The loudest silence: Democrats silent amid violent attacks against Tesla

Democrats are once again giving the silent treatment to violence and vandalism against Tesla cars and dealerships. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., refused to condemn the violence against Tesla when confronted on Capitol Hill. 

Few Democrats have unequivocally denounced the ongoing attacks on Tesla showrooms, charging stations and vehicles, even as the FBI has launched a task force to crack down on Tesla crime, the Justice Department announced charges against arson suspects, and Attorney General Pam Bondi labeled the attacks “domestic terrorism” – an issue Democrats have railed against for years. 

House Democratic leaders Jeffries and Pelosi gave Fox News Digital the cold shoulder when asked to respond to the string of violent attacks against Tesla, as Democrats’ silence on the “domestic terrorism” against Tesla grows louder by the day. 

Jeffries refused to acknowledge the question when asked to denounce the violence as his staff ushered him inside the Capitol, earning a disapproving shake of the head from one staffer. Pelosi brushed off a question about her take on the situation with a polite wave, telling Fox News Digital she was running late. Yet, both Democratic leaders have been steadfast in their rejection of “domestic terrorism” – until now. 

DEMS WHO RAILED AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISM SILENT AS TRUMP FLOATS 20-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE FOR TESLA VANDALS

“We have to act decisively to address the poison of White supremacy and domestic terrorism in America. It’s a poison, it’s a cancer, it’s destroying our society. It shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It’s not a Democratic issue or Republican issue, dealing with the crisis of violent White supremacy. It is an American issue,” Jeffries said in 2022. 

DEMS WHO HAVE SPOKEN PASSIONATELY AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISM GO SILENT AS TESLA TORCHERS ARE CHARGED

Pelosi applauded her Democratic colleagues in 2018 for “refusing to accept the House GOP’s continued failure to investigate domestic terrorism.” Pelosi has yet to condemn the House Democrats for failing to condemn domestic terrorism against Tesla. 

Jeffries and Pelosi are just the latest Democrats to brush off questions from Fox News Digital about the attacks on Tesla. Fox News Digital asked 13 Democrats who sponsored legislation to combat domestic terrorism if they agreed the attacks are “domestic terrorism” and if the government should target the people vandalizing Tesla. None of the lawmakers responded. 

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., responded after publication to imply President Donald Trump should serve time for his own convictions after the president last week floated 20-year prison sentences for “people that get caught sabotaging Teslas,” including their “funders.”

“People who violate the law and have 34 convictions should serve time. In addition, the convicted criminals who were documented participants of the Jan 6th insurrection should not be pardoned by the president,” Waters told Fox News Digital. 

Waters has yet to call for an investigation into how Tesla protests are being funded as many conservatives are pointing the finger at liberal activist groups. Musk recently blamed left-wing billionaire George Soros, billionaire Democratic mega-donor and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and others, claiming they are bankrolling the destructive “protests.”

Waters did, however, call for an investigation in 2022 into how domestic extremists are funded. “We are deeply concerned about the financing of domestic violent extremist activities in the U.S.,” Waters and her Democratic colleagues said in 2022. 

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., however, was clear in calling for an end to the violence when asked about the string of Tesla attacks.

“I’m opposed to violence. I don’t believe in violence. People can voice their opposition, but we can’t live in a violent nation,” DeLauro told Fox News Digital. “People can be opposed to something, and people boycott stuff all the time… but the violence needs to stop. We can’t really make that a part of what our national discourse is.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., has also been firm in his condemnation of Tesla attacks and urged his Democratic colleagues to follow suit. 

“There is zero tolerance for acts of vandalism against Tesla. Spraying the words “nazi cars” or lighting fire to dealerships and chargers is wrong. Period. All Democrats should condemn it,” he said in an X post earlier this month.

When asked by Fox News Digital last week if the Tesla attacks are domestic terrorism, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., acknowledged that everyone has a right to protest but no one has the right to violence. 

“Well, I don’t know what domestic terrorism? It’s outrageous. It’s absurd. People have a right to protest. Musk, they have a right to protest, you know, in front of Tesla, nobody has the right to engage in any form of violence, period. But that’s all. No one has the right to engage in violence,” Sanders said. 

From Oregon to Massachusetts, Tesla cars and facilities have been vandalized in at least 10 locations this year. What began as protests against Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have escalated into violent incidents against the Trump ally’s company, including shots fired at a building, destroyed dealership windows and charging stations set on fire. 

While no serious injuries have been reported, the FBI identified an anti-Musk website that was registered on March 17, 2025. It featured an interactive map with a Molotov cocktail cursor of Tesla owners’ names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mails, Tesla supercharger and dealership locations, and addresses of individuals associated with DOGE.