The Trump administration has warned of severe penalties as Tesla facilities deal with arson, gunfire, and vandalism
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has condemned recent attacks on Tesla dealerships and vehicles as “vicious violence.” She applauded US Attorney General Pam Bondi for investigating the incidents as domestic terrorism, “because that is what they are,” Leavitt said.
Federal investigations are underway after a series of violent incidents targeting the electric car company. The attacks are being driven by a backlash against CEO Elon Musk, who is advising US President Donald Trump. As head of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he is overseeing budget cuts and federal workforce reductions.
In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Leavitt vowed that Trump would ensure “the harshest penalties” for those responsible. “And what I can tell you is that President Trump condemns this violence and he is determined to restore law and order in our country.”
An assault on a Tesla Collision Center in Las Vegas this week involved Molotov cocktails and resulted in damage to at least five vehicles.
In Tigard, Oregon, gunshots were fired at a Tesla dealership, shattering windows and damaging several vehicles on March 13. It was the second attack on the same location within a week.
On March 17, 2025, two Tesla Cybertrucks were torched at a Kansas City dealership.
FBI special agent Spencer Evans said at a press conference on Tuesday that the Tesla fires were first investigated as arson but are now being reviewed as potential terrorism.
Musk has claimed that left-wing activists are plotting to harm him and sabotage Tesla to stop his push to cut US federal waste and corruption.
“It’s just fully terrorism at this point,” he wrote on X.
Anti-Musk protests have continued across the US, with demonstrators criticizing Tesla’s ties to the administration. Some activists have taken extreme measures, including targeting the brand’s customers. A recent online campaign, reportedly linked to the “DogeQuest” group, has created an interactive doxing map, exposing the addresses of Tesla owners and calling on activists to spray paint their vehicles.
Despite the threats, Musk insists that the backlash is proof that his and Trump’s policies are working and that the intensity of the opposition indicates they are disrupting entrenched interests.
