People are voicing their frustrations with the Trump administration's widespread federal cuts through protests of Elon Musk and Tesla.

The big picture: The Tesla Takedown movement calls on people to sell their Teslas and stock and join the picket lines in an effort to stop Musk, who movement organizers say "is destroying our democracy."

Driving the news: More demonstrations are planned for Saturday around the world, with at least eight dealerships around Chicago, including in the Gold Coast, Northbrook and Orland Park, according to the Tesla Takedown website.

Zoom in: The protests are primarily driven by disapproval of Musk's outsized role in the Trump administration, including the creation of DOGE, which has eliminated tens of thousands of federal jobs, and his proximity to government data.

• Others are using the Tesla protests to express frustration with President Trump.

Case in point: At a protest last Saturday outside a Northbrook Tesla dealership, Erin Burrell told Axios: "I don't think our country will last four years. This is an immediate situation."

• "He [Trump] is stealing the United States' resources. Musk is a consequence of the larger problem, which is Trump and his sycophants and the Republican Party," Burrell said.

Zoom out: Tesla sales have slumped in the first quarter, with delivery projections down by more than 4%, and Google searches for used Teslas have fallen 13%, according to Cars.com.

By the numbers: In Illinois, 475 new Teslas were registered in February, down from 609 in January and 2,135 in December 2024, according to the Secretary of State's office.

Context: Musk's political activities are just one of the reasons that could be contributing to the decline, Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive tells Axios.

• "Musk once claimed that there were 2 million "hand raisers" who had put deposits down on the Cybertruck. After selling fewer than 40,000 in 2024, consumers can now order one for immediate delivery. We can assume the decline in interest in the Cybertruck is due to poor reviews/poor performance of vehicles and exaggeration of the number of deposit holders."

Go deeper

Nearly half a million Americans, including thousands of Illinoisans, will be affected by President Trump's order to cease Social Security payments by paper check.

Why it matters: The switch risks disrupting the financial lives of some of the most vulnerable Americans, at a time when Social Security is cutting back services to help them.

Driving the news: The federal government must stop issuing paper checks by Sept. 30 in favor of direct deposit, prepaid cards, or "other digital payment options," per an order Trump signed yesterday.

Zoom in: More than 16,000 people in Illinois still receive paper Social Security checks — about 0.7% of the state's more than 2.3 million total recipients.

What's next: Social Security offers instructions on how to switch to direct deposit.

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The Illinois Tollway has been warning people not to fall for text messages saying they owe money.

The big picture: The text messages, known as smishing, or Short Message Service (SMS) phishing, are happening across the country. The sender disguises themselves as the state tollway operator claiming the recipient has an unpaid toll.

Flashback: These are not new. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office issued a warning about the scam last March, and the Federal Trade Commission issued an alert in January.

By the numbers: FTC fraud complaints in Illinois last year were higher than the U.S. average, breaking down to about 1,470 per 100,000 residents.

• The average is 1,215.
• Americans lost 25% more money to fraud last year than in 2023.

Zoom in: Raoul's office warns people to:

• Not share your phone number or other personal or financial information. Do not give out your Social Security number, bank routing numbers, or other personally identifiable financial information.

The intrigue: Do not respond to suspicious text messages, even to say "STOP." Replying to smishing messages verifies a phone number is active and willing to open such messages, which may lead to more unsolicited text messages.

More tips from the AG's office

📝 The Chicago Teachers Union appears close to a tentative agreement with CPS after nearly a year of negotiations, but haven't sealed the deal. The two sides are expected to meet back at the bargaining table Monday. (WBEZ)

⚾️ The White Sox won their home opener yesterday against the Los Angeles Angels 8-1 and the Cubs beat the Diamondbacks in Arizona 10-6.

🚙 Chicago drivers can get a city sticker with no late fees or back charges throughout April. (Block Club)

👀Discover new local events.

Murder Mystery Dinner Party – Death of a Gangster at Buddy Guy's Legends on April 10: Get ready for a thrilling night of mystery, intrigue, and deception as The Murder Mystery Company—as seen on Shark Tank (2024) and backed by Hollywood horror legend Jason Blum—brings their interactive, high-stakes murder mystery experience to Buddy Guy's Legends. $50-$100.

Hosting an event? Email [email protected].

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has put out its list of nominees for 2025 and will induct anywhere from five to seven bands and artists next month.

The big picture: While the list includes Oasis, Soundgarden and the White Stripes, Chicago fans are stymied by the exclusion of one of their own: Smashing Pumpkins.

State of play: Their resume speaks for itself. They topped the 1995 Billboard album charts with "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" and they consistently charted with songs like "1979," "Tonight, Tonight," "Disarm" and many more.

Yes, but: Over time, the Rock Hall has gone beyond just musical accomplishments, also leaning on the artist's impact on the global culture.

• Again, the Pumpkins check that box. Their hit album "Siamese Dream" helped usher in alternative music as it toppled heavy metal and rock 'n' roll during the 1990s.

Reality check: "It's crazy that they haven't even been nominated, while some of their peers have line-jumped them in the process," longtime Chicago radio and podcast host James VanOsdol tells Axios. He points out the institution has also snubbed bands like Devo, the Pixies, the Replacements and Iron Maiden.

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