Tesla stores nationwide have been flooded with crowds protesting Elon Musk’s position leading the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). On April 12, Bay Area residents gathered outside the Walnut Creek Tesla showroom, signs in hand, criticizing the Tesla CEO-turned-top government official.
The protestors here said they are disturbed by the rapid pace of DOGE’s government layoffs, which left many to question the legality of the process.
“I am really worried about our country, our democracy, and all the rights that are just being stripped away from all of us without due process whatsoever,” said Denise Pullen, a 74-year-old retired daycare provider who came to the Tesla store to voice her discontent.
“I am horrified because nobody elected Elon, and Trump has just handed him all this power.”
Musk serves as a “special government employee,” which, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior, refers to a person selected to perform “important but limited services to the Government, with or without compensation, for a period not to exceed 130 days.”
President Donald Trump appointed Musk to lead DOGE on Nov. 12, 2024, just days after his victory in the presidential election. The new agency has since cut billions of dollars in federal contracts, grants and loans to eliminate what the White House calls “waste, fraud, and abuse” in government spending.
Supporters say the cuts aim to help balance the United States deficit, while eliminating tens of thousands of jobs in the process.
In February, DOGE started its wave of layoffs when it cut 1,000 seasonal National Park employees. More cuts — including people working in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, the Department of Education, and USAID — rattled communities nationwide. The public backlash to Musk, and his car company Tesla, has been growing since.
Scott Moorhouse, a patrol lieutenant with the Walnut Creek Police Department, said the unit’s goal with the frequent Tesla protests is to have the right amount of law officers present to keep local protestors and the general public safe.
“Our strategy is to not necessarily be overall seen, but to be present while also not having an overwhelming number of police visible,” Moorhouse said. “So a low profile presence.”
He added that weekly check-ins with protest organizers take place so that law enforcement can guard the events more securely.
As for the protesters themselves, the energy and anger has only been building.
Ann Skirry, 78-year-old retired science lab technician from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, also attended the protest in Walnut Creek.
“I’m concerned for our national parks. They are our treasure and should never be taken away,” Skirry said. “They really bring in a lot of money from foreign visitors.”
Protester Carol Hilley, a retired office manager from the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, expressed her fear about where American democracy is headed with Musk in the mix.
“Elon Musk was not voted on, he has no experience. Our government right now is being run by a group of billionaires, [and] that is autocracy,” said Hilley.
“So much has been taken away, including federal jobs and people’s 401s [retirement savings],” she added. “It’s really chaotic.”
According to the Economic Policy Institute website, DOGE announced in early April that it would “cut Social Security staff by 7,000 workers—12 percent of the workforce,” with additional plans to close multiple Social Security Administration offices.
Amelia Andaleon, a yoga teacher who has taken part in recent protests against Tesla, expressed her disappointment with the current administration, due to “the impact that this is making on people’s lives, their daily living.”
“Do [Trump and Musk] know” the damage they are causing?” Andaleon asked. “It looks like they’re hanging out with all these people that are in a certain financial tier. Do you really care about the United States of America?”
Andrew Floor, a 55-year-old resident, said Musk is acting hypocritical by advocating for federal grants and rebates for Tesla while cutting numerous other jobs.
“I think what he’s trying to do with cutting government waste and bureaucracy I one hundred percent agree with. [But] how he’s doing it I think is completely irresponsible,” said Floor.
Craig Webster, a 41-year-old tech recruiter, said he hopes to see more restrictions on government actions, because Musk is not an elected official and DOGE’s actions are often sudden without warning.
“I still want to believe he’s got some sort of end game here. It just seems like he’s trying to line his own pockets, line his friends’ pockets, and he doesn’t really have all of America’s heartland in his best interest even though that’s his base,” said Webster.
Meanwhile, DOGE is continuing full steam ahead, making workforce cuts and dissolving federal contracts it deems unnecessary, through daily updates on its X profile account, also owned by Musk. More recently, the DOGE team re-evaluated its initial goal and now says it aims to save $150 billion by the end of Musk’s 130 days.
According to Bussiness Insider, Musk announced he would be limiting his days at the White House to focus on Tesla, whose stock shares have plunged in recent months due to his controversial role leading the government cuts.
Though he may be stepping back slightly, many people still have uneasy feelings about Musk’s overall involvement in the government.
“He doesn’t know what he’s doing,” said Pullen, the retired daycare provider.
“He’s got no experience in government. A lot of us did not expect this or want this.”