“Death by a thousand Musk Cuts” is the chant ringing through the United States this week.
Over a hundred protestors flooded the pathway outside the New York City Tesla Showroom on Saturday. It was one of over 200 rallies across the United States as part of a global “Tesla Takedown” campaign.
Vincent Navarro is a Korean War Veteran. He stood alongside other seniors looking to voice frustration over federal cuts made under the Trump administration.
“We might end up losing all our benefits, if this guy has his way, and that should never be because that was a pledge that the United States Government gave to veterans,” said Navarro to True Hollywood Talk.
The crowds are the latest strategy in a movement to protest funding cuts, worker layoffs, and data collection carried out by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Activists are hoping to hurt Musk’s pockets by reducing the value of his electric vehicle company and denigrating the brand’s reputation. Tesla’s stock price has dropped more than 31% since January after Musk became an influential figure under the current administration. According to NPR, Tesla sales are done by 13% in its first quarter compared to the previous year. Despite the recent movement, Musk still remains the richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of more than $380 Billion.
The day of collective action comes after several Tesla vehicles across the country were vandalized and grassroots demonstrators have been popping up outside of dealerships. Tesla locations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Washington, and Illinois, all had protesters surrounding its doors this week.
Musk acknowledged recent backlash during a meeting with employees on March 20th that was livestreamed on social media platforms. The CEO encouraged employees to “Hang on to your stock.”
March 29, 2025 (Amelia Burns)
U.S. consumers aren’t the only ones with a grudge against the billionaire. According to CNN, more than 200 demonstrations aimed at Musk took place throughout Europe, Canada, and the U.S., as part of the ‘Tesla Takedown’ global day of action.
NEW YORK – Protesters march through New York City’s Meatpacking District on their way to the Tesla Showroom. Dozens of attendees hold signs with criticism for Elon Musk’s heading of DOGE under the Trump Administration. March 29, 2025 (Amelia Burns)
Outside the showroom in Manhattan, attendee Karen Guancione tells True Hollywood talk she joined the crowd to take a stand against foreign policy initiatives she feels are “dismantling of alliances.”
“I’m here because I believe that it’s we the people that have to do something to seize back our country, which is being taken over by a handful of very rich billionaires who are trying to divide everybody.”
