Protests Against Elon Musk Target Tesla Dealerships Across the U.S.

 By Lily Jamali | North America Technology Correspondent

Protesters nationwide rally at Tesla dealerships against Elon Musk’s government influence.

      

Scattered protests took place outside Tesla dealerships across the United States on Saturday, as demonstrators voiced their frustration with the company’s CEO, Elon Musk. The protests, part of an effort labeled #TeslaTakeover, saw groups of people gathering at showrooms in various cities, expressing their concerns about Musk’s influence on government operations.

In Berkeley, California, a city known for its high electric vehicle ownership, around 200 protesters assembled outside a Tesla dealership. Linda Koistinen and her husband, Dale, were among them, standing in opposition not to Tesla’s vehicles but to Musk himself.

"It's about taking a stand against him personally," Ms. Koistinen said. "He shouldn’t be the one dismantling our government piece by piece."

The movement, largely organized on the social media platform Bluesky, a competitor to Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter), saw small groups gathering in cities such as Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, and Lyndhurst, Ohio. Despite harsh winter conditions, demonstrators held signs with messages like "Say no to Doge" and "Deport Musk."

At the core of the protests is Musk’s White House-endorsed initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which has been sending teams into federal agencies to scrutinize spending and advocate for deep budget cuts. President Donald Trump, who has received significant financial backing from Musk, has also enacted a federal hiring freeze and mass layoffs.

Musk asserts that his efforts are aimed at reducing wasteful government expenditures, but critics argue that he is overstepping democratic boundaries and making unilateral decisions that should be left to elected officials. "This is a takeover of our government," said Dale Koistinen, 84. "It’s unbelievable."

As a response, many Americans have started divesting from Tesla. Musician Sheryl Crow shared a video on Instagram showing her Tesla being towed away, stating, "There comes a time when you have to decide who you align with. So long, Tesla." Crow announced that proceeds from the sale of her vehicle would be donated to National Public Radio, an organization frequently criticized by Musk.

Tesla’s stock initially surged following Trump’s election victory in November, buoyed by Musk’s quarter-billion-dollar donation to his re-election campaign. However, after reaching an all-time high in December, the company’s shares have since dropped by 30% amid political backlash and investor concerns.