Ever since Donald Trump became the president, Elon Musk seemed to be basking in the glory of his position in the government. He is not an elected official, nor was he confirmed by the Senate. Yet, Trump gave Elon Musk a lot of power and authority over federal departments and employees.
Elon Musk fired thousands of people. He literally crippled departments like the FAA and SSA. His decisions did not sit well with many. There have been protests and rallies against him. There is a widespread boycott against his Tesla cards. People have stopped buying Teslas, and the stores are being vandalized and burned down.
A 12-foot statue of Elon Musk was recently vandalized. The bust was placed close to SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas.
This act of vandalism drew national attention to the relationship between politics, corporate power, and public discontent. This was in response to Musk’s policies and his interference with social security.
Thousands of people nationwide were participating in the synchronized Hands-Off! Demonstrations. During these demonstrations, the vandalization of the bust happened.
Statue of Elon Musk, towed by a Cybertruck in Brownsville, Texas. Posted without comment. pic.twitter.com/PMhEb0flHa
— Mark R. Yzaguirre (@markyzaguirre) August 18, 2024
It is a 12-foot-tall sculpture of the tech billionaire’s head and shoulders. It is located in South Texas, close to Brownsville. It is close to SpaceX’s Starbase site. A French artist who goes by the name “Louis” produced the piece. It has attracted a lot of media attention and generated viral curiosity.
The sculpture is mainly composed of foam. For durability, it has a hard plastic casing. This enormously scaled sculpture of Musk was discovered to be severely damaged. Big portions purportedly gouged from the back, jaw, and eye.
Eleazar Villafranca is the owner of the property where the monument was located. He was notified by passing trucks. He then promptly covered the artwork with a tarp to stop additional damage.
A 12-foot-tall bust of Elon Musk was vandalized in Texas, according to the owner of the land that the statue sits in. https://t.co/QIjAGrNgjf
— ABC News (@ABC) April 10, 2025
There are other instances of vandalism related to Elon Musk. Properties connected to Elon Musk and Tesla have come under increasing public anger both domestically and abroad. One possible trigger is Musk’s well-known position in the DOGE. Previously, Trump-branded properties were the target of protests and direct action. But recent developments indicate that Tesla and SpaceX are now taking the brunt of growing dissatisfaction.
People are taking out their anger at everything related to Tesla. Be it Tesla charging points or showrooms. There have been reports of damage and destruction of properties. Smashed windows, graffiti, and even Molotov cocktails have been reported. This level of anger and distrust among voters has not been seen since the height of anti-Trump demonstrations in the past.
Activists think that Tesla has become a target for criticism. This is due to its strong connection to current administration government policies. Public anger has been further stoked by the scrutiny of government efficiency initiatives. Many of these initiatives are fueled by the firing of several officials.
President Trump buys a Tesla: “Number one, it’s a great product — as good as it gets — and number two, because [@elonmusk] has devoted his energy and his life to doing this and I think he has been treated very unfairly.” pic.twitter.com/lypTYM1PXv
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 11, 2025
When Donald Trump bought Tesla and placed it in the white house, it didn’t have a positive effect on the people. It caused more anger and indignation among the public.
The Starbase incident is not only about vandalism. It is a clear message of discontent and public outrage.
