Over the past few months, Tesla’s stock has been decreasing rapidly, the reason being entirely political.
Millikan’s AP Human Geography and AP Macroeconomics teacher, Mr. McWhorter, expresses, “Through his work with the current administration and DOGE, Musk seemingly has put at risk the Tesla brand, at least in the eyes of investors.”
As a result, Musk has shifted his priorities to be less involved at DOGE and to be more active at Tesla after the stock decline. Lily Jamali, a writer for BCC, says, “Tesla boss Elon Musk has pledged to ‘significantly’ cut back his role in the US government after the electric car firm reported a huge drop in profit and sales for the start of this year.”
Before President Trump returned to office, Democrats made up a significant percentage of Tesla customers due to its electric nature.
Camila Domonoske, a reporter who covers cars and energy for NPR, wrote on March 13, “Among Democrats, net positive views of Tesla dropped 22 percentage points…”
Peyton Roberts, SEGA senior, thinks the Tesla brand has become a political symbol for the Republican Party. “If you had just a regular Tesla from a couple of years ago, I don’t see it as anything… if you have the newer Cybertruck, I feel like you’re trying to be out there and be in people’s faces about what you think,” he explains.
Nicole D. Sintov, Abou-Ghalioum, and Lee V. White for Science Direct write, “Political identity can also influence perceptions of what it means to engage in environmental action. Hence, Democrats may be more likely to perceive EVs [Electric Vehicles] to reflect ideals (e.g., environmentalism) consistent with their identities.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, as co-runner of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) along with Vivek Ramaswamy, has evoked rage in liberal voters.
The destruction of property goes beyond the product; buildings have been defaced, and vehicles have been vandalized. The protests against the CEO has left the car’s stock at a new low.
