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Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WATCH: Dem Jasmine Crockett silent as aide attempts to intimidate, block reporter's question about violence
Far-left Democrat Jasmine Crockett of Texas watched silently as an aide got into a Fox News Digital reporter's face and attempted to intimidate him from asking a question about whether Democrat rhetoric has contributed to the ongoing spate of violent attacks against Tesla owners and dealers. After weeks of Democrats condemning Elon Musk for his role at DOGE, there have been at least 80 acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles in the U.S. and Canada and at least 10 incidents of vandalism and arson against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and properties. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department is treating the incidents as "domestic terrorism." Bondi warned Crockett in particular to "tread very carefully" after she called for Elon Musk to be "taken down" during a "Tesla Takedown" event. Trump Wants Musk To Stay With Administration, Says Doge Found Something 'Horrible' Today In light of this, a Fox News Digital reporter asked, "What's your response to the attorney general saying you're threatening lives with your rhetoric against Musk and Tesla?" Read On The Fox News App Crockett, who was surrounded by aides and security personnel, did not answer the question, but an aide approached the reporter, getting right into the camera, prompting the reporter to ask, "Why are you in my face?" to which he responded, "I'm not." "[I'm] just asking her a question, she's an elected member of Congress," the reporter said, to which the aide responded, "Talk," without moving any farther away. "Congresswoman, do you see any connection to you saying you want to take down Musk to the violence that's going on in the streets?" the reporter asked. Dem Congressman Lashes Musk In Opening Salvo Of Populist Bid In 2026 Swing-state Senate Race Crockett did not respond or make eye contact, but her aide continued to stare intently at the reporter as they walked away. Notably, Crockett, whose recent controversial statements have attracted a great deal of attention and criticism, appeared to be escorted by a Capitol police officer despite previously advocating for the "defund the police movement," calling it a movement of "healing." Crockett's remarks came during a nationwide call with the Tesla Takedown movement, a self-described "peaceful protest platform" calling for Tesla owners to sell their vehicles and for all to dump their stock in the EV provider. "On March 29, it's my birthday," Crockett told the group in reference to a "Global Day of Action" intended to hit back at the company. Hundreds Of 'Tesla Takedown' Protests Erupt Nationwide: 'Movement Of Anger And Hate' "All I want to see happen on my birthday is for Elon to be taken down," she added. "I have learned, as I serve on the DOGE Oversight committee, that there is only one language that the people that are in charge understand right now, and that language is money." Crockett went on to clarify that her calls to action are "nonviolent" and are about figuratively "fighting" for democracy. "We know that we are peaceful, loving people, and this is not about violence," she added. However, the continuing incidents of firebombing, vandalism and even a shooting at Tesla dealerships bring the peaceful nature of the anti-Tesla movement into question. Jonathan Turley Warns Democrats 'Shredding' Their Own Beliefs With 'Dangerous' Anti-musk Campaign Amid the Justice Department's crackdown on the violence, three people accused of damaging Teslas and EV charging stations now face up to 20 years in prison for alleged "domestic terrorism." "People need to know that the three people in custody right now … will receive severe and swift consequences. … We are not coming off these charges. We are looking at everything, especially if this is a concerted effort. This is domestic terrorism," Bondi said. Fox News Digital editor Taylor Penley contributed to this article source: WATCH: Dem Jasmine Crockett silent as aide attempts to intimidate, block reporter's question about violence
Fox News
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
WATCH: Dem Jasmine Crockett silent as aide attempts to intimidate, block reporter's question about violence
Far-left Democrat Jasmine Crockett of Texas watched silently as an aide got into a Fox News Digital reporter's face and attempted to intimidate him from asking a question about whether Democrat rhetoric has contributed to the ongoing spate of violent attacks against Tesla owners and dealers. After weeks of Democrats condemning Elon Musk for his role at DOGE, there have been at least 80 acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles in the U.S. and Canada and at least 10 incidents of vandalism and arson against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and properties. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department is treating the incidents as "domestic terrorism." Bondi warned Crockett in particular to "tread very carefully" after she called for Elon Musk to be "taken down" during a "Tesla Takedown" event. In light of this, a Fox News Digital reporter asked, "What's your response to the attorney general saying you're threatening lives with your rhetoric against Musk and Tesla?" Crockett, who was surrounded by aides and security personnel, did not answer the question, but an aide approached the reporter, getting right into the camera, prompting the reporter to ask, "Why are you in my face?" to which he responded, "I'm not." "[I'm] just asking her a question, she's an elected member of Congress," the reporter said, to which the aide responded, "Talk," without moving any farther away. "Congresswoman, do you see any connection to you saying you want to take down Musk to the violence that's going on in the streets?" the reporter asked. Crockett did not respond or make eye contact, but her aide continued to stare intently at the reporter as they walked away. Notably, Crockett, whose recent controversial statements have attracted a great deal of attention and criticism, appeared to be escorted by a Capitol police officer despite previously advocating for the "defund the police movement," calling it a movement of "healing." Crockett's remarks came during a nationwide call with the Tesla Takedown movement, a self-described "peaceful protest platform" calling for Tesla owners to sell their vehicles and for all to dump their stock in the EV provider. "On March 29, it's my birthday," Crockett told the group in reference to a "Global Day of Action" intended to hit back at the company. "All I want to see happen on my birthday is for Elon to be taken down," she added. "I have learned, as I serve on the DOGE Oversight committee, that there is only one language that the people that are in charge understand right now, and that language is money." Crockett went on to clarify that her calls to action are "nonviolent" and are about figuratively "fighting" for democracy. "We know that we are peaceful, loving people, and this is not about violence," she added. However, the continuing incidents of firebombing, vandalism and even a shooting at Tesla dealerships bring the peaceful nature of the anti-Tesla movement into question. Amid the Justice Department's crackdown on the violence, three people accused of damaging Teslas and EV charging stations now face up to 20 years in prison for alleged "domestic terrorism." "People need to know that the three people in custody right now … will receive severe and swift consequences. … We are not coming off these charges. We are looking at everything, especially if this is a concerted effort. This is domestic terrorism," Bondi said.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
What Tesla's massive image problem means for the world's transition to EVs
Following its founding by engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in 2003, Tesla became the world's leading electric vehicle brand in less than a decade. In the company's early years, including after investor Elon Musk became CEO in 2008, it put out a few hundred or a few thousand cars a year. But by 2015, Tesla made the best-selling electric car model worldwide — a title Tesla has now held for seven of the last 10 years. In 2023, the company delivered 1.8 million cars and controlled about 20 percent of the world's EV market. But Tesla's status as the Kleenex of EVs is now in question. After Musk's full-throated endorsement of President Donald Trump, his Nazi salute at Trump's inauguration, and his efforts to dismantle the United States government under the auspices of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, Tesla is facing an organized protest movement, fading sales around the world, and a tumbling stock market valuation. As the company's image suffers, EV market experts are watching closely to see whether the fallout from Musk's far-right activities will affect the broader e-mobility transition. Transportation is the second-largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions, behind power generation, and is responsible for about 15 percent of the world's emissions. The U.S. contributes the biggest share of transportation emissions by far, and 'light-duty vehicles' (including personal cars and trucks) are responsible for around 57 percent of transportation emissions in the U.S. Most of these emissions come from burning gasoline, and electric vehicles, which can run on renewable energy, have the potential to significantly reduce the sector's carbon footprint. A recent independent analysis suggests that Tesla's cars prevented between 10.2 million and 14.4 million metric tons of carbon in 2023 — about the same impact as 3,000 to 4,000 wind turbines running for a year. The transformation of Tesla cars from a symbol of green progress to an embodiment of authoritarianism has been widespread and fast-moving. In the U.S., the brand's fall from grace has mirrored Musk's gutting of