US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that people who get caught damaging Tesla cars may end up going to prison for up to 20 years, warning that the government is ‘looking’ for them.
“People that get caught sabotaging Teslas will stand a very good chance of going to jail for up to twenty years, and that includes the funders. WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU,” he said in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
Donald Trump’s warnings come amid an ongoing movement where people are protesting against Elon Musk and his DOGE actions by damaging Tesla and its showrooms.
Tesla ‘violence’ deeply wrong, says Elon Musk
As critics continue to attack Tesla and its showrooms, Elon Musk on Monday addressed the vandalism during an appearance on Sen. Ted Cruz’s podcast, saying that “at least some of it is organised and paid for” by “left-wing organisations in America, funded by left-wing billionaires, essentially.”
“This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong,” Musk wrote on Tuesday on X, sharing a video of burning Teslas in Las Vegas. “Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks,” he said.
Why is Tesla being attacked?
The attacks on Tesla cars, showrooms and charging stations have cropped up since President Donald Trump took office and empowered Musk to oversee a new Department of Government Efficiency that’s slashing government spending.
Cybertrucks have been set ablaze, showrooms have been vandalised, and charging stations have been attacked, too. While no injuries have been reported yet, the attacks are keeping law enforcement agencies on their toes.
Some of the most prominent incidents have been reported in left-leaning cities in the Pacific Northwest, like Portland, Oregon, and Seattle.
Musk critics have organised dozens of peaceful demonstrations at Tesla dealerships and factories across North America and Europe.
Some Tesla owners have also vowed to sell their cars.
(With inputs from the Associated Press)