1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: Colson Media. 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 2: This is it could happen here. I'm Garrison Davis. Tesla 3 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 2: derangement syndrome is sweeping the nation the last week. On 4 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:18,280 Speaker 2: March eleventh, President Donald Trump starred in a thirty five 5 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 2: minute Tesla commercial broadcast live from the White House driveway 6 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 2: to news stations across the country. This presidential ad campaign 7 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 2: started with Trump announcing that he himself would buy a 8 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 2: Tesla in support of his unique advisor, Elon Musk, whose 9 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 2: business ventures have taken a sour turn as of late. 10 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 2: To assist Trump with his purchase, the South Lawn was 11 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 2: temporarily turned into a Tesla showroom with five different models 12 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: parked in a row to choose which shiny new car 13 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 2: to buy. A significant portion of this Tesla sales event 14 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 2: was spent by Trump praising Elon Musk's work at DOGE 15 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 2: as well as Elon's business venture, and complaining about people 16 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 2: treating Elon Musk unfairly, saying that he quote shouldn't be 17 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 2: penalized because he's a patriot. 18 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 3: I guess I'm just selling people this man is a 19 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 3: great patriot, and you. 20 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 2: Should cherish him. 21 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 4: You should cherish him. 22 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: You know. 23 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:20,680 Speaker 5: I have a little statement we have to take care 24 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 5: of our high IQ people because we don't have too 25 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 5: many of them. 26 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 2: We gotta take care of him. As for the cars, 27 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 2: Trump mentioned that he actually already bought a cyber truck 28 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 2: for his granddaughter Kai, which Trump called the coolest design, 29 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 2: but this time he chose a red Tesla model s. 30 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: Upon climbing in the car, that secret service does not 31 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 2: allow him to operate, Trump remarked, Wow, everything's computer. At 32 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 2: the end of the live streamed Tesla commercial, Trump said 33 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 2: that he would pay with a check, though for the 34 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 2: duration of the event, Trump served as both buyer and salesman. 35 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 2: He read off from a sheet of notes on pricing 36 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 2: and features for various Tesla models, like how quote Tesla's 37 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 2: can be purchased for as low as two ninety nine 38 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 2: a month. 39 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 3: So I have a lot of information that turned into pritic. 40 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I want to make a good deal here, you know, 41 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 2: I do notice this they have won, which is thirty 42 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 2: five thousand dollars, which is pretty low. 43 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 4: What is that all about? 44 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 2: This whole charad was an explicit attempt to rescue Tesla's 45 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 2: plummeting stock price and help foster a new demographic of 46 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 2: electric car buyers. Anti will conservatives looking to show support 47 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: of Elon Musk, Doge, and the new Trump administration through 48 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 2: consumer purchases. Trumb himself said that he hoped doing ads 49 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 2: for Tesla on the White House driveway would help Tesla's 50 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 2: stock value and encouraged others to buy Elon's cars. The 51 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 2: next day, Tesla shares did rise four percent, but are 52 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 2: now trending back down amid a global wave of protests 53 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 2: against Tesla for Musks involved mint with Doge and the 54 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 2: Trump administration, as well as Elon's Nazi curious behavior. Trump 55 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:09,920 Speaker 2: has tried to face this wave of hate against his 56 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 2: new best friend, head On Truthing on his platform of 57 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 2: choice Truth Social last week quote Elon Musk is putting 58 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 2: it on the line in order to help our nation, 59 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 2: and he is doing a fantastic job. But the radical 60 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 2: left lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally 61 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 2: and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the world's greatest automakers, 62 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 2: and Elon's quote unquote baby, in order to attack and 63 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 2: do harm to Elon and everything he stands for. They 64 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 2: tried to do it to me at the twenty twenty 65 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 2: four presidential ballot box. But how did that work out? Unquote. 