Crowds have protested billionaire Elon Musk’s purge of the U.S. government under President Donald Trump outside Tesla dealerships throughout the U.S. and in some cities in Europe

Germany has not shut down electric carmaker Tesla's operations in the country, according to spokespersons for the federal government and Germany’s largest labour union, who spoke to Reuters to counter a false claim online.

In March 2025, a rumor began to spread online that Germany, one of the world's leading producers of cars, had shut down Tesla production. For example, someone posted on X on March 25, 2025, that Germany's move extended to the whole of the U.S. car industry ( archived ):

San Francisco – Crowds protesting billionaire Elon Musk’s cuts in the U.S. government under President Donald Trump began amassing outside Tesla dealerships throughout the U.S. and in some cities in Europe on Saturday in the latest attempt to dent the fortune of the world’s richest man.

Tesla Motors, one of billionaire Elon Musk’s companies — who now serves as head of the Department of Government Efficiency — has been the target of a series of violent attacks against its vehicles and dealerships.

A Tesla service centre in Las Vegas has become the latest target in a series of attacks against the car maker, with the FBI blasting them as "unacceptable".

Musk has voiced support for the far-right AfD political party in Germany, even hosting a call ... I can’t walk past the TV without seeing a Tesla on fire. Like what’s going on?

A burnt-out Tesla car stands in the Steglitz district of Berlin, Friday, March 14, 2025, as four Teslas are suspected to have been set on fire in Berlin last night. (Christophe Gateau/dpa via AP ...

Authorities said a suspect armed with a gun and Molotov cocktails launched a 'targeted attack' on the Las Vegas Tesla location, firing shots and torching multiple vehicles.