Republican lawmakers are calling for investigations of vandalism to Tesla Inc.’s US showrooms and charging stations after President Donald Trump suggested he would designate the acts as domestic terrorism.
The electric-vehicle maker has been hit by headline-grabbing protests and vandalism in recent weeks, part of a backlash to Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration’s efforts to slash the federal government.
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday said Congress would investigate the incidents involving Tesla vehicles. In a post on X, the platform owned by Musk, the Louisiana Republican also said lawmakers would assist the Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation to “ensure those responsible are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and seven other House Republicans sent a letter Wednesday to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Kash Patel, the head of the FBI, calling for probes of what they described as a “wave of organized attacks targeting Elon Musk and Tesla car dealerships, charging stations and vehicles.”
Largely peaceful protests have sprouted up at showrooms across the US and Europe in recent weeks. There have also been incidents of vandalism, including six vehicles being spray painted last weekend near Seattle. In another instance, a dozen Tesla vehicles were set ablaze at a showroom in France.
Musk’s role in US government cuts and involvement in other countries’ affairs — including weighing in on Germany’s closely contested federal election — have contributed to a sales slump in recent months. The shares have also been under pressure: Tesla is down 38% this year, even with the stock’s 8.2% gain as of 12:17 p.m. in New York.
Trump on Tuesday made a public show of support for Musk, the world’s richest man, by viewing and pledging to buy a Tesla vehicle. During the White House spectacle, Trump was asked by a journalist if those who carry out attacks on Tesla should be labeled domestic terrorists.
“I will do that, I’ll do it,” the president said. “I’m going to stop them.” He added the attackers are “harming a great American company.”
A representative for Tesla Takedown, a decentralized movement focused on protesting at Tesla showrooms, said its campaign is “a nonviolent grassroots protest movement” that opposes violence and destruction of property.
“Peaceful protest on public property is not domestic terrorism,” the group said in a statement. “They are trying to intimidate us. We will not let them succeed.”
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