66 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: There's a lot to impact there, from Trump calling Tesla 67 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 2: Elon's baby, despite Elon carrying around his baby at the 68 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 2: White House near twenty four to seven, to bizarrely declaring 69 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: protest boycotts as illegal. Not only has Trump called the 70 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 2: Tesla boycott illegal, but during the White House car commercial, 71 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 2: he announced that vandalism of Tesla's will be labeled as 72 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 2: domestic terrorism, promising that perpetrators will quote unquote go through hell. 73 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 2: White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said, quote ongoing and heinous 74 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 2: acts of violence against Tesla by radical leftist activists are 75 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 2: nothing short of domestic terror unquote. There certainly has been 76 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 2: a surge of violence targeted at Tesla vehicles and dealerships, 77 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 2: which I will discuss in detail later this episode, but 78 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 2: for the past months, there's also been a wave of 79 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,840 Speaker 2: nonviolent protests and mass mobilization against Musk and Tesla at 80 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 2: dealerships all around the country and even overseas, which the 81 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 2: aforementioned boycott is a part of the quote unquote Tesla 82 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 2: takedown protests call to quote sell your Tesla's, dump your stock, 83 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 2: the picket lines. We're tanking Tesla's stock price to stop 84 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 2: Musk unquote. Their website has a map of Tesla dealerships 85 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 2: around the world and a list of upcoming protests at 86 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 2: various locations, which can be searched through via zip code. 87 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 2: There have been reoccurring weekly protests at dealerships every Saturday 88 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 2: in cities across the country, with demonstrations at more than 89 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 2: fifty Tesla showrooms attracting crowds of between dozens to a thousand, 90 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 2: like in Tucson, Arizona. The boycotts and public demonstrations certainly 91 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 2: aren't helping Tesla's stock price and international reputation, but they 92 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,599 Speaker 2: are not the only display of displeasure directed at Elon 93 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 2: and Tesla, as others are employing more direct methods to 94 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 2: damage the company. Beyond peaceful protests, picketing's short lived dealership occupations, 95 00:05:55,480 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 2: and waiving anti Elon Musk signs outside Tesla stores, Tesla 96 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 2: vehicles themselves have become the nation's hottest graffiti mural service. 97 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,799 Speaker 2: Actually around the world, people have been using Tesla's to 98 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,919 Speaker 2: scribble epithets against Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Even some 99 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 2: eco conscious owners of Tesla vehicles have defaced their own 100 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 2: cars with stickers that read I bought this before he 101 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 2: was a Nazi, which, hey, you can also put on 102 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 2: your old Kanye West records. Speaking of Kanye West, some 103 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 2: individuals have taken to marking Tesla's with a swastika, which 104 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 2: at first raised eyebrows and confused some investigators, as typically 105 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 2: when there's swastika graffiti, it's supposed to be anti Semitic 106 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: in nature, whereas in this case, based on external factors, 107 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 2: this is most likely a public attempt to link Elon 108 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 2: Musk and Tesla with Nazism, following Musk's own anti Semitic posts, 109 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 2: fall Right politics, and the whole salute thing. Stickers and 110 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 2: flyers have spread from the UK to San Francisco, reading 111 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 2: don't buy a Swasta car, but it's not all stickers 112 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 2: and graffiti. We'll talk about the other Tesla attacks after 113 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 2: this ad break. Okay, we're back. One of the most 114 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 2: bizarre instances of Tesla vandalism was when forty four wheels 115 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 2: were stolen off twelve unsold Teslas in a Texas parking 116 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 2: lot on Valentine's Day. Investigators say they don't currently have 117 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 2: any leads since the nearby security cameras weren't recording and 118 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 2: the Tesla cameras were not active. These Teslas were actually 119 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 2: being stored in an Amazon parking lot six miles away 120 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 2: from their home dealership. Allegedly, Tesla is contracting with other 121 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 2: businesses to store their cars. A midwave of vandalism at 122 00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 2: Tesla dealerships. On March eleventh, wheels were damaged on multiple 123 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 2: vehicles at a Tesla dealership in Dedham, Massachusetts. In Meyers, California, 124 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 2: Tesla superchargers keep being sabotaged, with epoxy found in the 125 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 2: charging cable and anti elon musk graffiti with chargers marked 126 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 2: with swastikas. Seven Tesla charging stations at a shopping center 127 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 2: were arsened outside of Boston, Massachusetts, on March third, and 128 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 2: on March seventh, Maltov cocktails were thrown at a Tesla 129 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 2: charging station in South Carolina, with long live Ukraine on 130 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 2: the ground in red paint. A twenty four year old 131 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 2: man was taken into custody on March thirteenth. But it's 132 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 2: not just wheel thefts and supercharger sabotage. Tesla dealerships have 133 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:48,839 Speaker 2: been a target for anti musk graffiti, vandalism, and armed attacks. 