The FBI’s recent formation of a task force is a direct response to a surge in firebombing and vandalism incidents directed at Tesla vehicles and charging stations.
FBI Director Kash Patel has announced the establishment of a multi-agency task force focused on identifying and prosecuting individuals responsible for a concerning rise in violent acts against Tesla vehicles, facilities, and charging stations—labeling these acts as “domestic terrorism.”
“The FBI has been closely monitoring the uptick in violent actions against Tesla. In the past few days, we have intensified our efforts to coordinate a decisive response,” Patel
stated on March 24 via the social media platform X. “This represents domestic terrorism. Those behind these actions will be tracked down, apprehended, and prosecuted.”
Patel also shared a
post from New York Post journalist Diana Glebova, who was the first to report on the creation of the FBI’s task force, which comprises 10 members. This unit reportedly includes special agents and analysts from multiple federal agencies, such as the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division—specifically its Domestic Terrorism Operations Section and Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate—as well as staff from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
An official spokesperson for the FBI confirmed the agency’s commitment in a statement to The Epoch Times.
“Director Patel has made it absolutely clear: The FBI will persist in its pursuit to safeguard the American populace,“ the spokesperson remarked. ”Violent actions, vandalism, and domestic terrorism—like the recent Tesla incidents—will be dealt with under the full extent of the law.”
This federal initiative follows a series of assaults on Tesla’s infrastructure, including acts of vandalism, gunfire, and arson. A recent
incident saw a Tesla service center in Las Vegas attacked by an armed individual who shot multiple vehicles, set some on fire, and spray-painted “RESIST” on the building.
In the aftermath of the Las Vegas assault, FBI Special Agent in Charge Spencer Evans informed reporters that the bureau is probing similar occurrences across at least nine states.
“Reports of attacks are emerging from various states, encompassing everything from graffiti and vandalism to targeted assaults with firearms and firebombs,” Evans noted, stressing that it remains unclear whether these incidents are part of an orchestrated effort.
In a different
post shared on X, the FBI advised Americans to be cautious near Tesla locations due to ongoing incidents involving “arson, gunfire, and vandalism” against the company’s vehicles and properties.
While the FBI has not officially addressed Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s political involvement, the agency recognized in a
bulletin that certain attacks seem to be motivated by “grievances against individuals perceived as racists, fascists, or political adversaries,” as evident from graffiti found at various crime scenes.
“These offenses appear to have been executed by solitary offenders, with all known incidents occurring during the night,” the bulletin reported. “These individuals require minimal planning to implement basic tactics, such as using improvised incendiary devices and firearms, and may view these assaults as victimless property crimes.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed Patel’s sentiments and
characterized the acts as “nothing short of domestic terrorism.” She
announced charges against three individuals believed to have used Molotov cocktails to ignite Tesla cars and charging stations, vowing “severe repercussions” for those involved.
President Donald Trump has also expressed his views,
labeling the offenders as “sick terrorist thugs” and suggesting harsh penalties—implying they should serve 20-year sentences, potentially in a facility recently leased by the United States in El Salvador for deported foreign gang members.
Tesla has increasingly become a hot-button issue, largely due to Musk’s position as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump administration initiative geared towards reducing wasteful federal spending amid soaring national debt. Musk has defended DOGE’s efforts, while detractors, primarily from the Democratic party, accuse the agency of dismantling essential government services.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a prominent opponent of the cost-cutting initiative, recently
swapped his Tesla for a Chevy Tahoe to protest Musk’s association with DOGE, calling out Musk for “undermining our government and harming citizens.”
Republicans have dismissed these claims as fear-mongering, with Trump maintaining that programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will remain uncompromised.
Per DOGE’s
estimates, their initiatives have so far identified over $115 billion in possible savings by canceling government contracts, freezing foreign aid, and proposing reductions in over 100,000 federal jobs.
In reaction to the Las Vegas attack, Musk
decried the assault as “insane and deeply wrong.”
“Tesla merely produces electric vehicles and has done nothing to warrant these malicious attacks,” he expressed.
