The FBI has launched a joint task force with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to investigate a series of violent attacks targeting Tesla properties, including a recent incident involving incendiary devices at a Tesla showroom in Austin, Texas.
FBI Director Kash Patel condemned the attacks as “domestic terrorism” and vowed to bring those responsible to justice.
The FBI has been investigating the increase in violent activity toward Tesla, and over the last few days, we have taken additional steps to crack down and coordinate our response. This is domestic terrorism. Those responsible will be pursued, caught, and brought to justice.
The federal investigation follows a disturbing trend of vandalism and criminal acts against Tesla, the electric vehicle giant led by Elon Musk.
Authorities suspect these incidents may be linked to growing opposition against Musk’s role in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a controversial initiative aimed at aggressively cutting federal government spending and workforce.
Tesla targeted in escalating attacks
The latest attack occurred on Monday when a bomb squad discovered multiple incendiary devices at a Tesla showroom in Austin—the same city where the company is headquartered.
The FBI swiftly responded by forming a dedicated task force with the ATF to crack down on the growing wave of violence.
“The FBI has been investigating the increase in violent activity toward Tesla, and over the last few days, we have taken additional steps to crack down and coordinate our response,” Patel said in a post on X, the social media platform owned by Musk.
“This is domestic terrorism,” he declared. “Those responsible will be pursued, caught, and brought to justice.”
Tesla has faced repeated instances of property damage, with multiple reports of vandalized vehicles and facilities.
While details on the motives remain unclear, many speculate that opposition to Musk’s influence in the government, particularly through DOGE’s federal downsizing agenda, has fueled the unrest.
‘Anyone burning Tesla vehicles is psycho’
At a recent Tesla event, Musk addressed the rising number of attacks on Tesla properties, warning that such acts are not only criminal but also senseless.
“If you read the news, it feels like, you know, Armageddon,” Musk told employees.
He criticized those behind the vandalism, saying, “Anyone burning Tesla vehicles is psycho. Stop being psycho!”
With the FBI and ATF now involved, Tesla’s security measures are under heightened scrutiny.
The investigation into the Tesla attacks comes at a time of heightened political tensions, with Musk’s role in the Trump administration drawing both strong support and fierce criticism.
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