As Tesla faces backlash, Trump buys an EV

Tesla vehicles and dealerships have been the target of nationwide vandalism since Elon Musk, the CEO of the electric vehicle company, has spotlighted US government spending as head of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The multi-billionaire Musk, once celebrated by environmentalists because of his successful mass production of EVs, has drawn the wrath of political opponents of US President Donald Trump, whom Musk has stoutly supported on X.com, the social media platform that he owns.

As of Tuesday, the DOGE website said the department so far has saved taxpayers $105 billion through a "combination of asset sales, contract/lease cancellations and renegotiations, fraud and improper payment deletion, grant cancellations, interest savings, programmatic changes, regulatory savings, and workforce reductions".

In a show of support for Tesla and Musk, the president sat in a Tesla vehicle at the White House on Tuesday.

"Wow," Trump said as he got into the driver's seat of a Model S. "That's beautiful."

Musk, 53, sat on the passenger side and joked about "giving the Secret Service a heart attack" as they talked about how to start a vehicle that can reach 60 miles (95 kilometers) per hour in a few seconds.

"And I just want people to know that he can't be penalized for being a patriot,"

Trump said. "And he's a great patriot. And he's also done an incredible job with Tesla."

Trump told reporters that he would write a check for the car, which retails for roughly $80,000, and leave it at the White House so his staff can drive it. The president also said he hoped his purchase would boost Tesla, which is coping with falling sales and a decline in its stock.

But on Tuesday, Tesla shares likely got a boost from Trump's support as they closed at $230.58, up $8.43, or 3.79 percent in Nasdaq trading. The automaker's stock had been down 10 percent since Election Day.

On Tuesday, Trump said he would label violence against Tesla dealerships as domestic terrorism amid recent "Tesla Takedown" protests.

"I'm going to stop them," Trump said. "You do it to Tesla, and you do it to any company, we're going to catch you, and you're going to go through hell."

Musk said he wanted to "thank everyone out there who is supporting Tesla. It's really terrible that there's so much violence being perpetrated against people at Tesla, Tesla supporters, Tesla owners, Tesla stores. These are innocent people who have done nothing wrong."

Seattle fire officials said a fire that damaged four Tesla Cybertrucks late Sunday is being investigated. The truck were parked in a Tesla lot in Seattle's industrial district.

At a protest Saturday at a Tesla showroom in Manhattan, demonstrators chanted "Nobody voted for Elon Musk" and "Oligarchs out, democracy in," The New York Times reported. One protester held a sign saying, "Send Musk to Mars Now!!" (Musk is also the owner of SpaceX.)

On March 6, police outside of Portland, Oregon, responded to gunshots fired at a Tesla showroom at about 1:45 am local time, CNN reported. Investigators say at least seven shots were fired, damaging three cars and shattering windows. One bullet went through an office wall and into a computer monitor.

In Massachusetts, the Brookline Police Department on March 4 posted a photo with the comments: "We are looking to identify this suspect who was seen tagging Tesla vehicles with Elon Musk decals. When confronted the suspect claimed he has the right to deface the property of others because it's his 'free speech.'"

Seven Tesla charging stations were set ablaze at a shopping center outside Boston on March 3, police said.

In Colorado, police arrested a suspect in vandalism spree against a Tesla dealership that included Molotov cocktails thrown at vehicles, the words "Nazi cars" spray painted on the building, and a message that appeared to be directed against Musk, according to court documents.

Lucy Grace Nelson was arrested on Feb 24 in Loveland, Colorado, after police said the suspect returned to the dealership there with "additional incendiary devices" and materials used in vandalism.

In one of the incidents, someone spray painted an obscenity believed to be directed at Musk before being chased away by a security guard.

Security footage from the dealer also showed someone throwing Molotov cocktails into a row of Tesla sedans. The affidavit said at least four vehicles worth a combined $220,000 were targeted by the incendiary devices, which were made from empty liquor bottles.

Agencies contributed to this story.

hengweili@chinadailyusa.com