Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and a close associate of former US President Donald Trump, has publicly addressed allegations of a conspiracy to assassinate him and undermine Tesla.
Musk and Tesla have faced significant scrutiny and protests since he voiced his support for Trump. His contentious political stance has contributed to a decline in Tesla’s sales in the United States and other nations, including Germany. The situation appears to be deteriorating further following his aggressive workforce reduction strategies at federal agencies, which received backing from Trump.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday (US time), Musk asserted that individuals tend to react negatively when their ill-gotten gains are threatened. He stated, “They essentially want to kill me because I’m putting an end to their fraud, and they aim to harm Tesla because we are addressing the rampant waste and corruption within the government. I suppose they are indeed bad people. Bad people engage in bad actions.”
Reports indicate that Musk echoed sentiments expressed by conservative lawmakers, such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, who remarked, “I believe there are larger forces at play. Who is financing and coordinating this? It’s unprecedented. I’ve never witnessed anything like it.”
In defense of Tesla, Musk emphasized that the company operates peacefully and has never engaged in harmful activities. He remarked, “I have never done anything detrimental; I have only pursued productive endeavors. It seems there is a level of derangement… I suspect there may be some form of mental illness involved here.”
Protests against Musk intensify across the United States
Musk’s remarks come during a challenging period for his company in the US. Earlier today, multiple Tesla vehicles were ignited at a service center. Additionally, a doxing website has exposed the personal details of Tesla owners. In a separate incident, an individual used Molotov cocktails to set five Teslas on fire at a service center in Las Vegas.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is now looking into this event as a potential act of domestic terrorism.
In another occurrence in Kansas City, two Tesla Cybertrucks were also set ablaze, while an arsonist inadvertently ignited himself while attempting to burn a Tesla charging station in South Carolina.
Musk shared footage of these incidents on his X account, denouncing the actions as acts of “terrorism.” He stated, “This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong… Tesla simply manufactures electric cars and has done nothing to warrant these malicious attacks.”
