Elon Musk announces reduced role in U.S. government advisory body to refocus on Tesla after major profit and sales slump in early 2025. Protests and boycotts rise amid his political ties.
Tesla Takes a Hit: What Went Wrong?
Tesla kicked off 2025 on a sour note. The electric car giant reported a jaw-dropping 71% drop in profits and a 13% decline in global sales during the first quarter. That’s not just a minor slump it’s a signal flare.
Investors are rattled. Loyal fans? Confused. And critics? They’re having a field day.
The pressure has mounted not only because of Tesla’s financial stumbles but also because of Elon Musk growing involvement in politics.
DOGE: The Government Role Elon Musk Is Dialing Back
You read that right, DOGE. No, not the meme coin. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a real advisory body created by the U.S. government, aimed at slashing federal spending and streamlining operations.
Elon Musk was tapped to lead it last year, an eyebrow-raising move that made headlines around the world. Since then, he’s been right in the thick of government reforms.
But now? He says his “time allocation to DOGE” is going to “drop significantly” starting in May. According to him, he’ll spend only one to two days per week on the job going forward.
Backlash and Boycotts: It’s Getting Messy
Musk’s political activities haven’t exactly gone over well with everyone. In fact, they’ve sparked protests in multiple countries. Several grassroots campaigns like the so-called “Tesla Takedown” and are gaining traction. In some places, Tesla stores have become the site of loud demonstrations. In others? Quiet boycotts.
Some consumers feel betrayed. They didn’t buy into politics; they bought into performance, into innovation. Now, some of them are walking away.
Elon Musk Responds: A Shift in Focus
To his credit, Elon Musk isn’t pretending everything’s fine. He’s acknowledged that his political involvement might’ve taken his eye off the ball at Tesla. And he says he’s making changes.
“Tesla needs more of my time right now,” Musk said in a recent post, sounding unusually candid.
That statement might come as a relief to shareholders and maybe even to fans who’ve stuck around through all the ups and downs.
Can He Still Juggle It All?
Let’s be real: Elon Musk is already spinning a ridiculous number of plates. Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, X (formerly Twitter), and DOGE? That’s a wild schedule for anyone even the world’s richest man.
Cutting back on his government duties might be less of a retreat and more of a survival move. The real question is whether it’s too little, too late for Tesla to bounce back before the year’s end.
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Conclusion
Elon Musk is trying to regain control of the Tesla narrative by dialing down his D.C. presence. But the damage might already be done, at least in the short term. It’s going to take more than a schedule tweak to win back trust, boost sales, and silence the growing critics.
Stay tuned. If there’s one thing we know about Elon Musk, it’s this, he’s full of surprises.