134 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 2: Some commentators have been conflating the picketing protests and graffiti 135 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 2: with actual instances of arson and property destruction. People like 136 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 2: libs of TikTok labeling simple spray paint as quote unquote 137 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 2: trans violence or trans terrorism, which is not to say 138 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 2: some people aren't taking a more destructive approach towards their 139 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 2: elon musk grievances. Whether that qualifies as terrorism is another 140 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 2: issue though. On January twentieth, a man wearing black pulling 141 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 2: a wheelie cart approached a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon, 142 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 2: and threw a Molotov cocktail at a cyber truck. Surveillance 143 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,199 Speaker 2: footage shows the man pull out ignite and throw three 144 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 2: more Molotov cocktails from his rolling cart before realizing an 145 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 2: eyewitness is charging their Tesla nearby. The man in black 146 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 2: pulls out a suppressor mounted AR style rifle and points 147 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 2: it at the witness as they drive away, before continuing 148 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 2: to throw more Molotov cocktails at parked vehicles. A rock 149 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 2: was used to break the glass of the dealership showroom, 150 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 2: and another Molotov cocktail was thrown inside the building. A 151 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 2: criminal complaint claims that this incident caused around five hundred 152 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,439 Speaker 2: thousand dollars in day damage to the dealership, including damaging 153 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 2: seven Tesla vehicles. A month later, on February nineteenth, the 154 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 2: same dealership was hit again, this time with gun shots 155 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 2: breaking through windows and hitting vehicles. In early March, a 156 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 2: forty one year old man was arrested in connection to 157 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 2: both incidents, with court documents claiming fingerprints were identified on 158 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,839 Speaker 2: recovered glass bottles used for explosive devices, and the suspects 159 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 2: car was identified in footage captured by a police car 160 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 2: parked near the Tesla dealership a bit north of Salem. 161 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 2: In Tigered, Oregon, there have been two incidents of gunshots 162 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 2: being fired at a Testa dealership just this month. A 163 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 2: Tigered police press release reads quote for the second time 164 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 2: in a week, Tigered police are investigating shots fired at 165 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 2: a Tesla dealership. Early this morning, March thirteen, twenty twenty five, 166 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 2: around four fifteen am, more than a dozen shots were 167 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 2: fired at the dealership, causing extensive damage to cars and 168 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 2: showroom windows. Unquote. There's also been a series of incidents 169 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 2: at a Tesla dealership in northern Colorado. A spree of 170 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 2: anti musk graffiti and vandalism started in January, with Malotov 171 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 2: cocktail style and scendiary devices found on the scene. On 172 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 2: February seventh, police responded to a call about graffiti and 173 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 2: possible arson at the dealership. A few days later, a 174 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 2: security guard confronted an individual spray painting the front windows 175 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 2: of the dealership, and on February twenty fourth, a suspect 176 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 2: was arrested at the dealership allegedly in possession of bottles 177 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 2: and gasoline. She was charged. In late February, another person 178 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 2: was arrested allegedly in connection to a similar, yet unrelated 179 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 2: incident at the very same dealership in Loveland, Colorado. After 180 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 2: Malotov cocktail style device was found burning between two Tesla 181 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 2: vehicles on March seventh, rocks were also used to damage 182 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 2: both the building and multiple cars. At around eleven pm. 183 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 2: On Sunday Day, March ninth, four cyber trucks erupted into 184 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 2: flames at a Tesla parking lot in Seattle, Washington. On Monday, 185 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 2: March seventeenth, two cyber trucks were set on fire at 186 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 2: a dealership in Kansas City. Here's how local TV news 187 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 2: reported the incident. 188 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 3: Around eleven PM, officers were called to a fire at. 189 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 2: A car lot car Hire. 190 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: In the parking lot. 191 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,559 Speaker 3: A CACPD officer was close by when he noticed smoke 192 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 3: coming from a Tesla cybertruck. The officer used his fire 193 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 3: extinguisher to try to put out the flames, but the 194 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 3: fire continued to spread. CACFD was called into help. 195 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 4: Our crews got unseen and the fire was in two 196 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 4: cyber trucks. It had spread from one to the other. 197 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 4: We were able to get water on them. Copy of 198 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 4: amounts for water Get the Fire out book. 199 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 3: Now federal agencies are getting involved. We saw an ATF 200 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 3: officer with a bag of evidence. They say this incident 201 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 3: follow similar reports from across the country of violence at 202 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 3: Tesla dealerships. I mean you're eventually gangig than. Reaction to 203 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 3: this incident has been mixed, with some condemning the crime 204 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 3: and others who see it as a former protest towards 205 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 3: the automaker. 