DOGE protests held at various Tesla dealerships across SoCal
Musk protests target Tesla
Protesters demonstrated outside local Tesla dealerships to share their wrath at the billionaire and his DOGE activities.
LOS ANGELES - Various protests were held Saturday at numerous Tesla dealerships across Southern California.
Why they're protesting
What they're saying:
Organizers say they are protesting Elon Musk and DOGE, saying they are troubled by his unauthorized role in the federal government, and his reckless efforts to shut down agencies like USAID, along with firing tens of thousands of federal workers.
They are urging the public to sell their Tesla vehicles, and dump their stock in the company.
"When you have an out-of-control billionaire running roughshod over our country, one of the most effective ways to halt him in his tracks is to reduce one of his most prized sources of revenue, Tesla," said Tammy Silver, co-organizer of the Pasadena protest.
"We don’t have to sit idly by while he destroys programs that so many Californians rely on every day. This is a movement to hold him accountable by hitting him where it hurts – in his billion-dollar bank account."
SoCal protests
What we know:
One of the largest protests was at Tesla Pasadena.
Other protest locations include Tesla dealerships in North Hollywood, Alhambra, Upland, Malibu, Glendale, and Aliso Viejo.
Nationwide protests
Big picture view:
Similar protests have been occurring for weeks throughout the US.
Critics of Trump and Musk hope to discourage and stigmatize purchases of Tesla, the electric car company that is the world’s most valuable automaker.
RELATED: DOGE closures: List, timeline of government offices that may close this year
Musk is taking directions from Trump to slash federal spending and sharply reduce the workforce, arguing that Trump’s victory gave the president and him a mandate to restructure the U.S. government. DOGE officials have swiftly gained access to sensitive databases, directed thousands of federal job cuts, canceled contracts and shut down sections of the government, including the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Elon Musk, DOGE face pushback from Democrats
Elon Musk was in the Oval Office to talk to reporters about DOGE's budget cuts. (February 11, 2025)
By the numbers:
Tesla’s share price has fallen by nearly a third since Trump took office, though it’s still higher than it was a year ago. Musk’s current net worth is an estimated $359 billion, according to Forbes, which calculated his 2024 net worth as $195 billion.
RELATED: Trump says he’ll buy new Tesla to support Elon Musk as stock falls