essential government agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In Europe, public ire has focused on Musk's Nazi salute at Trump's inauguration and his backing of far-right political parties in Germany, Italy, and the UK. In mid-February, the 'Tesla Takedown' protest movement began organizing demonstrations at Tesla showrooms across the U.S. and Europe. A decentralized campaign originally launched by actor Alex Winter and sociologist Joan Donovan, Tesla Takedown has organized protests around the world — including hundreds in a single Saturday for its recent 'Global Day of Action.' The movement's advocates suggest that tanking Tesla's stock price (and therefore also Musk's net worth) is a viable means of reducing the political power of the man who is currently running a chainsaw through American institutions. Most of the organized opposition to Tesla has been peaceful, but vandals torched Tesla cars and chargers in France, Germany, Massachusetts, Nevada, Missouri, and other states last month. The Trump administration has called attacks on Tesla products 'domestic terrorism.' Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department will seek a 20 year prison sentence for one man accused of vandalizing a Tesla dealership. As protests have gained steam, Tesla's global sales have plummeted. Tesla announced on Wednesday that its worldwide sales in the first quarter of 2025 were down 13 percent from the same period in 2024. The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association reported that Tesla sales across the continent dropped in January and February by 43 percent compared to a year prior. Australia's Electric Vehicle Council found that Tesla sales in the country were down 35 percent in the four months following Trump's election victory compared with the year before. The country that has seen the biggest recent drop in Tesla sales is Germany, where sales fell by 76 percent year-over-year in February, according to the country's road traffic agency. Stateside, Tesla's sales losses compared to a year ago haven't been quite as dramatic — in part because sales had already begun to drop last year. But backlash against Musk appears to be having an effect — registrations of new Teslas were down 11 percent across the U.S. in January compared to a year before. And in California the number of Tesla owners trading in their cars jumped nearly 250 percent in March, compared to the same month last year. Meanwhile, Tesla's stock price has also taken a hit. On March 10, Tesla stock dropped 15 percent, marking the brand's biggest single-day loss in five years. As of the end of March, the company's stock price was down 32 percent from the beginning of the year and 44 percent since mid-December. Even insiders like Tesla chair Robyn Denholm and board member James Murdoch have recently dumped millions of dollars worth of stock. This week, 27 lawmakers in New York penned a letter to the state comptroller requesting that Tesla stock be removed from the state's biggest public pension fund. Unfortunately for Tesla workers, the backlash aimed at Musk may take its toll on them, as many have long accepted salaries below industry norms in exchange for stock options. Tesla has been steeped in controversy since before Musk's interventions in the American government — and even before he bought and rapidly transformed Twitter in 2022. While EVs may be better for the planet than their gas-burning counterparts, they also fuel lithium extraction and require tremendous energy to manufacture. And Tesla has faced criticism for years for its apparent disregard for the well-being of its labor force — from miners in the Global South facing human rights abuses to factory workers in the U.S. and Europe who've documented hazardous conditions and hostile, racist work environments. Musk is also starkly anti-union: Tesla is the only major auto brand whose workers are not represented by any union in the U.S., and its refusal to negotiate with workers in Sweden resulted in a mechanics strike that has been dragging on since October 2023. Tesla has also had negative impacts on the local environments it operates in. Its factories have racked up huge fines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for emitting toxic chemicals. The expansion of a Tesla factory in Germany was opposed unsuccessfully by local residents and climate activists who said it threatened local drinking water resources. Tesla dissolved its public relations department in 2020, and its investor relations department didn't respond to Grist's request for comment for this article. If Musk's participation in the Trump administration continues to hurt Tesla's brand, what will the impact be on the broader EV market? Industry analysts at S&P Global Mobility predict global EV sales will grow by nearly 30 percent this year despite uncertain market conditions. And even as European Tesla sales dropped 43 percent in the first two months of this year, overall EV sales increased 31 percent during the same period. Still, not all experts are optimistic. Murtuza Ali, a senior analyst at the market research firm Counterpoint Research, told Grist that 'some consumers may be unwilling to switch' from Tesla to other brands, especially given 'Tesla's key attraction — an expansive charging network, which other automakers cannot replicate overnight.' But others in the industry suggest that the EV market is now robust enough that Tesla's continued decline won't dampen growing EV adoption. 