President Donald Trump has announced that acts of violence targeting Tesla dealerships will be classified as domestic terrorism. This statement, shared via a White House pool report, highlights the growing alliance between Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Recently, Tesla dealerships worldwide have been targeted by protesters who accuse Musk of taking over the federal government through his newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). These “Tesla Takeovers” demonstrations have resulted in vandalism, including graffiti on Tesla signage, arson at charging stations, and even Molotov cocktails being thrown at dealership lots.
The protests have coincided with a sharp decline in Teslaโs stock price. After initially soaring following Trumpโs election victory in November 2024, the stock has fallen significantly, underperforming compared to the broader market. Tesla has also experienced a drop in global sales, with many consumers linking the decline to Muskโs increasing political involvement.
Trump warns against attacks on Tesla
During a Tuesday meeting with Musk at the White House, Trump clarified that those responsible for attacks on Tesla will face severe consequences.
โIโm going to stop them,โ Trump said, referring to the protesters targeting Tesla properties. โWe catch anybody doing this because theyโre harming a great American company.โ
He further warned, โIf you do it to Tesla or any company, weโre going to catch you, and youโre going to go through hell.โ
Under federal law, acts of destruction or intimidation aimed at coercing a civilian population, influencing government policy, or disrupting government operations can be classified as domestic terrorism. Trumpโs remarks suggest that his administration could use this classification to take a strong stance against the growing movement. The protests have evolved into a decentralised movement known as “#TeslaTakedown.”
โThe right to peaceful protest is a fundamental part of American democracy,โ the statement read. โBy singling out his biggest donorโs business as somehow outside of that democracy, Trump is yet again showing us who he is: a corrupt would-be king. Americans wonโt stand for that.โ
The organisers stressed that they oppose violence and the destruction of property. โPeaceful protest on public property is not domestic terrorism. They are trying to intimidate us. We will not let them succeed.โ
Concerns over future restrictions
A key issue moving forward is how Trump and Musk will define “violence” and whether peaceful protesters could be classified as criminals. Trump has already vowed to deport international students who participate in protests against Israelโs war in Gaza. This raises concerns that non-citizens in the U.S. could also face consequences for protesting Tesla.
Since signing an executive order in January to establish DOGE, Muskโwho donated US$260 million to a Trump-aligned super PACโhas led extensive government cutbacks. Entire agencies like USAID have been eliminated, causing widespread job losses and uncertainty. Musk has also suggested that other agencies could face similar “deletions.” Critics argue that Muskโs own businesses, including SpaceX, have greatly benefited from government funding. Data from USASpending.gov shows that SpaceX has secured over $20 billion in contracts from NASA, the Department of Defense, and other agencies.
Despite the ongoing controversy, Trump expressed his support for Musk, stating that he plans to purchase a Tesla, even if he personally wonโt drive it.
โI think heโs been treated very unfairly by a very small group of people,โ Trump said, according to the pool report. โAnd I just want people to know he canโt be penalised for being a patriot.โ
