Elon Musk faces a stark dilemma: helm Tesla as its visionary CEO or embrace his newfound role as President Donald Trump’s close confidant. “He can’t do both,” warns Matthew Lynn in The Daily Telegraph. Musk’s polarizing stint as the so-called “slasher-in-chief” at the Department of Government Efficiency (nicknamed “Doge”) is taking a toll on Tesla, with the electric car giant suffering steep sales drops—down over 70% in Australia and Germany, and 45% across Europe compared to last year. Tesla’s stock has plunged by half, showrooms face picket lines, and disillusioned liberals are slapping stickers on their cars proclaiming, “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy.”
The electric vehicle market was already heating up with competition, notes Jim Norton in the same publication. Chinese manufacturers have stormed in with budget-friendly alternatives, crowding Tesla’s once-dominant position. Yet Musk’s political escapades—slashing U.S. federal jobs, clashing with European leaders, and backing far-right factions—have turned Tesla’s coveted brand into a lightning rod for controversy.
This isn’t how the billionaire playbook is supposed to unfold, observes Gaby Hinsliff in The Guardian. Both Musk and Trump appear unsettled by the fallout. A recent fiasco on the White House lawn underscored the tension: Trump awkwardly pitched Tesla vehicles to his gas-loving, pickup-truck MAGA base—a sales pitch doomed to flop. Trump thrives on victory, and the stench of failure tied to Musk’s orbit is an unwelcome stain on his winning streak.
Musk himself seems shaken, writes Charlie Warzel in The Atlantic. The world’s richest man, once a swaggering “Tony Stark” figure, now looks weary and diminished. Beyond Tesla, his empire is wobbling: European nations are eyeing alternatives to his Starlink satellites as his personal brand frays under relentless political scrutiny. Musk’s mystique—built on the perception of a genius who reshapes reality through sheer will—has long propped up his companies, even during risky ventures. But his current gamble, gutting government services that millions rely on as part of his Doge role, dwarfs any prior audacity.
“Musk is playing a dangerous game,” Warzel warns, “and he’s losing his grip on the story.” As Tesla stumbles and his influence wanes, the tech titan’s image as an invincible innovator hangs in the balance—threatening both his fortune and his legacy.
This is how it’s done!🔥🔥🔥
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) March 23, 2025
Veteran, along with a group of patriots, organized a counter-protest against Elon Musk and Tesla haters in front of a Tesla dealership. pic.twitter.com/TWcRjpu7fb
Liberal man wearing pajamas caught keying a Tesla car to protest against Elon Musk in Wichita, Kentucky.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) March 22, 2025
pic.twitter.com/BJ3pAgEVqE