Musk’s Political Moves Spark Tesla’s Brand Collapse, Expert Warns

Elon Musk’s decision to align with the Trump administration and spearhead the “Doge” department has caused a dramatic downturn for Tesla’s brand, says marketing professor Scott Galloway. Speaking on the Pivot podcast, Galloway argued that Musk’s political shift has alienated Tesla’s core buyers while courting a base that has little interest in electric vehicles. The fallout is clear: Tesla’s brand reputation has plunged from 8th to 95th place, and European sales have nosedived. Musk’s controversial activity on X has only fueled the backlash. With Tesla profits down 71%, Musk now says he’ll scale back his Doge role, claiming his government work is mostly done.