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On Monday’s broadcast of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC, host Rachel Maddow alleged that President Donald Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Attorney General Pam Bondi had issued threats against individuals protesting Tesla.
According to Maddow, despite these so-called warnings, demonstrations took place at Tesla dealerships across the country over the weekend. Maddow stated, “Even after President Trump and his top campaign donor and the Attorney General, Pam Bondi, all started threatening Americans who don’t support Elon Musk’s car company, they started threatening people that they’d be hit with terrorism charges or that these — boycotting Tesla or protesting against Tesla was somehow specially illegal in a way that other forms of protests aren’t, which is nonsense legally, but they issued the threats anyway.”
She continued, “Even after those threats last week from Trump, from Musk, from Attorney General Pam Bondi, there were dozens and dozens and dozens of protests at Tesla dealerships all over the country this weekend.”
Maddow did not specify the exact nature of the alleged threats but framed the weekend protests as a response to pressure from Trump, Musk, and Bondi. Maddow highlighted the primary message of the demonstrations, stating that protesters were urging people to divest from Tesla.
“These protests had this simple and now, defiant message, just asking people, simply, if you drive a Tesla, please sell it, and if you own stock in Tesla, please dump it,” she said.
The demonstrations, which took place at multiple Tesla dealership locations, were reportedly organized in response to concerns over Musk’s influence and his alignment with Trump’s administration. Tesla, one of the world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturers, has frequently been at the center of political debates, with Musk’s business dealings and political stances drawing both support and criticism.
Musk, once widely embraced by progressive circles for advancing electric vehicle technology, has more recently faced backlash from left-leaning activists over his political views, free speech advocacy, and criticism of government regulations. Meanwhile, Trump and his administration have defended Musk and Tesla, often pointing to the company’s role in American innovation and job creation.
Maddow’s remarks add to ongoing political divisions surrounding Tesla, as activists continue to push back against Musk’s leadership and his perceived ties to the Trump administration. The protests over the weekend suggest that calls for boycotts of Tesla may continue despite any perceived political pressure.
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