Peaceful Tesla protests have taken place across the country—but some dealerships have also been hit with acts of vandalism, including gunfire and arson, in protests apparently directed at Elon Musk.
Topline
President Donald Trump slammed the vandalism targeting Tesla stores and vehicles that has swept the country in recent weeks, suggesting in a Truth Social post vandals should serve 20 years in prison in El Salvador, as his administration’s Justice Department and FBI say they are investigating these protests against CEO and DOGE chief Elon Musk.TimelineDid Trump Say Tesla Vandals Should Be Jailed In El Salvador?
In a Truth Social post Friday morning, Trump said “sick terrorist thugs” who have vandalized Tesla vehicles should serve 20-year sentences, suggesting: “Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!” Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador, accepted hundreds of migrants deported from the United States last week, and transferred them to the country’s infamous Terrorism Confinement Center. The prison, among others in El Salvador, has been accused of human rights abuses by organizations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, as incarceration has dramatically increased under Bukele’s presidency.What Has The Justice Department Said About The Tesla Protests?
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced charges against three individuals suspected to have vandalized Tesla vehicles on Thursday, relating to instances of vandalism in Loveland, Colorado, Salem, Oregon and Charleston, South Carolina. Bondi said each defendant faces “serious charges” that could result in five to 20 years in prison. “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,” Bondi’s statement said. In a previous statement Tuesday, Bondi said the instances of vandalism are “nothing short of domestic terrorism” and said the Justice Department has already charged several demonstrators, some of whom face mandatory five-year sentences. Bondi threatened “severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes.” Bondi previously said in a Fox Business interview Friday morning she has directed an investigation be opened into the Tesla protests to prosecute perpetrators and to find anyone who may be funding these protests. “If you’re going to touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, do anything, you better watch out because we’re coming after you,” Bondi said.Are Tesla Owners Trading In Their Cars?
Tesla owners are trading in their vehicles in record numbers, according to data from car shopping website Edmunds.
