Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said Friday he plans to get rid of his Tesla car over “a**hole” billionaire Elon Musk’s mass firings of civil servants.
“When I bought this thing, I didn’t think it was going to become a political issue,” Kelly said of his Tesla in a video posted to social media. “Every time I get in this car in the last 60 days or so, it reminds me of just how much damage Elon Musk and Donald Trump is doing to our country.”
“Talking about slashing Social Security, cutting health care benefits for poor people, for seniors,” Kelly continued. “It’s one bad thing after the next. He’s firing veterans. I’m a veteran.”
Kelly, who served in the Navy as a combat pilot and is a former astronaut, was referring to White House executive orders and policies being pushed since Trump took office, including Musk and Trump’s gutting of the federal workforce. Since January, Musk ― as the de facto head of the new so-called Department of Government Efficiency ― has overseen the firings of thousands of workers in critical government roles.
The senator said Friday will be his last time driving his vehicle made by Tesla, which has seen its stock plummet amid Musk’s decisions with DOGE and tariffs imposed by Trump that could make it harder for the electric car company to get the parts it needs to build its vehicles.
On Tuesday, Trump paraded several Teslas outside the White House in a bid to convince his supporters to buy the electric car. Trump said it was “very unfair” that the markets “want to penalize” Musk for his work with DOGE.
Kelly said he’s looking forward to his next vehicle.
“Elon Musk kind of turned out to be an asshole, and I don’t want to be driving a car built and designed by an asshole,” Kelly added. “So, looking forward to my new ride.”