'Wouldn't Buy One Now': CA Tesla Owners Reckon With MAGA Musk

CALIFORNIA — The shifting politics of billionaire, presidential advisor and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have California drivers reconsidering their commitment to Musk’s signature electric vehicle, according to reports, with some selling or trading their cars at a loss.

“I have never in my life bought or leased a car for political reasons,” Culver City resident David Andreone told the Los Angeles Times. “Now I feel like I want to get rid of one for political reasons. I’m just kind of shocked and appalled at what he’s doing.”

Musk, a former staunch environmentalist, has grown increasingly conservative in the last year, supporting President Donald Trump in his third bid for the nation’s highest office and heading up the Department of Government Efficiency, according to reports.

The change has led to protests, including at Tesla’s Fremont factory, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Some Tesla owners now sport a bumper sticker informing fellow drivers they bought the vehicle before Musk’s recent political moves, the Times reported, noting Tesla was the car brand that lost the most year-over-year resale value in February.

“I sure as hell wouldn’t buy one now,” U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, told Semafor’s David Weigel via text. “If I’d have known what a selfish and destructive human being he would be, I never would have bought one to begin with. I’d be happy to unload it.”

On the other side of the political spectrum, Tesla had a big week at the White House, with Trump shopping Tuesday for a new car to show his support for Musk. Tesla's stock price increased nearly 4 percent on Tuesday after dropping almost 48 percent since Trump took office in January.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.