Every Sunday at 2 p.m., next to the Corte Madera Tesla dealership, a passionate group of demonstrators carrying hand-painted signs gathers to protest Elon Musk’s involvement in the federal government. Musk has recently become a key figure in United States politics, donating more than $250 million to President Donald J. Trump’s campaign and heading the Trump-instated Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
According to the Associated Press, Under Musk’s leadership, DOGE plans to cut 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which provides health care to 52 percent of the U.S. veterans and grants other services such as the Veterans Crisis Line. The line aims to prevent suicide, the second-leading cause of death among veterans. The cuts to the VA and other agencies, such as the United States Agency for International Development, have been highly controversial among voters.
Frustration over Musk’s political involvement has led to peaceful protests at Tesla dealerships nationwide in cities like Corte
Madera, San Jose and San Francisco, attracting thousands of demonstrators. This frustration has also led to the vandalism of Tesla vehicles across the country.
Amy Blevins, one of the demonstrators in Corte Madera and a former nurse practitioner, is concerned about the impact VA job cuts could have on veterans and their medical care.
“Those [cut jobs] are directly related to clinical care for the vets. That’s all the medical care they get and it’s a great system,” Blevins said. “I’ve worked at the one [VA] in Seattle, and I know a lot of people who’ve worked at the VA in San Francisco. The vets get great care, so to cut that any more would be devastating.”
Maya Butterfield, another demonstrator at the scene, believes Musk’s DOGE may have ulterior motives.
“If you look at the first agencies he crippled, they all had actions against his companies. They were all investigating or regulating his companies,” Butterfield said.
There is truth to her claim as DOGE cut funding to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which had previously fined Musk-owned SpaceX $600,000 for failing to meet license requirements for two rocket launches. Additionally, DOGE cut funding to the IRS and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which respectively tax and regulate Musk’s businesses.
Tesla owners have also been drawn into the controversy, as their vehicles have inadvertently become politicized. One such person is Alex Gove, a redwood parent. “I have to say I feel uncomfortable about owning a Tesla. I just wanted my car to get me from point A to point B. I never wanted my car to be a political statement of any kind,” Gove said.
Gove isn’t alone. Many Tesla owners who are uncomfortable with Musk’s politics have put bumper stickers on their vehicles
saying things like “Anti Elon Tesla Club” to distance themselves from Musk’s ideas.
Some Tesla owners, including Gove, are taking this distancing even further by considering selling their vehicles.
“I have been considering it. It would be a terrible financial decision, but I have been considering it,” Gove said.
Backlash from disillusioned customers, combined with increasing competition, has caused Tesla’s stock price to fall by approximately 44 percent since December. As a result, the future for Tesla and its shareholders remains uncertain.
“I think the company is in peril. This could be a pretty pivotal moment for Tesla and the brand,” Gove said.
The dealership and police called to the scene of the protest on Sunday, March 15, both refused to comment.
