Tesla stores and facilities have become the target of violent attacks as public resentment towards CEO Elon Musk’s close ties to President Donald Trump continues to grow.
According to a Washington Post report on Saturday, at least 12 violent incidents have occurred at Tesla-related locations since Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
The attacks have targeted Tesla’s electric vehicles, stores, and charging stations. In one incident, Lucy Grace Nelson repeatedly vandalized a Tesla store in Loveland, Colorado, over 13 days starting January 29. She spray-painted “Nazi” on the store’s entrance sign and “F*** you, Musk” on the door. She also threw four Molotov cocktails at parked Tesla vehicles and watched as they caught fire.
In February, Adam Matthew Lanski opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle at a Tesla store in Salem, Oregon. Reports indicate that Lanski had previously thrown Molotov cocktails at the same location weeks earlier.
More recently, seven Tesla charging stations at a shopping center in Littleton, Massachusetts, were destroyed in a suspected arson attack. In Maryland, anti-Musk graffiti was found on a Tesla building. Law enforcement officials are increasingly concerned that these escalating attacks could soon lead to serious injuries.
These incidents have coincided with Musk’s appointment as head of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk has drawn criticism for his reported $288 million contribution to Trump’s campaign and his growing influence in the administration.
Musk has further fueled controversy by advocating for mass federal employee layoffs to cut government spending. His actions, including gestures reminiscent of Nazi salutes and support for far-right European political parties, have intensified public backlash. This has led to an online boycott campaign against Tesla, with hashtags like “#teslatakedown” gaining traction.
Despite the backlash, some analysts believe Musk’s relationship with the Trump administration could benefit Tesla. Daniel Ives, a technology analyst at Wedbush Securities, stated that if Tesla can leverage its government connections to secure relaxed federal regulations for autonomous driving, it could provide a significant advantage for the company.
