The Guardian: Trump calls Tesla boycott 'illegal' and says he's buying one to support Musk

[Dennis Donovan]

The Guardian - Trump calls Tesla boycott ‘illegal’ and says he’s buying one to support Musk

President makes statement in support of Musk’s ‘baby’ as company shares fall hard and owners sell vehicles

Michael Sainato
Tue 11 Mar 2025 12.05 EDT

Donald Trump has signaled he intends to buy a “brand new Tesla” and blamed “Radical Left Lunatics” for “illegally” boycotting Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company a day after Tesla suffered its worst share price fall in nearly five years.

Tesla’s shares fell hard on Monday as markets reacted to the threat of a recession and Trump’s tariff plans. Tesla’s slide came amid widespread protests over the billionaire Musk’s influence in the federal government at Tesla dealerships, a boycott campaign, car owners selling their Tesla vehicles, and activists pushing members of the public to sell Tesla shares.

“Elon Musk is ‘putting it on the line’ in order to help our Nation, and he is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! But the Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World’s great automakers, and Elon’s ‘baby,’ in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday morning.

“In any event, I’m going to buy a brand new Tesla tomorrow morning as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American. Why should he be punished for putting his tremendous skills to work in order to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN???”

Trump’s claim the boycott is “illegal” is false. The supreme court ruled in 1972 that the first amendment of the US constitution protects Americans’ right to protest against private businesses.

/snip

[thomski64]

1. ..so Krasnov lied?

...Heaven forfend...

[Walleye]

2. "worst share price fall in nearly five years." sounds like he did pretty well during the Biden era

Do they even listen to themselves or read what they write. It’s getting to be such nonsense.

[Hekate]

3. Awww. Billionaires gotta stick together.

[gab13by13]

4. What about that 400 million to buy armored Tesla trucks?

Did that still sneak through? Tesla should be booming with that gummit subsidy.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. If TSF buys a Tesla, he thinks a multitude of

prospects will follow him?

[Ping Tung]

6. Whatta guy. He's gonna save Musky and family from starvation.

[roamer65]

7. I'll give my budget another look for cuts.

This is actually fun, helping to bring FAFO home to MAGAts.

[dweller]

8. I hope he buys that special model

That catches fire



✌🏻

[think4yourself]

9. I seriously doubt he even knows how to drive.

I just can’t imagine him behind the wheel.

[sakabatou]

10. "How dare the peasants protest with their wallets! Protests are illegal!" -F47, probably

[LetMyPeopleVote]

11. Boycotts are protected by the First Amendment

trump is an idiot

[milestogo]

12. Actually, using the presidency to market your buddy's crap is what's illegal.

While he is crashing the economy he wants us all to go out and buy $50K cars.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

13. Musk is evidently paying trump for this ad