U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he will purchase a new Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) to show support for CEO Elon Musk. Trump praised Musk for collaborating with his administration, calling out “Radical Left Lunatics” for attempting to “illegally and collusively boycott Tesla.”
The announcement comes as public outrage grows over Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal agency under Trump. DOGE has spearheaded layoffs and budget cuts across multiple government sectors, sparking protests and acts of vandalism against Tesla facilities in the U.S. and Europe.
Musk’s increasing alignment with alt-right groups in the U.S. and Germany has alienated Tesla’s core customer base—liberal and climate-conscious consumers. This shift, coupled with weakening sales, has put pressure on the EV maker. Tesla reported its first annual delivery decline in 2024, with European sales plummeting in early 2025 amid rising competition from Chinese and domestic brands.
Musk, who also leads SpaceX and xAI, admitted to Fox Business that balancing DOGE and Tesla has been “tough sledding.” Despite backlash and Tesla’s 41% stock slump in 2025, Musk remains committed to DOGE, claiming the agency has exposed significant government fraud and waste.
As political tensions mount, Tesla’s brand image faces challenges that could further impact sales. With consumer sentiment shifting and Musk’s political affiliations under scrutiny, Tesla’s future remains uncertain.