2025 in Review: How Elon Musk’s Trump alliance triggered backlash against Tesla
The Take
Al Jazeera
4.7 • 748 Ratings
🗓️ 24 December 2025
⏱️ 23 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
As 2025 wraps up, we're looking back at 10 of the episodes that defined our year at The Take. This originally aired on March 21. None of the dates, titles, or other references have been changed.
Backlash to Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s alliance is hitting Tesla hard. The company is facing boycotts, protests, and attacks on cars, showrooms and charging stations. Tesla stock is plummeting. The US attorney general and Trump called the attacks “domestic terrorism”. In this episode, we look at what is driving public opposition to Tesla.
In this episode:
- Bobby Allyn (@BobbyAllyn), Tech Correspondent, NPR
- Jen Cousins, Tesla Takedown Activist
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, and Tamara Khandaker, with Ashish Malhotra, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich, Remas Alhawari, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Al Jazeera Podcasts. |
| 0:07.0 | Hi, Kevin here. |
| 0:12.9 | As 2025 comes to a close, we're spending this week and next looking back at the stories |
| 0:18.6 | that defined the year. Today, Tesla Take Down, |
| 0:23.5 | how Elon Musk's alliance with U.S. President Donald Trump is triggering backlash. |
| 0:29.0 | This episode first aired on March 21st, 2025. |
| 0:32.7 | All dates and references are from that time. |
| 0:46.8 | Today, Tesla is in trouble. |
| 0:50.2 | Protesters have turned up at Tesla's showrooms. |
| 0:59.9 | Some people have gone even further, smashing windows, setting vehicles and charging stations on fire in acts of politically inspired destruction. |
| 1:05.4 | How Elon Musk's big bet on politics is backfiring for his business. |
| 1:16.8 | I'm Kevin Horton, and this is the take. Musk and Trump's alliance was on full display at the White House last week, |
| 1:21.6 | with Tesla's lined up on the South lawn like it was a showroom. |
| 1:25.7 | But that only added to the backlash around the world, fueling more movements like Tesla |
| 1:31.0 | Takedown. |
| 1:32.0 | The organizers behind the Tesla takedown protests say they want to stop Elon Musk using |
| 1:37.2 | his vast wealth and social media influence to support the agenda of Donald Trump and |
| 1:42.0 | far-right figures in the UK. |
| 1:47.7 | There are people now too shy to drive their Tesla's. |
| 1:50.6 | Drivers are sporting bumper stickers that read, |
| 1:53.5 | I bought this before Elon went crazy. |
| 1:56.7 | Some competitors like Kia are capitalizing. |
... |
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