Elon Musk, DOGE, and the ‘Tesla Takedown’ protests across US | Explained in 5 points

Tesla Takedown: Elon Musk-owned Tesla facilities witnessed protests at several locations in the United States and beyond on March 29, Saturday over the billionaire's influential role in the Donald Trump administration.

The anti-Musk protesters are building the 'Tesla Takedown' movement, targeting the EV maker's dealerships and vehicles in opposition to his role as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. as part of President Donald Trump administration's efforts to reduce federal government spending.

After earlier sporadic demonstrations, protests were reported on Saturday (US time) outside 277 of the automaker's showrooms and service centres in the US in hopes of deepening a recent decline in the company's sales, according to news agency AP.

Protesters gathered at Tesla locations in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Minnesota and Texas – the automaker's home state.

The protestors brandished posters reading “Honk if you hate Elon” and “Fight the billionaire broligarchy.”

Tesla locations in other cities such as Washington, Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Seattle, as well as towns in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Colorado, also witnessed similar protests, according to AP.

“Hey, hey, ho, ho, Elon Musk has got to go!” several dozen people chanted outside a showroom in Dublin, California, about 35 miles (60 miles) east of San Francisco, while a smaller cluster of Trump supporters waved American flags across the street.

Anti-Musk sentiment extends beyond the US

The ‘Tesla Takedown’ rallied protesters at more than 230 locations in other parts of the world. The turnouts in Europe were not as large, yet the anti-Musk sentiment was similar.

In London, about two dozen people held signs lambasting the billionaire outside a dealership as passing cars and trucks tooted horns in support.

One sign displayed depicted Musk next to an image of Adolf Hitler making the Nazi salute — a gesture that Musk has been accused of reprising shortly after Trump's January 20 inauguration.

How did ‘Tesla Takedown’ begin?

‘Tesla Takedown’ is organised by a group of supporters that included disillusioned owners of the automaker's vehicles, celebrities such as actor John Cusack, and at least one Democratic Party lawmaker, Jasmine Crockett, the US Congress Representative from Dallas.

“I'm going to keep screaming in the halls of Congress. I just need you all to make sure you all keep screaming in the streets,” Crockett said during an organising call this month.

Why Target Tesla?

Organisers say the 'Tesla Takedown' movement is fueled by anger over Musk's slashing of the federal government, and that it aims to hit the billionaire by targeting his electric vehicle company Tesla, the main source of his wealth.

The Hurun Global Rich List for 2025 ranks Tesla-SpaceX owner Elon Musk as the richest man with a $420 billion net worth. The biggest portion of Musk's estimated USD 340 billion fortune consists of his stock in the electric vehicle company, which continues to run while he works with President Trump.

According to 'Tesla Takedown', thousands of grassroots groups and individuals worldwide are driving the decentralised effort. Another Democratic lawmaker, Representative Pramila Jaypal, showed up at a protest in Seattle, which she represents in Congress.

“Hurting Tesla is stopping Musk,” reads the website of Tesla Takedown.

Boycott Tesla Call

Crockett and other ‘Tesla Takedown’ supporters have been stressing the importance of Saturday's protests remaining peaceful. This is because there have been reported incidents of Tesla vehicles being set on fire or vandalism as part of the protests. US Attorney General Pam Bondi has decried these acts as ‘domestic terrorism.’

At a company meeting earlier this month, Musk indicated that he was dumbfounded by the attacks and said the vandals should “stop acting psycho.”

Police are investigating a fire that destroyed seven Teslas in northwestern Germany in the early morning.

Many consumers who bought Tesla vehicles before Musk took over DOGE have been looking to sell or trade them in, while others have slapped on bumper stickers seeking to distance themselves from him, as a mark of protest. For weeks, the movement's organisers have encouraged people to boycott Tesla, the EV maker, by selling their cars and stocks.

However, in the March meeting, Musk did not appear concerned about an extended slump in new sales, during which he reassured the workers that the company's Model Y would remain “the best-selling car on Earth again this year.” He also predicted that Tesla would sell more than 10 million cars worldwide by next year, which is up from about 7 million currently.

Tesla sales slumping

Tesla sales have slumped, and investors have grown uneasy, more so Musk's political turn, according to NPR. However, there is no evidence to prove that the dip in Tesla sales and shares is linked to Musk's involvement with the Trump administration.

Tesla has been losing market share to EV competitors for years. Many say that the stock price of his company has fallen in anticipation of auto tariffs.

(With agency inputs)