U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced federal charges against three individuals accused of violent attacks on Tesla properties amid ongoing protests over Elon Musk’s controversial role in the Trump administration.
In a statement Thursday, Bondi warned that “the days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” vowing to crack down on what she called “domestic terrorism against Tesla properties.”
The Justice Department alleges the suspects used Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla vehicles and charging stations in separate incidents across Oregon, Colorado, and South Carolina.
One suspect, arrested in Salem, Oregon, was allegedly armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle while throwing incendiary devices at a Tesla dealership.
Another, apprehended in Loveland, Colorado, was reportedly in possession of materials to produce additional firebombs. A third suspect in Charleston, South Carolina, is accused of defacing Tesla charging stations with anti-Trump graffiti before setting them on fire.
Each suspect faces charges carrying penalties ranging from five to 20 years in prison, though the specific charges have not been disclosed.
The attacks come as Tesla faces mounting backlash following Musk’s appointment as head of the “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge), a new agency overseeing deep budget cuts to federal programs.
Critics have challenged the legality of Musk’s role, and judges have blocked several of his directives. Tesla’s stock price has plummeted, with Wedbush analyst Dan Ives calling the situation a “brand tornado crisis.”
Musk has denied wrongdoing, blaming the backlash on “mental illness” and “fraudulent government workers” upset by budget cuts. He insisted, “Tesla is a peaceful company,” while accusing his critics of attempting to destroy both him and the company.
Federal authorities continue to investigate the attacks.
