President Donald Trump has come out in full support of electric vehicle (EV) company Tesla, owned by close ally Elon Musk. Trump condemned any attempts of violence and vandalism against the vehicle manufacturing company as an act of “domestic terrorism.”
Activists have lately staged so-called “Tesla Takedown” protests to voice displeasure over CEO Musk’s growing role in the government, sweeping cuts to the federal workforce at the behest of Trump and cancellation of contracts that fund humanitarian programs around the world.
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According to Reuters, a group that dubbed itself as an organizer of the Tesla Takedown protests responded in a statement on social media platform Bluesky that it was peaceful and opposed violence. “Peaceful protest on public property is not domestic terrorism. They are trying to intimidate us. We will not let them succeed,” the group said, calling for people to join the protests.
However, Trump said that the demonstrators were “harming a great American company,” at the White House recently alongside Musk.
Trump went one step further by sharing his interest in purchasing a Tesla for himself on Tuesday. “I’m going to buy a brand new Tesla tomorrow morning as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American,” Trump wrote in a post published early Tuesday morning on Truth Social.
By Wednesday, Trump posted on X a video of his newly purchased Tesla Model S, saying that it’s a “great product.”
Some lawmakers have called out Trump’s endorsement of Tesla — Democrat Strategist Julie Roginsky said “The President is basically a car salesman now,” in an interview with MSNBC.
An overview of Tesla
Tesla, Inc., founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, became a global leader in electric vehicles under Elon Musk, who joined as chairman in 2004 and CEO in 2008. Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy through electric vehicles, solar products, and energy storage solutions.
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Key Tesla models include the Roadster, Model S, Model X, Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, and Semi. The company is known for its innovations, such as the Autopilot driver-assistance system, Supercharger network, and advanced battery technology.
Tesla has disrupted the automotive industry, inspiring traditional automakers to invest in EVs. Despite facing challenges like production delays, regulatory scrutiny, and increasing competition, Tesla has achieved profitability and continues to push boundaries with global expansion and future plans for autonomous driving and affordable EVs.