Mar 20, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Three charged in arson attacks on Tesla properties

Sareen Habeshian

People participate in a "Tesla Takedown" protest against Elon Musk outside a Tesla dealership in Pasadena, California, March 8, 2025. US President Donald Trump's senior advisor Elon Musk is leading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has cut thousands of government jobs a — People participate in a "Tesla Takedown" protest against Elon Musk outside a Tesla dealership in Pasadena, California, March 8. Photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Three people have been charged on suspicion of violently destroying Tesla properties, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Thursday.

The big picture: President Trump's attorney general a day earlier characterized the recent string of vandalism at Tesla dealerships as acts of "domestic terrorism," and threatened "severe consequences" for those involved.

The Department of Justice said Thursday it's "committed to ending all acts of violence and arson directed at Tesla properties and otherwise."

Driving the news: All three individuals, each in different states, are accused of using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars, dealerships or charging stations.

One armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle was arrested after allegedly throwing eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon.
Another was arrested in Loveland, Colorado, after allegedly attempting to light Tesla vehicles on fire using Molotov cocktails.
A third person was taken into custody in Charleston, South Carolina, for writing "profane messages against President Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting the charging stations on fire with Molotov cocktails."

What she's saying: "The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended," Bondi said in a statement. "Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars."

Zoom out: Trump and his allies have denounced the #TeslaTakedown movement, which has targeted DOGE leader Elon Musk's signature brand.

Musk's role as a senior adviser the administration has hurt his EV company, with sales slumping in the first quarter of 2025 and Tesla's post-election stock bump fading sharply.
While organized protests have largely been peaceful, vandals across the country have damaged or defaced Tesla vehicles in recent weeks.
The FBI said Wednesday it is investigating attacks targeting Tesla vehicles and dealerships, along with related swatting incidents.

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Three charged in arson attacks on Tesla properties

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