Tech billionaire Elon Musk’’s electric car company, Tesla, has faced a recent wave of protests, vandalism, and stock price drama related to anger over his “DOGE” efforts to reshape government agencies. But MAGA is coming to the company’s aid. President Trump on Tuesday delivered a sales pitch from the White House lawn. And, now, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), the chairwoman of the House DOGE subcommittee, has rushed to help by demanding a federal investigation from top Justice Department officials.
Greene’s letter, which was addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, was also signed by the other seven Republican members of the subcommittee. It was, however, written in the first person, as though it came from an individual.
“I am writing in regard to the recent wave of organized attacks targeting Elon Musk and Tesla car dealerships, charging stations, and vehicles across the country. These attacks, which seem to involve coordinated acts of vandalism, arson, and other acts of violence, seriously threaten public safety,” the letter said.
Along with the letter, the eight DOGE Republicans also issued a statement calling for an investigation into the matter.
“We are urging the Department of Justice and the FBI to prioritize a thorough investigation of these attacks,” the members said.
In the less than two months since Trump took office earlier this year, Musk has become one of the most visible and controversial parts of his administration, thanks both to his Inauguration-Day “seig heil” salute and the massive cuts, purges, and questionably legal access to Americans’ data undertaken by DOGE. Musk is apparently overseeing the DOGE effort, despite not officially filling the role of administrator. The initiative, which took over the U.S. Digital Service, is nominally focused on “efficiency,” but it has fallen far short of advertised savings while targeting diversity programs that represent a fraction of the federal budget.
The House DOGE subcommittee launched last month. Greene began the first hearing by declaring, “This committee will be laser-focused on bringing full transparency to the waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government and presenting the plans to fix the tremendous problems we expose.”
TPM reached out to Greene’s office to ask how pressing for an investigation into “attacks” on Tesla, which is a private company, fits with that mission.
“The attacks are directly in response to DOGE, so of course it falls under the committee,” Nick Dyer, who is Greene’s deputy chief of staff, wrote in an email. “This is political violence meant to deter us from that mission.”
A spokesperson for Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Musk also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TPM.
Acts of vandalism have hit Tesla vehicles and facilities across the United States and overseas. Tesla has also been the focus of peaceful protests.
The letter from the DOGE subcommittee attempted to tie liberal and left-wing organizations to the anti-Tesla wave. It also cited “Antifa,” a frequent right wing bogeyman. While individuals who identify as “Antifa,” which is short for antifascist, have been a consistent presence at protests in recent years, there is no single, clear organization behind the phenomenon.
“Reports suggest that groups like Antifa, known for their history of domestic terrorism, including throughout the summer of 2020 following the death of George Floyd, may be involved in the recent Tesla attacks,” Greene’s letter said. “I urge the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to prioritize a thorough investigation into these matters.”
Dyer, Greene’s deputy chief of staff, did not respond to questions asking which reports were cited in the letter. Greene, who has previously peddled blatant conspiracy theories related to “antifa,” also pointed to Musk, who has an extensive history of amplifying questionable information, as a source for the idea that liberal and left-wing organizations might be linked to the violence.
“There have been several attacks of this kind in recent days, with reports, including from Elon Musk himself, linking various Democrat-affiliated non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to them,” the letter said.
Greene’s letter concluded by asking the DOJ to identify “the individuals and groups responsible” and to answer whether there is “a link between NGOs and the organizers of these attacks.”
Trump himself has launched threats at anyone who might be linked to the anti-Tesla activity. The president, whose administration has already detained at least one political activist without evidence of criminality, has vowed harsh retribution against anyone who crosses his ally’s car company. As he touted the car company from the White House on Tuesday, Trump issued a stark warning.
“You do it to Tesla and you do it to any company, we’re going to catch you and you’re going to go through hell,” Trump said.
