Demonstrators at Henrietta Tesla among hundreds protesting DOGE at Tesla stores across country
Photos Courtesy: Mark Powers
HENRIETTA, N.Y. – The crowd at Tesla in Henrietta was among hundreds of demonstrators outside of Tesla stores across the country on Saturday to protest the automaker’s billionaire CEO, Elon Musk, and his push to slash government spending on behalf of President Donald Trump.
It’s part of the #TeslaTakedown protests happening across the country in recent days, urging people to sell their vehicles and dump their stock as CEO Elon Musk faces backlash over his close involvement with the Trump administration.
Barbara Maltese said it’s a peaceful protest against Elon Musk.
“No one elected this man. We need to bring attention to his illegal actions through DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency], an agency not vetted by Congress: Eliminate his access to our private information.”
Mark Powers was at the Henrietta protest because he said he is disgusted with the current administration and worried about the political polarization of the country.
“Right now I feel helpless as to what’s happening in our government and our country. I’ve never seen anything like it. Musk is making cuts with a chainsaw. The country is so divided.”
Powers is 73 years old and said he’s worried about the country his daughter will inherit.
Under the direction of Trump, Musk has slashed federal spending and sharply reduced the workforce. DOGE officials have gained access to sensitive databases, directed thousands of federal job cuts, canceled contracts and shut down sections of the government, including the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Musk’s critics say his actions defy Congress’s power to control the U.S. budget and present a host of ways for him to enrich himself. His current net worth is an estimated $359 billion, according to Forbes, which calculated his 2024 net worth as $195 billion.