronted by angry attendees over the Trump advisor and his efforts to cut various sectors of the government.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com
