President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will classify violence targeting Tesla dealerships as domestic terrorism, vowing to protect the electric vehicle maker amid widespread protests against the company and CEO Elon Musk.
Standing beside Musk and a red Tesla car outside the White House, Trump showed his support for the divisive billionaire. Trump responded to a question from a reporter about whether people committing vandalism should be labeled domestic terrorists by calling them “bad guys.”
“I’m going to stop them. We catch anybody doing it because they’re harming a great American company,” Trump said.
“They’re the same guys that screw around with our schools and universities,” he later added.
Trump also promised that those caught would “go through hell.” And on Truth Social, the president called the protesters “radical left lunatics” and vowed to support Musk and Tesla by announcing that he planned to personally purchase one of the company’s electric vehicles.
“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,” he wrote.
The protests Trump referenced have hit dealerships in cities all over the nation, including in San Francisco, where organizers have vowed gatherings at the Van Ness Avenue Tesla dealership every Saturday through early April. Other demonstrations worldwide have escalated into vandalism, with reports of defaced signs, arson at charging stations, and Molotov cocktails thrown at a dealership in Colorado.
.@POTUS checks out the Tesla Model S: "You think Biden could get into that car? I don't think so." 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/UUkL54T6Ey
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 11, 2025
In San Francisco, anti-Tesla posters urging residents to sell their cars have also appeared. The small white posters — plastered on Tesla vehicles, traffic poles, and street signs — feature pointed messages such as “Sell your Swasticar. Don’t be Carplicit,” along with an illustration of Musk giving a Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration. In response, some Tesla owners have begun distancing themselves from Musk by adding bumper stickers reading, “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy” and “Anti-Elon Tesla Club.”
The backlash stems from Musk’s expanding role in the federal government, where he leads the Department of Government Efficiency. His push to slash federal jobs, cut funding, and downsize agencies has fueled accusations of a corporate takeover.
Meanwhile, Tesla’s stock price has plunged 45% in 2025, erasing post-election gains. Analysts point to growing reputational damage as a factor in the company’s struggles, with Tesla sales falling globally.
Despite the turmoil, Musk said Tesla plans to double U.S. vehicle production over the next two years. Trump did not provide details on how his administration would enforce the domestic terrorism designation.