Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to anyone who targets Elon Musk or Tesla dealerships.
Recently, there has been a rise in incidents at Tesla showrooms following Musk’s involvement with the White House.
The attacks aren’t limited to showrooms; private Tesla vehicles, charging stations, and vehicle lots have also been targeted.
This increase in hostility is linked to Musk’s role as part of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been aggressively cutting government expenditures since its inception.
According to the department’s website, by March 19, they achieved savings of approximately $155 billion. Musk’s stringent cost-cutting measures have not been well-received by some Americans, who appear to be directing their frustration toward anything associated with Tesla.
Some of the most affected areas include left-leaning cities like Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, as reported by AP.
In Las Vegas, several Tesla cars were torched on March 18 outside one of the company’s service centers.
Vandals also reportedly sprayed ‘resist’ on the building’s entrance doors.
Following the surge in violence, US Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that three individuals arrested for ‘domestic terrorism’ related to Tesla attacks could face up to 20 years in prison, according to BBC News.
“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” Bondi declared. “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.”
Donald Trump has echoed these threats, expressing his views on TruthSocial on March 21.
He wrote: “I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20 year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla. Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!”
One prison in El Salvador has been labeled ‘the world’s worst,’ and Trump recently sent 250 alleged criminals there.
This facility reportedly has the capacity to house up to 40,000 inmates.
Trump’s statements followed his decision to classify attacks on Tesla dealerships as acts of domestic terrorism.
Earlier this month, he warned that perpetrators of such violence would ‘go through hell’ and praised Tesla as ‘a great American company’.
In a show of support for Musk and Tesla, the president has recently purchased one of the electric vehicles himself.