'The EV market has gotten so much stronger in the past year that buyers can find a good alternative should they decide not to buy a Tesla,' said Will Roberts, automotive research lead at the EV market analysis firm Rho Motion. Steffen Schaefer, head of future cities and mobility at AFRY Management Consulting, who has worked with automakers, utility companies, and charge point operators on EV charging projects, agreed. 'If Tesla would go down, it would not be the end of the e-mobility movement,' he said. 'The industry is now solid enough that it's going to continue.' Meanwhile, Tesla's competitors are not missing their chance to profit from its demise. In February, the Norway division of the South Korean automaker Kia posted an ad on one of its social media pages showing a Kia EV with a bumper sticker on it reading 'I bought this after Elon went crazy' — a play on stickers adopted by Tesla owners protesting that they bought their cars 'before Elon went crazy.' (Kia headquarters quickly clarified that it hadn't approved the ad.) Swedish EV maker Polestar went a step further and offered a $5,000 'conquest bonus' toward a lease of the Polestar 3 to current Tesla owners in the U.S. who are willing to make the switch. Polestar initially offered the deal for one week in February — but after its head of U.S. sales reported above-average orders during that period, the brand extended the promotion through the end of March. This story was originally published by Grist with the headline What Tesla's massive image problem means for the world's transition to EVs on Apr 2, 2025.
The Independent
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Tesla's takedown protests have produced one big loser – and his name is Elon Musk
Tesla owners, workers and investors are getting used to it by now. Even so, last Saturday 29 March 2025 is a day they would rather forget. Dubbed Tesla Takedown's Global Day of Action, rallies took place in front of hundreds of showrooms worldwide. Billed as the biggest demonstration so far against the electric car brand and specifically its CEO, Elon Musk, the protests began soon after Donald Trump 's inauguration and the confirmation of Musk's appointment to reduce US federal government inefficiency and expenditure. Four months in and new figures show that Tesla delivered 13 per cent fewer cars in the first quarter of this year with many commentators pointing to the growing backlash to Elon Musk. There were rumblings of discontent before, as those liberal eco-minded folks who had rushed to buy his ground-breaking car found themselves witnessing the developing bromance between Trump and the world's richest man. They didn't sign up to someone with an avowed opposition to renewable energy naming their hero, for that's what Musk was to many of them back then, as 'first buddy'. Yet there they were, right-wing president and trusted lieutenant, side by side, sharing platforms and photo opportunities together, literally presented as brothers in arms. Further affirmation of his politics not being theirs came with Musk facing accusations that he gave two Nazi-style salutes. Since then, they've had to stomach a surreal joint press conference from the Oval Office, complete with one of Musk's numerous children cavorting around. Since then, as well, they've had to see brutal castigations and firings of thousands of public servants and wholesale departmental closures and stand downs, not least of the one that does its bit to distribute America's wealth to the world's poor. They have had to wear a collapse in resale prices. Those smartly designed, ultra-high tech and oh so climate friendly, saloons they so proudly bought and drove are now worth a fraction of what they paid. Meanwhile, new sales have crashed and the company stock is off 35 per cent. Investors are fuming. Musk himself is not immune, suffering a 25 per cent fall in his net worth. Seemingly, he remains uncowed. Stop, say the campaigners, and they will stop. Tesla Takedown promises to 'protest Tesla for as long as Elon Musk continues to shred public services'. His fossil fuel-loving pal has come to his assistance. Trump has displayed Teslas on the White House drive and been pictured behind the wheel, exclaiming 'Wow… everything's computer' and promising to buy one. The president lambasted the anti-Tesla demonstrations and said he would designate any attacks on the dealerships as domestic terrorism. Musk's opponents are as equally undeterred as he is determined to purge what he claims is governmental waste. Violence against Tesla showrooms has not died away, quite the reverse, with the hurling of petrol bombs, firing of gunshots and spraying of graffiti. The FBI has been forced to mount a taskforce to pursue the 'domestic terrorists' with one arrest made so far. Tesla Takedown says it is not responsible for these attacks. 