206 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 2: And just a few days ago, on March eighteenth, an 207 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 2: individual addressed in all black fired gunshots and through Maltov cocktails, 208 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 2: damaging five cars at a Tesla service center in Las Vegas. 209 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 2: The Las Vegas Review Journal writes that the FBI Joint 210 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 2: Terrorism task Force is investigating the matter. Quote agents arrived 211 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,559 Speaker 2: at the scene early Tuesday, according to FBI Special Agent 212 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,320 Speaker 2: in Charge Spencer Evans. Evans said that while it was 213 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 2: too early to call the attack in active terrorism, it 214 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 2: had quote unquote some of the hallmarks and a potential 215 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:48,439 Speaker 2: political agenda unquote. Now this particular instant in Las Vegas 216 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:51,079 Speaker 2: really got to Elon Musk, who spent the rest of 217 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 2: the day complaining on Twitter that Tesla has quote done 218 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 2: nothing to deserve these evil attacks unquote. Attacks on Tesla 219 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 2: have not been contained to the United States. In early 220 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:07,080 Speaker 2: March twelve, Tesla's parked outside of a dealership in southern 221 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 2: France were set ablaze, and outside Berlin, unknown persons set 222 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 2: fire to a high voltage transmission line on a power pylon, 223 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 2: cutting power to a massive Tesla manufacturing plant in Germany 224 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 2: for multiple days. This follows a series of direct actions 225 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 2: and a forest encampment where the Tesla gigafactory seeks to 226 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 2: expand by leveling two hundred and fifty acres of forest. 227 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:35,239 Speaker 2: The German forest encampment lasted nine months before being successfully 228 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 2: raided by police this last November, with police destroying treehouses 229 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 2: and trashing tents after the whole my heart goes out 230 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 2: to use salute and subsequent endorsement of AfD. Musk's reputation 231 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 2: in Germany specifically is suffering steep decline. To quote the 232 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 2: Washington Post quote, Tesla stock has fallen by more than 233 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 2: thirty five percent since Trump's inauguration and last year the 234 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 2: comp but he suffered its first annual sales drop in 235 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 2: more than a decade. In Germany, Tesla car sales plummeted 236 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 2: by seventy six percent in February compared with a year earlier, 237 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 2: according to figures released Wednesday, and some owners have expressed 238 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 2: buyer's remorse over owning a car some now see as 239 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 2: a symbol of far right politics, a stark departure from 240 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 2: the environmental consciousness it was epitomized. And we'll talk more 241 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 2: about how these protests are affecting Tesla's international reputation after 242 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 2: this ad break. Okay, we're back. 243 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 6: Right. 244 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 2: After the November election, Tesla stock surged to a never 245 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 2: before seen high of one point five four trillion dollars, 246 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 2: but as Musk's direct involvement in the government was ramped up, 247 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 2: Tesla has fallen to about seven hundred and seventy seven billion. 248 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 2: The massively inflated value of Tesla stock is directly related 249 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 2: to the public perception of Elon Musk and Tesla stock 250 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 2: greatly determines Musk's own net worth, which is down more 251 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 2: than one hundred and forty billion from this past December peak. 252 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 2: When Elon's reputation gets damaged, so does Tesla's and vice versa. 253 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 2: Tesla stock has been declining for nine consecutive weeks. JP 254 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 2: Morgan analysts recently said that Tesla has lost so much 255 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 2: value so quick that there really isn't any comparison. Quote. 256 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 2: We struggle to think of anything analogous in the history 257 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 2: of the automotive industry in which of brand has lost 258 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 2: so much value so quickly unquote, and Forbes writes quote. 259 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 2: Last week, JP Morgan analysts described the recent melting of 260 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 2: Tesla's perception, especially in pockets of the world in which 261 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 2: Musk inserted himself into right wing politics, such as Germany. 