Musk accuses billionaires of funding protests at Tesla showrooms
What's the story
Elon Musk has accused billionaires George Soros and Reid Hoffman of funding recent protests at Tesla showrooms. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), he said, "An investigation has found 5 ActBlue-funded groups responsible for Tesla 'protests': Troublemakers, Disruption Project, Rise & Resist, Indivisible Project and Democratic Socialists of America." He further named the funders of the groups, including Soros, Hoffman, Herbert Sandler, Patricia Bauman, and Leah Hunt-Hendrix.
Prior remarks
Musk's previous comments on ActBlue and its officials
Musk's latest allegations target Soros, a regular subject of unfounded conspiracy theories, and Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and Democratic donor. This comes after a comment he made a day earlier, saying, "Something stinks about ActBlue," in response to a post on X about seven senior ActBlue officials resigning at the end of February. However, he hasn't provided evidence to back these claims, leading to widespread online skepticism.
Protests
Protests against Tesla's government job cuts
Tesla has become a focal point for protesters who are upset with Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) push to cut federal government jobs. Over the weekend, several protesters were arrested outside a Tesla dealership in New York City, with some chanting, "We need clean air, not another billionaire." Earlier in the week, around 350 demonstrators gathered outside a Tesla dealership in Portland, Oregon, chanting, "Elon Musk has got to go."
Coordination
Tesla takedown website coordinates protests
Many of these protests appear to be coordinated through the Tesla Takedown website, which encourages participants to "sell your Teslas, dump your stock, join the picket lines." The site lists the Troublemakers and Disruption Project organizations as sponsors—two groups mentioned in Musk's recent post. This indicates a coordinated effort among these organizations to protest against Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk.