Tesla Vehicles And Properties Targeted In Ongoing Attacks

Attacks on places with Tesla's logo are happening in the U.S. and other countries. No one has been hurt, but Tesla stores, parking lots, charging stations, and personal cars have been targeted.

There have been more attacks since President Donald Trump took office and put Elon Musk in charge of a new government department that is cutting spending. Experts on extremism say it's too soon to know if these attacks will keep growing.

During Trump's first term, his buildings in New York, Washington, and other places became common protest sites. Now, in his second term, Tesla is becoming a target.

"Tesla is an easy target," said Randy Blazak, a sociologist who studies political violence. "They're rolling down our streets. They have dealerships in our neighborhoods."

People who don't support Musk have protested peacefully at Tesla stores and factories in North America and Europe. Some Tesla owners, including a U.S. senator who argued with Musk, say they will sell their cars.

But the attacks are giving police a lot of work.

Last month, prosecutors in Colorado charged a woman for attacking Tesla stores. She threw firebombs at cars and sprayed the words "Nazi cars" on a building.

Last week, federal agents in South Carolina arrested a man for setting fire to Tesla charging stations near Charleston. A government agent said they found notes in his room and wallet criticizing the government and DOGE.

"The statement made mention of sending a message based on these beliefs," the agent wrote.

Some of the biggest attacks have happened in liberal cities in the Pacific Northwest, like Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, where many people dislike Trump and Musk.

A man in Oregon is facing charges for throwing firebombs at a Tesla store in Salem. He later came back and shot out the windows. In Tigard, a suburb of Portland, someone fired over a dozen bullets at a Tesla store last week, breaking windows and damaging cars. It was the second attack on that store in a week.

Earlier this month, four Cybertrucks were set on fire in a Tesla parking lot in Seattle. On Friday, witnesses saw a man pour gasoline on an empty Tesla Model S and start a fire on a Seattle street.

In Las Vegas, several Tesla cars were burned early Tuesday outside a Tesla service center. The word "resist" was painted in red on the front doors. Authorities said at least one person threw firebombs and shot at the cars.

"Was this terrorism? Was it something else? It certainly has some of the hallmarks that we might think — the writing on the wall, potential political agenda, an act of violence," Spencer Evans, the special agent in charge of the Las Vegas FBI office, said at a news conference. "None of those factors are lost on us."

Tesla Becomes A Target For The Left

Tesla used to be popular with left-leaning people. The company got a $465 million government loan during the Obama administration, which helped it succeed. Tesla made electric cars popular and showed they could be stylish, powerful, and have a long driving range.

Recently, Musk has sided with the right. He bought Twitter, renamed it X, and removed rules that had upset conservatives. He also spent about $250 million to support Trump's 2024 campaign, making him Trump's biggest donor.

Musk still runs Tesla, along with X and the rocket company SpaceX, while also advising Trump.

Tesla's stock doubled in value after Trump was elected but has now lost all those gains.

Trump helped Tesla by showing off its cars at the White House. He promoted them and said he would buy an $80,000 Model S, even though he used to strongly criticize electric vehicles.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Musk spoke briefly about the vandalism on Monday while appearing on Sen. Ted Cruz's podcast. He said, "at least some of it is organized and paid for" by "left-wing organizations in America, funded by left-wing billionaires, essentially."

"This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong," Musk wrote Tuesday on X, sharing a video of burning Teslas in Las Vegas. "Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks."

The progressive group Indivisible, which shared a guide to help supporters plan "Musk Or Us" protests across the country, said in a statement that all of its guidance is public and "it explicitly encourages peaceful protest and condemns any acts of violence or vandalism."

Some Tesla owners are using funny bumper stickers to show they don't support Musk and to possibly stop vandals from targeting their cars. The stickers say things like "I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy" or "I just wanted an electric car. Sorry guys."

Used Cybertruck prices, Tesla's most unique vehicle, have fallen nearly 8% since Trump took office, according to CarGurus, a website that tracks used-car prices. Meanwhile, the overall car market has stayed the same.

The White House Promises To Take Action

The White House is standing with Musk, who is the most well-known member of Trump's team and a major donor to groups supporting Trump's politics. Trump has called the attacks on Tesla "domestic terror" and has warned that those responsible are "going to go through hell."

Attorney General Pam Bondi said she started an investigation "to see how is this being funded, who is behind this."

"If you're going to touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, do anything, you better watch out because we're coming after you," Bondi said Friday on Fox Business Network. In a statement Tuesday, she vowed to "continue investigations that impose severe consequences," including for "those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes."

Colin Clarke, a senior researcher at the Soufan Center, said left-wing violence usually targets property instead of people. He believes neo-Nazi groups are a bigger security threat right now.

"It's not the type of act that I would prioritize," Clarke said. "Not right now compared to all the other threats that are out there."

Theresa Ramsdell is the president of the Tesla Owners of Washington State, a club for Tesla fans. She and her husband own three Teslas.

"Hate on Elon and Trump all you want — that's fine and dandy, it's your choice," she said. "It doesn't justify ruining somebody's property, vandalizing it, destroying it, setting it on fire. There's other ways to get your voice heard that's more effective."

Recently, someone put a "no Elon" sticker on the back of her Cybertruck, but she said she will keep driving her Teslas. She also said other club members feel the same way.

"I love my car. It's the safest car," Ramsdell said. "I'm not going to let somebody else judge me for the car I drive."