From Left's darling to hated MAGA symbol: Tracing the wild American arc of Elon Musk's Tesla

Vandalism attacks on Elon Musk Tesla

Once the apple of the Left’s eye, Elon Musk's Tesla is now facing attacks, including Molotov cocktails thrown at vehicles and the phrase "Nazi cars" spray-painted on their dealership buildings.

“Tesla wouldn’t be Tesla” if not for the boost it received from the 2010 economic stimulus in the United States, according to Bloomberg. Let’s dive deeper into how Elon Musk's Tesla, once favored by the Left, became a symbol of boycott for it.

Tesla was hailed as an eco-hero during the Obama administration, gaining massive popularity for its electric vehicles. Under Obama’s recovery package of $800 billion for the green industries, Tesla received $465 million in government support, as reported by Bloomberg.

The company then built its Fremont, California manufacturing plant. Despite its early reputation, Tesla's electric vehicles gained popularity. It repaid its federal loans ahead of schedule and developed a company with limited range.

While being a favorite among the left, Tesla became the antithesis to traditional car companies like Ford. Then came a strange twist for Tesla: Musk took a right turn and took on a central role in U.S. President Donald Trump’s government.

A CNN report claims that Elon Musk spent over $290 million in the 2024 presidential polls, boosting Donald Trump and the Republicans.

In 2016, Musk supported Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, expressing his backing for her while criticizing her opponent, Donald Trump. Back then, he told CNBC that Trump lacked the “kind of character that reflects well on the United States.” This shows how Musk's ideology took a sharp turn.

Musk acquired the social media platform Twitter, rebranded it as X, and removed restrictions that had infuriated conservatives.

Tesla’s stock had its worst day in five years. So far this year, its shares have dropped by 41%, though they’re still up about 36% compared to last year, as reported by NBC News on Monday. Prices for used Cybertrucks, Tesla's most unique product, have fallen by nearly 8% since Trump took office.

Although Trump is backing Musk, he has turned the White House driveway into an electric showroom. In a social media post on Truth Social, Trump accused the "left lunatics" of attacking Musk by illegally and collusively boycotting Tesla.

Despite the efforts, Musk's critics have organized dozens of peaceful demonstrations at Tesla dealerships and factories across North America and Europe. More than 300 protesters gathered at a Tesla showroom in Manhattan as part of the nationwide “Tesla Takedown” protests against Elon Musk.

Tesla owners have put up stickers to distance themselves from the new stigma and deter would-be vandals: “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy” or “I just wanted an electric car. Sorry, guys.”

Musk, for his part, seemed to downplay the situation, brushing aside the significant government cuts and the thousands of job losses they’ve caused. He, along with Trump and their supporters, insists these measures are necessary to fix the U.S.'s debt issues and restore American strength.

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to those responsible for attacks on Tesla, stating they could face up to 20 years in prison.

“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday.

During Trump’s first term, his properties in New York, Washington, and other locations became hotspots for protests. In the early days of his second term, Tesla has taken on that role. These protests clearly show how Tesla lost favor with its former supporters.