Elon Musk Accused of ‘Destroying’ Tesla Brand Amid Political Overreach and Profit Plunge

Marketing expert Scott Galloway says Elon Musk has done irreversible damage to the Tesla brand by entangling himself in partisan politics and alienating his customer base. On the Pivot podcast, Galloway cited Tesla’s collapse in global reputation rankings and shrinking sales across Europe as symptoms of Musk’s shift in priorities.
Musk’s role in Trump’s second administration—leading the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge)—has added fuel to the backlash. The department’s aggressive federal job and spending cuts have sparked public outrage and tanked Musk’s popularity, particularly among likely EV buyers.
Tesla, once a top-10 most admired brand, is now ranked 95th, and profits have nosedived 71%. Musk has since announced plans to step back from his Doge duties, but the damage may already be done.