The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) arrested three individual responsible for the destruction of Tesla properties March 20, actions the Trump Administration has labeled as “domestic terrorism” with an investigation opened by the federal government to if its is a broader, coordinated attack.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the DOJ charges carry minimum sentences of at least five years.
“The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism,” stated Bondi in a press statement March 18. “We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes.”
Trump Support of Musk, Tesla
The attacks on the electric vehicles and their lots comes as Musk’s political profile has risen. Helped by a $465 million federal loan during the Obama Administration for Tesla, Musk has now aligned himself with President Donald Trump. The attacks come as Musk heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that was formed to reduce waste and size of the federal government after the 2024 U.S. Presidential election.
Besides the actions of the DOJ, President Trump continues to publicly support Musk in words and actions. The President Trump said Tesla vandalism amounts to “domestic terror,” and warned that those who target the company are “going to go through hell.” Additionally, Trump wrote an $80,000 check for a Tesla for his 17-year-old granddaughter during a press event in front of the White House.
Tesla Targeted
With Musk’s controversial high-profile government role, protestors have targeted Tesla showrooms for non-violent protest. But others have taken it further as vehicles and dealerships have been attacked. While no injuries have been reported, showrooms, vehicle lots, charging stations and privately owned cars have been damaged.
While appearing on Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) ’s podcast, Musk alleged that “at least some of it is organized and paid for” by “left-wing organizations in America, funded by left-wing billionaires, essentially.”
Musk would later post on X, the social media platform he owns, that “this level of violence is insane and deeply wrong…Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks” over a video of cars burning in Las Vegas.
Arrests Made
According to a Newsweek map based on various news and police reports, attacks have taken place in Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, and Washington state.
In the arrest announcement, the DOJ detailed three of the attacks that lead to the charges against three unnamed suspects. They include: .
- One defendant, armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle, was arrested after throwing approximately eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership located in Salem, OR.
- A second defendant was arrested in Loveland, CO, after attempting to light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails. The defendant was later found in possession of materials used to produce additional incendiary weapons.
- In Charleston, SC, a third defendant wrote profane messages against President Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting the charging stations on fire with Molotov cocktails.
Each defendant faces charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison.
“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” said Bondi in a press statement. “Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”
The Business of Tesla
While DOGE and the dealership attacks have garnered the most attention, Tesla as a business itself is facing headwinds. The stock had doubled in value in the weeks after President Trump’s election but has lost all of that value since then, plunging from a December 2024 high of $488.54 to the $235 range in recent days, costing Musk $130 billion in paper losses.
Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, warned that global anti-Tesla protests and Musk’s distraction with his government job represent a “moment of truth…If Musk continues to head down the DOGE path 110 percent and showing no attention to Tesla during this turbulent time, then brand damage will become more pervasive,” wrote Ives.
The intertwinemnet of Tesla’s stock price, politics and Musk was highlighted by unprecedented move of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick using a cable television appearance to advocate buying stock in the EV car company.
“I think if you want to learn something on this show tonight, buy Tesla,” said Lutnick. “It’s unbelievable that this guy’s stock is this cheap. It’ll never be this cheap again. I mean who wouldn’t invest in Elon Musk. You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Registration Details
The stock loss comes as S&P Global Mobility reported Tesla registrations fell 11 percent in January while rival electric vehicle makers had a gain of 44 percent, led by Ford, Chevrolet and Volkswagen.
Tesla generated 43,411 registrations in January, still tops among EV brands and a 42.5 percent market share. But Tesla’s share fell 12 percentage points compared with the same month last year. Non-Tesla EVs delivered 58,777 new registrations in January, with double-digit and triple-digit percentage gains from a variety of Tesla competitors.
Internationally, Tesla European deliveries fell 45 percent in January from a year earlier despite a sharp rise in the broader EV market. And China’s Passenger Car Association reported Tesla’s sales fell 49 percent in February.
In a sign of the times, Tesla registrations have slowed in Blue States and gained steam in Red States. Texas, where the company is now headquartered, had registrations rise 28 percent to 5,148 in January. This comes as registrations in the company’s strongholds took a hit—down 31 percent in California, 19 percent in Massachusetts and 15 percent in New York.
