Elon Musk’s father has told Sky News that protesters targeting his son’s cost-cutting work for the US government are “bums”.
Errol Musk was responding, in an interview with Business Live, to a growing backlash among US taxpayers and Tesla customers against his son’s role in the Trump administration-created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The electric car firm has increasingly become the subject of sales boycotts and protests – neither of which have been consigned to the US though dealerships there have seen vehicles vandalised and even set alight.
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Musk snr told presenter Darren McCaffrey: “To take notice of the bums that are trying to hurt Tesla by damaging cars, well that’s just plain silly. Nobody does that, you know, you use your brain… and (it) tells you these people are the problem, not the car”.
The anger directed at Elon Musk was “media hype” he said, as he also dismissed growing unease among Tesla investors that his son’s main business interest was suffering at a time when the challenges facing it are only rising.
Earlier this month one of Tesla’s earliest investors, Ross Gerber, told Sky News Mr Musk should step down as the electric carmaker’s chief executive unless he quit his work for the Trump administration.
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His worries included bad publicity and Mr Musk’s ability to devote enough time to Tesla.
It was revealed last week that Tesla sales had fallen 40% in Europe and were behind those of cheaper Chinese rival BYD on an annual basis.
Musk himself has since warned he expects a “significant” hit to Tesla from Mr Trump’s metal tariffs and looming duties on all US car imports and car parts.
He also hinted at the weekend, in an interview with Fox News, that he could soon have more time on his hands as the bulk of his work at DOGE should be completed by late May.
Errol Musk denied any suggestion that his son was overstretched, saying there were good people at Tesla to delegate day-to-day business while Elon completed vital work for US taxpayers, given the state of the country’s mounting debt pile.
“He’s got plenty of ability to do that. Don’t worry about it”, he said, while predicting that Tesla shares would recover to $600 per share by the year’s end. They are currently changing hands for $254.
“There’s no concern there whatsoever, not at all”, he said.
