Trump Declares Tesla Vandals ‘Domestic Terrorists’
In recent weeks, numerous disaffected activists have protested Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and the actions he has undertaken as the nominal head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Amid nationwide protests that organizers have dubbed the “Tesla Takedown,” some demonstrations have turned destructive: Activists have set fire to Tesla charging stations in Boston, fired gunshots into a dealership in Oregon, and vandalized vehicles and dealerships in numerous locales.
This week, President Donald Trump made a public show of faith in Musk. At the same time, he threatened to use the full force of the federal government against demonstrators by deeming them “domestic terrorists.” If Trump follows through on his threat, the action would be a significant overreach, but it would also be consistent with recent American history.
In an appearance on the White House lawn with Musk in tow, Trump tested out five Tesla models and said he would buy one. A photographer snapped a picture of Trump’s handwritten notes for the press event, which “read like a Tesla sales pitch,” as Business Insider put it.
Trump also said his administration would crack down on the violence committed against his friend’s business. In response to a reporter’s question about calls to label the offenders “domestic terrorists,” Trump said, “I will do that…because they’re harming a great American company.”
“You do it to Tesla, you do it to any company, we’re going to catch you, and you’re going to go through hell,” Trump pledged.
Indeed, prosecuting offenders for destroying private property is fully within a government’s power—though in the cases cited above, local authorities are better suited to the task than the feds.
But Trump’s willingness to tar the offenders as terrorists is a bridge too far. Unfortunately, it’s also perfectly consistent with American history in the 21st century.
Trump’s allies within government jumped on the designation: “Ongoing and heinous acts of violence against Tesla by radical Leftist activists are nothing short of domestic terror,” White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said.
In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and F
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