'We are a non-violent grassroots protest movement. We oppose violence and destruction of property. Peaceful protest on public property is not domestic terrorism.' That movement has resulted in the production of car bumper stickers proclaiming, 'I bought this before Elon went crazy' and the swamping of social media, some of which of course belongs to Musk himself with memes and posts ridiculing and denouncing him. There have been placards declaring 'Diabolical Oligarchs Gaslighting Everyone'' a play on his body's title of Department of Government Efficiency and Tesla's new moniker of 'No Swastikars'. On they proceed, both sides locked in intractable positions. There will be a loser and it's hard to see how it won't be Musk. For all his undoubted genius – not long ago he was enjoying universal acclaim for docking a returning space rocket as neatly as a car manoeuvring into a parking space – Musk's stance appears increasingly fragile. There is no escape, unless he severs his ties with Tesla completely (and he is the founder and biggest shareholder as well as the boss) which is unlikely or he quits Trump's government and the task he has been asked to do. To date, he is betraying signs of denial, not letting up and at the same time reassuring worried Tesla staff, without supplying the evidence, that better times are coming. Normally, consumer boycotts run out of steam and fail. Rarely do they last the distance. But this one bears the hallmarks of ultimate success. There is a common, identifiable, well-known human target; the Tesla marque and its forecourts are everywhere; the vehicle owners might be wedded to the car for what it does, but they are ever distant from its creator for what he is doing; there is no group that can take their place – the MAGA faithful are not the sorts to desire 'green' automobiles. Then, there are those who can control Musk, that even he must listen to. He may have the biggest block of shares but add theirs together and they speak for more. At some point and after the weekend it may have edged closer, their undoubted frustration will turn to anger. It will be Tesla and a substantial slice of his fortune and therefore his power, or Trump. He cannot have both; one must go. Possibly, he saw what would unfold when he took up the cudgels on Trump's behalf. In which case, he is on some sort of financial self-harming mission or he didn't and that much-vaunted brain of his let him down. For all his love of modernity a very old tale springs to mind, one with which, given his knowledge of space travel, he should be familiar. It's the story of Icarus.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Wide-scale domestic terrorism': Elon Musk urges authorities ‘go after the generals' behind Tesla attacks
Amid a wave of violence against Tesla vehicles, showrooms and charging stations, Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk labeled the attacks as "wide-scale domestic terrorism" and demanded authorities "go after the generals" behind the violence. Reports of Tesla-related incidents have been increasing nationwide, ranging from minor vandalism, such as keying or graffiti, to more extreme cases like arson and drive-by shootings allegedly targeting Tesla vehicles. Over the weekend, anti-Musk protesters saw one of their biggest shows of force as the decentralized movement known as Tesla Takedown planned a "Global Day of Action" targeting more than 500 Tesla locations worldwide. "This is fundamentally a case of terrorism. It's wide-scale domestic terrorism with the purpose of intimidation, and it's harming innocent people. It's really terrible," Musk said Tuesday on "The Five." "What we actually have to get to are the people who are organizing and paying for these attacks and protests. That's who we really need to go after, because the people that were actually throwing the Molotov cocktails — they're the foot soldiers, but we need to go after the generals." Elon Musk Torches Democrats For Being 'Real Villains' Of Tesla Vandalism, Blames Left-wing Propaganda Read On The Fox News App "The president has made it very clear that we're going to go after those that are paying and organizing these violent attacks, and Attorney General Bondi has said the same thing. I believe that that is exactly what will happen," Musk said, adding the administration knows who these "generals" are. In response to the nationwide violence, the FBI launched a task force to investigate attacks on Tesla owners. FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the incidents are being treated as "domestic terrorism." THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY… PLEASE STAY WITH FOX NEWS FOR article source: 'Wide-scale domestic terrorism': Elon Musk urges authorities 'go after the generals' behind Tesla attacks
