PHOENIX — U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona is joining a growing list of public figures who are getting rid of their Tesla electric vehicles in protest against billionaire Elon Musk.
“Every time I drive it, I feel like a rolling billboard for a man dismantling our government and hurting people,” Kelly said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “So Tesla, you’re fired!”
It’s an escalation from an incident earlier this week wherein Elon Musk called Kelly a traitor after the Democrat expressed his support for Ukraine.
Kelly said in a video that, when he bought the car, he didn’t think it was going to become a political issue. The senator went on to say it reminded him of “just how much damage Elon Musk and Donald Trump are doing to our (sic) country.”
Since Trump took office in January, Musk has wielded unprecedented influence through the White House and its Department of Government Efficiency. The department has claimed responsibility for firing swaths of new and career federal workers and freezing trillions of dollars in federal grant funding.
Those actions have triggered backlash such protestors gathering outside of Tesla showrooms across the country and high-profile figures like Kelly encouraging others to boycott the EV manufacturer. Some Tesla facilities and vehicles have been vandalized.
In an unusual show of loyalty, Trump called these boycotts illegal and used the White House driveway as a showroom to shop for a Tesla to buy. Tesla’s share price has dropped roughly 48% since January, but saw a bump in value after the demonstration.
“What matters is doing the right thing. I think it’s time to get rid of it,” Kelly concluded.
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