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By Shane Croucher
Senior Editor
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President Donald Trump has suggested sending people who are attacking Tesla to prisons in El Salvador if they are convicted of crimes, as a number of the automaker's vehicles and showrooms have been targeted by reported arson and other violence.
Trump's comments appear to be referencing a deal his administration made with El Salvador to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members from the U.S. to serve out their jail time. Rights groups have criticized the deal, citing harsh conditions in Salvadoran prisons.
"I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20 year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla," Trump wrote Friday morning on his Truth Social platform.
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"Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!"
Why It Matters
Musk, the world's richest person and a close political ally and funder of Trump's presidential campaign, is the CEO of Tesla.
The billionaire's relationship with Trump and his activity spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is slashing federal spending, has led to Tesla being targeted with backlash. Some Tesla shareholders have expressed worry about the situation.
The Trump administration has said it views the violence against Tesla as domestic terrorism.
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What To Know
On Tuesday, police in Las Vegas said they were investigating a suspected arson attack on multiple vehicles at a Tesla service center.
Police found several vehicles on fire and the word "Resist" was spray painted on the front doors of the business. The suspect is believed to have used Molotov cocktails and a firearm to conduct the attack.
While some of Musk's opponents are lashing out violently, others are calling for a boycott of Tesla and holding protests outside its dealerships.
Trump has also taken aim at those people, saying they are "illegal and collusively" boycotting the automaker.
The president defended Musk earlier in March, saying in a Truth Social post that he is "putting it on the line" to help the U.S. and doing "a FANTASTIC JOB".
"But the Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World's great automakers, and Elon's 'baby,' in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for," Trump wrote.
He pledged to buy a Tesla himself "as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American."
The next day, Trump and Musk appeared together at the White House along with a range of Tesla vehicles.
What People Are Saying
"The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism," U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind, including in cases that involve charges with five-year mandatory minimum sentences.
"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."
What Happens Next
The attacks on Tesla are unlikely to slow in the short-term as Musk remains at the center of American politics. But it's clear the Trump administration will seek to crack down hard on perpetrators, so more arrests and charges could follow soon.
Update 03.21.2025 11:03 a/m. ET: This article was updated with more information.
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