262 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 2: About fifty three percent of response to a CNN poll 263 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 2: published last week said that they hold a negative opinion 264 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 2: of Musk, compared to roughly thirty five percent with a 265 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 2: positive view and eleven percent with no take unquote. Overseas, 266 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:16,360 Speaker 2: Tesla sales in general are way down, even as electric 267 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 2: vehicle purchasing is going up. New data from the European 268 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 2: Automotive Manufacturers Association show that Tesla registrations in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, 269 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 2: and the UK have dropped by forty five percent when 270 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 2: you compare January twenty twenty four to January twenty twenty five. 271 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 2: And this decline from Tesla comes as overall electric vehicle 272 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 2: sales have increased thirty seven percent in the same January 273 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 2: twenty four to twenty five head to head comparison. China's 274 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 2: own evs are surpassing Tesla in global production and sales 275 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 2: in China, which is a huge EV market, and Chinese 276 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 2: manufacturer BYD is on track to over take Tesla in 277 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 2: global sales this year. And so if you consider the 278 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:09,119 Speaker 2: Tesla protests as a sort of public display of unhappiness 279 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 2: with Tesla and Elon Musk, combined with all these other 280 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 2: economic factors impacting the automaker, if these trends continue, Musk 281 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 2: and Tesla could be in real trouble. After the Las 282 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 2: Vegas attack this Tuesday, Musk went onto Fox News to 283 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 2: explain the situation as he sees it. 284 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 6: Yeah, it turns out when you take away people's you 285 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,959 Speaker 6: know what, the money they're receiving. Fortunately, they get very 286 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 6: upset and they basically want to kill me because I'm 287 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 6: stopping their fraud and they want to hurt Tesla because 288 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 6: they're stopping this terrible waste and corruption in the government. 289 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 6: And well, I guess they're bad people. Bad people will 290 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 6: do bad things. 291 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 2: Essentially, Tesla is seen as an extension of Elon, and 292 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 2: right now, Elon is seen as an extension of the 293 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 2: Trump government, and even if people feel powerless to stop 294 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 2: the government, hurting Tesla is seen as a much more 295 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 2: achievable goal with ripple effects that reach Elon, Doge and 296 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:21,440 Speaker 2: the Trump administration. And compared to protesting the government, Tesla 297 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 2: is a soft target, with cars and dealerships all across 298 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 2: the country, not just in state capitals or in Washington, 299 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 2: d C. Whereas government facilities are typically hard targets by 300 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 2: both being less accessible and more protected. JP Morgan Analysts wrote, quote, 301 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,920 Speaker 2: mister Musk's work with the Department of Government Efficiency has 302 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 2: proven controversial domestically, and while as many members of the 303 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 2: political right may be pleased as those on the left 304 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 2: are displeased. The effect on Tesla sales seems nevertheless negative. Unquote. 305 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 2: Musk is certainly trying to make the best of it 306 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:02,159 Speaker 2: by tapping into the previous, sleep untapped ev markets of 307 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 2: mega conservatives. And though the Tesla brand is gaining popularity 308 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:11,159 Speaker 2: amongst conservatives, that demographic is just far less likely than 309 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 2: liberals to actually switch from a gas to electric car. Still, 310 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 2: the President and conservative media have been doing a lot 311 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 2: of free Tesla commercials. Last week, Sean Hannity announced on 312 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 2: air that he would be buying a Tesla. 313 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:28,880 Speaker 5: I don't believe in cancelation. I don't believe in cancel culture, 314 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:31,679 Speaker 5: you know. And I know maybe it's not going to 315 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 5: make up a difference, but you know what, after I 316 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 5: drove my friends Tesla, I went and I already picked 317 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,199 Speaker 5: out the one I want. It's called the what is 318 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 5: it called the s Plaid? And do you realize this thing? 319 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:50,120 Speaker 5: An electric vehicle has one thousand and six horsepower and 320 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 5: goes from zero to sixty two in two point zero seconds. 321 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 5: And this thing rips and you can go about four 322 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 5: hundred miles without a charge. And I don't drive enough 323 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 5: to go further than four hundred miles, So I'm good. 324 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 5: And maybe it's just a gesture on my part, and 325 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 5: I like it. I like new technology, but it's just 326 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:10,840 Speaker 5: a way of saying, you know, look what they're doing 327 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 5: to this guy. 328 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:16,159 Speaker 2: On Friday, March fourteenth, Attorney General Pam Bondi said that 329 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:20,680 Speaker 2: she is opening an investigation into the attacks against Tesla. Quote, 330 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 2: if you're going to touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, 331 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 2: do anything, you better watch out because we're coming after you. Unquote. 332 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 2: She released a statement on Tuesday after the Las Vegas arson, writing, quote, 333 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 2: the swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing 334 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 2: short of domestic terrorism unquote. Musk just can't seem to 335 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 2: understand that tons of regular people really hate him now, 336 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 2: and instead has to invent some grand conspiracy against him. 337 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 2: Here's how he explained it on Fox News. 338 00:21:57,480 --> 00:21:59,640 Speaker 6: Yeah. I mean, it's really come as quite a shock 339 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,919 Speaker 6: to me that there's this level of really hatred and 340 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 6: violence from the left. I thought the left of the 341 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 6: Democrats were supposed to be the party of empathy, the 342 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 6: party of caring, and yet they're burning down cars, they're 343 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:22,479 Speaker 6: fire bombing dealerships, they're firing bullets into dealerships. They're just 344 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 6: you know, smashing up Tesla's. Tesla is a peaceful company. 