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By Jasmine Laws
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Cybertrucks set ablaze, showrooms defaced, and charging stations shot at—a wave in attacks on Tesla properties and products has been reported across the U.S.
Newsweek has mapped out the attacks based on various news reports, police reports and a letter to the Department of Justice and FBI.
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Why It Matters
Tesla CEO Elon Musk's increasing influence in the White House under President Donald Trump appears to have made his electric vehicle company a target for political backlash.
After he was appointed to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative tasked with cutting government spending and not an actual government department, Musk has faced criticism for DOGE's efforts, which include laying off federal workers and freezing foreign aid.
Tesla's favorability among Democrats has been dropping over the last year, despite once being more popular among members of the party than among Republicans.
Data from the analytics firm CivicScience, shows that Tesla's favorability dropped by 23 percent in 6 months from 39 percent in January to 16 percent in July.
What To Know
No serious injuries have been reported so far, and the most recent attacks occurred at a Tesla collision center in Las Vegas on March 18.
Several vehicles were set on fire, and the word "resist" was spray-painted in red on the building's front doors, according to authorities.
On the same day, a couple of Cybertrucks caught fire at a dealership in Kansas City, Missouri. Police are investigating a potential arson attack.
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In Tigard, Oregon, a Portland suburb, gunshots were fired at a Tesla dealership on March 6, damaging vehicles and the building. A second shooting incident occurred at the same location on March 13.
In Lynnwood, Washington, six Tesla vehicles were vandalized on March 11, including one that was defaced with swastikas.
In Dedham, Massachusetts, three Tesla vehicles were vandalized on March 11, with spray-painted graffiti and tire damage, according to police.
In Seattle, Washington, four Tesla Cybertrucks were destroyed at a dealership on March 9.
In Littleton, Massachusetts, multiple Tesla vehicles were vandalized at a Tesla dealership on March 3, according to police.
On March 2, "NO MUSK" was written in red spray paint on the windows of a Tesla dealership in Owings Mills, Maryland, according to ABC News.
In North Charleston, South Carolina, Daniel Clarke-Pounder, 24, of James Island, was arrested on March 14 on criminal charges related to an arson attack at a Tesla charging station on March 7.
Witnesses said that a man spray-painted in red paint, "F*** Trump" and "Long Live Ukraine," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In Loveland, Colorado, an individual was arrested on February 24 for attempting to plant explosive devices and vandalizing a Tesla dealership.
Tesla has also been targeted outside of the U.S. In London, climate activists from Just Stop Oil poured orange liquid over a humanoid robot at a Tesla store on March 12.
On Sunday, 20 cars were also reportedly damaged at a Tesla dealership in Belfast, Northern Ireland, according to the Daily Mail.
Tesla was recently removed from the Vancouver International Auto Show, with organizers citing safety concerns.
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Musk said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity on Tuesday: "It comes as quite a shock to me, that there's this level of hatred and violence from the left. I thought the left, the Democrats, were supposed to be the party of empathy and the party of caring and yet they're burning down cars, they're fire bombing dealerships, firing bullets into dealerships, they're smashing up Teslas."
Newsweek has emailed the Democratic National Committee outside of normal working hours for a response.
"Tesla is a peaceful company, we've never done anything harmful. I've never done anything harmful, only done productive things," Musk added in the interview. "There's some kind of mental illness thing going on here, because this doesn't make any sense."
Newsweek has contacted the Tesla press office outside of normal working hours via email for comment.
Previously, Trump deemed the Tesla attacks "domestic terrorism," and said: "Let me tell you, you do it to Tesla, and you do it to any company, we're going to catch you, and ... you're going to go through hell."
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields also said, according to Reuters, "Ongoing and heinous acts of violence against Tesla by radical Leftist activists are nothing short of domestic terror."
What People Are Saying
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday: "This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong. Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks."
Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement to The New York Times: "The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism. We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes."
Theresa Ramsdell, president of the Tesla Owners of Washington State, said: "Hate on Elon and Trump all you want—that's fine and dandy, it's your choice...It doesn't justify ruining somebody's property, vandalizing it, destroying it, setting it on fire."
What Happens Next
While Bondi did not specify what charges could be brought, she said those convicted of participating in the attacks could face sentences of at least five years in prison.
This article contains reporting from The Associated Press
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