President Donald Trump fired off a characteristically blunt message on Truth Social yesterday, throwing his weight behind Elon Musk and Tesla amid a spate of attacks on the company. “I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20 year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,” he posted, signaling a no-holds-barred defense of his billionaire ally. The statement reflects Trump’s growing frustration with what he and his administration view as coordinated assaults on Tesla’s infrastructure – vandalism of dealerships, slashed tires on Cybertrucks, and even an arson attempt in Las Vegas. These incidents, which federal authorities have tied to radical environmental groups and anti-Musk activists, have escalated since Musk’s appointment as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump’s post isn’t just rhetoric – it’s a call to action, aligning with his campaign promises to crack down hard on domestic unrest and protect American industry icons.
(Trump’s shielding of his top campaign donor stretches to the ridiculous, such as claims it’s illegal to even boycott Tesla.)
The backdrop to Trump’s outburst is a turbulent few months for Musk and his electric vehicle empire. Tesla’s stock has taken a beating as investors balk at Musk’s dual role in government and business. Critics argue his DOGE gig – slashing federal spending and red tape – creates conflicts of interest, especially with Tesla’s hefty government contracts and subsidies under scrutiny. Meanwhile, Musk’s vocal support for Trump’s agenda, including a $200 million donation to his 2024 campaign, has made him a lightning rod for progressive ire. Protests outside Tesla’s Fremont factory have swelled, with signs branding Musk a climate hypocrite for pushing EVs while cozying up to a fossil-fuel-friendly administration. The violence peaked with the torching a Tesla Semi prototype in Oregon, prompting the FBI to step in with terrorism charges. Attorney General Pam Bondi, a Trump appointee (read: lapdog), has vowed “maximum penalties,” echoing the President’s 20-year sentencing wish.
Trump’s Truth Social salvo isn’t just about Musk – it’s a flex of his administration’s law-and-order muscle. The “sick terrorist thugs” label fits his long-standing playbook: paint opponents as unhinged radicals, then rally his base with promises of retribution. Sources close to the White House say Trump’s been briefed on the Tesla attacks weekly, viewing them as a personal affront to his vision of American greatness – Musk, after all, is the poster boy for his “make it here” manufacturing push. 20-year sentences might be a stretch, but with Bondi’s Justice Department fast-tracking cases and Trump-appointed judges dotting the bench, the odds of harsh punishments aren’t slim. Musk, for his part, hasn’t commented directly on Trump’s post but has been tweeting loyal words like “Justice matters,” keeping his 200 million X followers in the loop.
For Tesla, the stakes are existential. Beyond the physical damage, the PR hit is bruising. Sales of the Cybertruck, once a hype machine, have flatlined as boycotts spread, with hashtags like #DumpTesla trending on X. Musk’s pivot to align Tesla with Trump’s deregulatory zeal has alienated eco-conscious buyers, while his DOGE role fuels speculation of insider deals – like federal EV incentives Tesla secured. Trump’s defense could bolster Musk’s resolve, but it risks pouring fuel on an already polarised fire. As courts gear up to hear the first wave of cases, all eyes are on whether Trump’s 20-year threat holds weight – or if it’s just another loud promise in a presidency defined by them. Either way, the Musk-Trump alliance is proving as combustible as a Tesla battery under siege.
For the activists targeting Tesla, the fight’s personal – a rebellion against what they see as Elon Musk’s betrayal of the planet, turbocharged by his alliance with President Trump. Groups like “Earth’s Fist” and their sympathisers argue Tesla’s green halo is a sham: Musk’s EVs might cut emissions, but his $200 million Trump campaign cheque and DOGE role prop up a fossil-fuel-loving administration that’s gutted climate regulations. To them, torching a Cybertruck or smashing a showroom isn’t just vandalism; it’s a scream against a billionaire who’s traded eco-cred for political power, leaving their kids a hotter world. Trump’s “terrorist thugs” label only fuels their fire – they see 20-year sentences as proof the system’s rigged to shield Musk while they’re silenced.
To Trump, not liking or respecting Elon Musk makes you the enemy. War has now been declared.
References
‘Going to go through hell’: US President Donald Trump issues chilling new threat, Jamie Seidel, news.com.au
Trump calls Tesla boycott ‘illegal’ and says he’s buying one to support Musk, Michael Sainato and Dara Kerr, The Guardian
FBI investigating Tesla vehicles shot and set on fire at facility in Las Vegas, Andy Rose, CNN
Trump suggests he’ll use the military on ‘the enemy from within’ the U.S. if he’s reelected, Stephen Groves, PBS NEWS
Elon Musk’s Super Pac spent $200m to help elect Donald Trump, The Guardian
‘Now You Want Some Empathy?’: Three Arrested In Tesla Attacks as Musk Plays the Victim, Complains About Lack of ‘Caring’ Despite Dismissing Compassion as a ‘Weakness’, Christian Boone, Atlanta Black Star
The Trump administration can’t stop shilling for Tesla, Allison Morrow, CNN
The Many Loves of Elon Musk and the Incentives That Won Them, Billy Hamilton, taxnotes
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So, according to Trump’s rule of thumb, what sentence should he get for his multiple law suits, 34 thus far, including the 100 or so that have been recently lodged?
Heather,.. death by a million lies.
Two important points here.
1/Trump pardoned/commuted sentences of over 1500 criminals convicted in the J6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. While bloviating about migrants, terrorists and crime, he simultaneously released dangerous criminal thugs back into the community. Some of which have been re-arrested already for crimes ranging from firearms possession, assault, child porn, soliciting minors etc, proving they should have been behind bars all along. Full list available on Lawyer Herald ‘List of Pardoned J6 Defendants Now Accused of Other Crimes.’
2/ In 2025 Trump issued an executive order to revoke incentives on electric vehicles to end what he called a “preposterous” focus on the industry moving forward. Less than two months ago he actually tried to nobble the industry.
He is a person so hypocritical and full of shit it is amazing there is room for any internal organs in that walking tangerine garbage bag.
Nearly all the cybertrucks made by Tesla have been recalled because of safety concerns with the doors- bits falling off the doors apparently! 46,000 in total are affected. Some of his space material is prone to the odd explosion as well depositing debris in showers of burning bits across Caribbean oceans!
As one American comedian remarked: “You don’t need to firebomb Tesla’s , just wait and they do it to themselves!” ( I think it was Jimmy Kimmel)
I used to giggle at those right wingers who praised the ‘please explain’ woman with “at least she speaks her mind”. That same expression applies to trump whose mind is every bit as big as hers but he has immense power which reverberates with every change.
Did you hear trigon, and feel trump’s slide?
I see that BYD has overtaken TESLA as the most popular range of EV’s worldwide other than the US.
‘Its latest financial result come after BYD announced new charging technology that promises to fully power EVs in as little time as it takes to fill up a petrol car.’
‘BYD claims its new Super e-Platform will reach peak charging speeds of 1,000 kilowatts, giving a vehicle enough power to travel 400 kilometres within five minutes.
That charging speed is twice as fast as the current fastest charging technology on the market — Tesla’s superchargers.’
Will T-Rump be doing a sales pitch for BYD on the Whitehouse lawns ?