Boycotts against Elon Musk’s Tesla are rampant, and his best buddy, Donald Trump, has vowed to stand by him. Tesla showrooms and vehicles have been vandalized and/or set on fire in multiple instances across the world, and Tesla stocks have plummeted to an all-time low.
More than a dozen attacks have been carried out in cities like Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, and Charleston. About 80 vehicles were damaged at a car dealership in Canada. While Musk has condemned these attacks, Trump has sworn that justice is delivered.
The US president took to Truth Social and announced that people involved in attacks on Tesla could face up to 20 years of imprisonment. His post reads, “People that get caught sabotaging Teslas will stand a very good chance of going to jail for up to twenty years, and that includes the funders. WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!!!”
It’s important to note that this isn’t a random rant from the president. Instead, he is ensuring that the culprits face consequences for going after his billionaire friend. On March 18, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement to the press, “The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism. The Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind, including in cases that involve charges with five-year mandatory minimum sentences. We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes.”
Her statement came as she announced charges against three people accused of using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla vehicles and charging stations. She labelled attacks on Tesla as ‘domestic terrorism’ and issued a warning that reads, “The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended. Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”
She revealed that one of the defendants was “armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle” while another was found “in possession of materials used to produce additional incendiary weapons.”
The Department of Justice announced that all the three defendants are facing “serious charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison.”
Meanwhile, Musk is still trying to process the chaos. Using a bit of humor, he said, “If you read the news, it feels like, you know, Armageddon. I can’t walk past the TV without seeing a Tesla on fire.”
🚨ELON: IT FEELS LIKE ARMAGEDDON WATCHING THE NEWS
“If you read the news, it feels like, you know, Armageddon. I can’t walk past the TV without seeing a Tesla on fire.
They’re like, what’s going on?
You know, some people — listen, I understand if you don’t want to buy our… https://t.co/dkDAsDYYMS pic.twitter.com/nqcr7wZtze
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 21, 2025
In a video reposted by him, Elon Musk can be seen saying on stage, “You know, some people — listen, I understand if you don’t want to buy our product, but you don’t have to burn it down. That’s a bit unreasonable.”
Earlier this month, Trump came forward in Musk’s support by buying a brand new Tesla and posing with it in front of the White House. Trump had hoped that people would take inspiration from him and the boycott against Tesla would stop. On the contrary, attacks on dealerships and vehicles by Tesla continue to rise owing to Musk’s questionable position and influence in the Trump administration.
