Tech billionaire and White House adviser Elon Musk on Sunday said the wave of anti-Tesla vandalism launched in response to his role in President Trump’s administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is “insane.”
“They’re burning Teslas and shooting up dealerships and calling for the death of the president and me. I’m like, guys, you know this is insane,” Musk, who owns automaker Tesla, said during a town hall event in Green Bay, Wisc. “That’s somebody else’s car. Leave it alone.”
Musk was in Wisconsin over the weekend to rally voters in a closely watched judicial election that will decide whether the battleground state’s Supreme Court has a liberal or conservative tilt.
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The SpaceX CEO has poured millions into the race to support Republican Brad Schimel over Democratic opponent Susan Crawford in a race that Musk said will impact “the future of America and Western Civilization.”
Thousands of his critics protested outside Tesla dealerships on Saturday, but reports of vandalism have spiked more broadly since DOGE began its purge of federal workers and funding for foreign aid programs.
Attorney General Pam Bondi deemed attacks on Tesla property as acts of “domestic terrorism,” and the FBI launched a special task force in response.
Those who support the anti-Tesla movement with physical attacks have “totally gone psycho,” Musk said during his Wisconsin town hall Sunday.
“I mean, it’s really like, I totally understand if somebody doesn’t want to buy a product,” Musk said. “It’s a free country, you know, but you don’t have to burn it down, OK? It’s a bit much.”
While in Wisconsin, Musk handed out two $1 million checks to supporters who signed an online petition related to the state Supreme Court race — a stunt he was “really just to get attention.” Just before the rally, the Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously rejected state Attorney General Josh Kaul’s (D) last-ditch attempt to stop the giveaway.
