Acts of vandalism targeting Tesla and its CEO were reported internationally throughout March in reaction to Elon Musk’s influence over President Donald Trump and his administration, as Tesla’s stock is sinking. This wave of protests occurred not only in the U.S. but also in Canada, where dealerships were spray-painted and both vehicles and charging stations were destroyed. The protesters threw Molotov cocktails at the electric cars, causing them to burst into flames.

One of the most significant incidents occurred on Wednesday, March 19th, in Hamilton, Ontario. When local law enforcement received a report about vandals damaging Teslas in the parking lot of a dealership, one officer responded and discovered dozens of cars suffering from severe damage. Meanwhile, in Montreal, a Tesla dealership was spray-painted, and in New York, two vandals were caught writing the word “Nazis” on a Tesla Cybertruck.

Many protesters are targeting Tesla and Elon Musk for his unelected but very powerful position in the Trump administration. Most of them are in opposition to Elon Musk’s role as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, also called ‘DOGE’, which was created to reduce federal spending waste, fraud, and abuse.

This new department has been making some aggressive cuts across the government, while Musk and Trump say that these cuts are important to reduce fraud and bureaucracy. It is quite concerning that even if they claim to have found so much fraud, no one has been accused of wrongdoing. Are the first arrests going to happen soon? Elon gained access to sensitive data and shuttered agencies as he attempted to lower government spending.

The Department of Government Efficiency shut many health agencies down, including massive layoffs. More than 62,530 federal workers were dismissed in the first two months of 2025. That’s a considerable 41,311 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024. Many lost their jobs, some even their careers, because of the cuts made by DOGE, headed by Elon Musk. This is part of why protesters are vandalizing Tesla, even though there are many more personal reasons.

“If you join this wave of domestic terrorism, you will be put behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, addressing the protesters. She also promised severe punishments for all those targeting Tesla units and stated that three defendants accused of vandalism against Elon Musk’s company could face up to 20 years in prison.

In response to the vandalism, Trump remarked Truth Social, saying, “WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU,” warning the vandals. He also labeled Tesla vandalism as ‘Domestic Terror’ and stated that “they will go through hell” for attacking Tesla. The Trump administration is increasing efforts to reduce attacks against Tesla.