Trump touting prison sentences for Tesla vandals doubles down on his frail ego

According to Donald Trump, vandalism is now an act of terrorism.

In response to a slew of recent vandalizations of Tesla vehicles in done out of protest against Elon Musk, Trump announced that he would consider prison sentences for the perpetrators. Trump took to Truth Social to speak on the attacks on electric vehicles, denouncing the vandals as “sick terrorist thugs” and saying that he would enjoy sentencing them 20 years in an El Salvadorian prison.

Considering that Trump pardoned the sentences of over a thousand people charged with violent crimes related to the January 6th attack on the Capitol Building, the president’s call to prosecute Tesla vandals comes with a palpable sense of irony. Nevertheless, Trump’s vindictive statement has been echoed by key voices in his administration, with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi describing the Tesla vandalism as “nothing short of domestic terrorism.” Bondi doubled down on Trump’s calls to prosecute the vandals to the further than fullest extend of the law, threatening “severe consequences” on the people involved, including those “operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes” – suggesting that Tesla defacements are not isolated acts, but part of a coordinated effort by an organized force.

The Trump administration’s paranoia has been fueled by a recent uptick in vandalism against Tesla vehicles, which has occurred all across the nation. A Tesla dealership in Colorado saw numerous vehicles vandalized, while seven charging stations in Boston were set in fire in the middle of the night in March. Colorado woman Lucy Grace Nelson is currently facing a federal charge for malicious destruction of property for allegedly spray painting the word “Nazi” on multiple vehicles and a Tesla storefront. If convicted, she could serve up to 20 years in prison. Other Tesla dealerships have reported similar acts of vandalism, with numerous locations that reporting that vandals have graffitied, burned, and shot Tesla vehicles and storefronts.

Trump’s administration is ready to defend Musk, no matter the controversy

Critics of Musk have engaged in peaceful acts of resistance as well, and demonstrators have flocked to Tesla dealership and showrooms in Massachusetts, New York and California as part of “Tesla Takedown” protests. Their actions are in direct response to the legally dubious decisions made by the Department of Government Efficiency, which is currently under scrutiny for shutting down government agencies including USAID – an organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid overseas.

Trump’s aggressive defense of Tesla is part of an administration-wide attempt to support Musk, whose electric vehicle company stock value has plummeted by 50% since December 2025. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik attempted to put a positive spin on Tesla’s bearish outlook, telling Fox News host Jesse Waters that everyone should invest in the stock because it will “never be this cheap again.” Despite Lutnik’s predictions, Tesla’s stock got even cheaper, and the company’s value has fallen further since the interview. The president himself has attempted to boost Tesla’s public image by posing for a photo op with the company’s electric vehicles in front of the White House.

In response to the growing animosity towards Musk, some Tesla drivers have attempted to defend their car purchases. In a post on X, one user pointed out a Tesla bearing a bumper sticker that reads “I bought this before Elon went crazy.”

Despite Trump’s threats against Tesla vandals, “domestic terrorism” is not a recognized federal offense. The U.S. government however recently struck a deal with El Salvador in order to deport Venezuelan migrants to a particular prison infamous for human rights abuses. Trump plan to subject both migrants and American citizens to such conditions speaks to his abject cruelty, a quality his administration continues to support. The demands that Tesla vandals should be subject to a cruel prison sentence demonstrates the frailness of Trump’s ego, and attests to how he’ll say just about anything to look tough. I’m still not sure why Trump is so eager to defend his treacherous eunuch in a weak attempt to save face… Does supporting Musk jack up Trump’s ego in a way? It’s starting to feel like that, and I don’t like it.