Across social media platforms and news stations, thousands of videos featuring the vandalization of Tesla vehicles have made waves.

The phenomenon became so widespread that Tesla owners started putting notes on their cars in attempts to dissuade attacks.

But it is not just the vehicles in neighborhoods and parking lots that are under attack. Tesla, the company itself, is not at its prime.

But, why is this happening? Why has the general public turned so vehemently against Tesla?

A report by The Independent detailed,

"A group of Tesla owners in France is suing Elon Musk's car company, alleging its vehicles have become "far-right totems" that are harming their reputation...citing the "direct and concrete" harm caused by Musk's public behavior after he rallied in support of Donald Trump's presidential bid and Germany's far-right AfD party."

Elon Musk and DOGE

On Nov. 12th, 2024, mere days after winning the presidency, Donald Trump announced the creation of the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The agency was founded to, in his words, "dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies."

Elon Musk was appointed to lead the department.

Originally, DOGE was supposed to be led by both Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, but after the former presidential candidate got caught in a controversy, Ramaswamy announced his exit from the agency on the day of Trump's inauguration.

Elon Musk, a man without any political experience, was now in charge one of the government's core agencies, an agency that has received lots of push back.

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Widespread Protests

Across America, millions of protesters have taken to the streets to make their opposition to DOGE heard. The organization 'Hands Off!' for instance hosted over 1,200 protests in every state across the country back in April.

PBS News, which had boots on the ground reported,

"Protesters assailed the Trump administration’s moves to fire thousands of federal workers, close Social Security Administration field offices, effectively shutter entire agencies, deport immigrants, scale back protections for transgender people and cut federal funding for health programs."

The White House responded to these events by claiming Trump has made clear his stance to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for eligible citizens.

Seemingly unbothered, Musk shared his belief regarding the protesters that "the problem is the puppet masters, not the puppets, as the latter have no idea why they are even there."

These protests are spreading to Britain, Germany and Italy among other countries.

But the outrage towards Musk has not only been expressed through protests.

Plummeting Profits

Tesla's profits are going downhill significantly.

According to the Associated Press, from January to March, Tesla's revenue went down 9% and Tesla's 2025 January registrations fell 11% in America.

In April, a 70% decrease in Tesla's quarterly profits was reported. Tesla sales are decreasing globally.

In Germany, February sales (year over year) went down by 76%, despite the country's sales of general electric vehicles growing by 31%.

In Norway and Denmark, February sales saw a sharp decline by 48%. Sales of China manufactured Tesla cars equaled 30,688 in February 2025, its lowest month since August 2022. Year over year sales in Sweden decreased by 42% among others.

A Departure from DOGE

Not even six months after beginning his work, Musk announced his departure from DOGE in late May.

Days after his resignation, Musk posted the following on X in reference to the president's controversial "big, beautiful bill":

"This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it."

In a (now resolved?) feud between the two men, fiery insults and accusations were hurled publicly on X and Truth Social.

Musk claimed that Trump is on the Epstein files and Trump threatened Musk by saying he would cut off his government contracts.