345 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 6: We've never done anything hopeful. I've never done anything howpful. 346 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 6: I've only done productive things. So I think we just 347 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 6: have a deranged It's there's there's some kind of mental 348 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 6: illness thing going on here, because this doesn't make any sense. Yeah, 349 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 6: and I think there are larger forces at work as well. 350 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 6: I mean, I don't know who's finding it and who's coordinating, 351 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:49,679 Speaker 6: because this is this is crazy. I've never seen anything 352 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 6: like this. 353 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 2: On X the Everything app. Musk is much more open 354 00:22:54,800 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 2: about who he suspects are these larger forces. Musk has 355 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:05,960 Speaker 2: claims that quote unquote multiple Democrat NGOs are coordinating quote 356 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 2: attacks on Tesla dealerships, staff, and vehicles. Last night, a 357 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 2: number of cyber trucks were torched in Seattle. Democrats are 358 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:18,919 Speaker 2: becoming increasingly more desperate and violent unquote people, and Musk's 359 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 2: replies posted about how protesters are being paid by quote 360 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 2: Democrat fundraising platform Act Blue, which is funded by Soros unquote. 361 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 2: Act Blue seems to be the right's new favorite conspiracy topic. 362 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:37,159 Speaker 2: From claiming that you said was illegally laundering money to 363 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 2: Democrats through Act Blue, and now that Act Blue itself 364 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 2: has the ability to funnel money to activist groups. Act 365 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:49,680 Speaker 2: Blue doesn't give away money or directly fund anything. It's 366 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 2: a donation based platform for registered organizations. This is like 367 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 2: saying go fundme paid for your top surgery. No people 368 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 2: donated on a fundraising platform. But nevertheless, this claim is 369 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 2: going gangbusters on X the Everything app and being boosted 370 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:11,920 Speaker 2: by Musk and his associates. A popular right wing politics 371 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 2: account on X called insurrection Barbie posted that quote attacks 372 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 2: on the Tesla dealerships, which have been linked to the 373 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 2: Indivisible Project, a left of stalin ngo that organizes street 374 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:28,919 Speaker 2: protests for the Democratic Party with shady prepaid debit cards 375 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:33,919 Speaker 2: that they run through Act Blue, are committing economic terrorism 376 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 2: meant to tank Tesla's stock and drive a wedge between 377 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 2: Musk and Trump. Unquote. Elon himself has claimed that a 378 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 2: mysterious investigation quote unquote has found quote five Act Blue 379 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:55,120 Speaker 2: funded groups responsible for the Tesla protests, Troublemakers, Disruption, Project, 380 00:24:55,280 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 2: Rise and Resist, Indivisible Project, and Democratic Socialists of America. 381 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 2: Act Blue funders include George Soros Reed Hoffman, Herbert Sandler, 382 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 2: Patricia Bowman, and Leah Hunt Hendrix. If you know anything 383 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 2: about this, please post in the replies. Thanks Elon unquote. Now, 384 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 2: the main organizations behind the Tesla takedown protests, two activist 385 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:27,200 Speaker 2: groups called the Troublemakers and the Disruption Project, don't even 386 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:31,439 Speaker 2: fundraise on Act Blue that they have no affiliation, but 387 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 2: that hasn't stopped Elon from targeting specific activists and accusing 388 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:39,640 Speaker 2: them of committing crimes simply for organizing pickets outside stores. 389 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:45,439 Speaker 2: Meanwhile invoking the old antisemitic George Soros conspiracy as Elon 390 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:48,919 Speaker 2: himself has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to right 391 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,879 Speaker 2: wing politicians this past year and has threatened to primary 392 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 2: any Republican Congressman who doesn't cave on Trump's agenda. So anyway, 393 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:01,120 Speaker 2: that is what's happening with Tesla derangement sin ndrome all 394 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:05,919 Speaker 2: across the country and even the world. Every day it 395 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 2: feels like we are getting closer and closer to the 396 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 2: cool zone. See you on the other side, It could happen. 397 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: Here is a production of cool Zone Media. For more 398 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: podcasts from Cool Zone Media, visit our website Coolzonemedia. Dot 399 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: com or check us out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, 400 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can now find 401 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: sources for it could happen here, listed directly in episode descriptions. 402 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening,