Elon Musk
Tesla gaining with Republicans as it loses traction with Democrats: Stifel
Stifel’s Think Tank Group data has shown that Democrats’ net favorability of Tesla fell to -15% from 7% since February 2024, while Republicans’ rose to 27% from 11%.

Elon Musk’s vocal support for U.S. President Donald Trump has driven a partisan divide in Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) appeal, with Democrats souring on the brand and Republicans warming to it, as per Stifel analysts led by Stephen Gengaro.
The Stifel analysts’ findings were outlined in a report from Investing.com.
Musk’s Trump support:
Elon Musk openly supported Donald Trump last year following the then-candidate’s first assassination attempt. Since Trump took power, Musk has become more involved in politics, with the CEO now leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk’s involvement in conservative politics has resulted in a wave of protests against the CEO. A number of Tesla stores have also been vandalized in recent weeks, and some have been the location of anti-Musk protests.
🚨 Tesla "losing traction" with Democrats but gaining with Republicans, Stifel says
Elon Musk’s actions are impacting how some carbuyers are approaching Tesla, according to the Stifel analysts led by Stephen Gengaro.
"There is a clear negative shift from Democrats, while… pic.twitter.com/7CwjVHGrlp— Herbert Ong (@herbertong) March 3, 2025
What Stifel analysts say:
Stifel’s Think Tank Group data has shown that Democrats’ net favorability of Tesla fell to -15% from 7% since February 2024, while Republicans’ rose to 27% from 11%. Democrats’ net purchase consideration for Tesla vehicles also dropped to -42% from -31% since Musk endorsed Trump in August, while Republicans’ improved to -13% from -26% in the same period, per Stifel.
“There is a clear negative shift from Democrats, while Republicans willingness to buy a Tesla is rising… This backlash has surfaced anecdotally and on social media (people placing bumper stickers on their Tesla’s claiming they love the car, but not Elon, and other variations),” the analyst noted.
Potential Headwinds:
Genaro noted that Republican interest in Tesla might offset some Democratic losses for the electric vehicle maker. However, there might be “some near-term headwinds” from Musk’s role, China’s fierce competition, and the company’s transition from the Model Y classic to the new Model Y. A 45.2% year-on-year sales drop in the EU in January—against a 37% rise in regional EV sales—was also dubbed by the analysts as a “worrisome trend,” as it could potentially be “highlighting a shift in consumer preference away from Tesla toward other manufacturers.”
Elon Musk
X account with 184 followers inadvertently saves US space program amid Musk-Trump row
Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.

An X user with 184 followers has become the unlikely hero of the United States’ space program by effectively de-escalating a row between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump on social media.
Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.
A Near Fall
During Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s fallout last week, the U.S. President stated in a post on Truth Social that a good way for the United States government to save money would be to terminate subsidies and contracts from the CEO’s companies. Musk responded to Trump’s post by stating that SpaceX will start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.
Musk’s comment was received with shock among the space community, partly because the U.S. space program is currently reliant on SpaceX to send supplies and astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Without Dragon, the United States will likely have to utilize Russia’s Soyuz for the same services—at a significantly higher price.
X User to the Rescue
It was evident among X users that Musk’s comments about Dragon being decommissioned were posted while emotions were high. It was then no surprise that an X account with 184 followers, @Fab25june, commented on Musk’s post, urging the CEO to rethink his decision. “This is a shame this back and forth. You are both better than this. Cool off and take a step back for a couple days,” the X user wrote in a reply.
Much to the social media platform’s surprise, Musk responded to the user. Even more surprising, the CEO stated that SpaceX would not be decommissioning Dragon after all. “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
Not Planned, But Welcomed
The X user’s comment and Musk’s response were received extremely well by social media users, many of whom noted that @Fab25june’s X comment effectively saved the U.S. space program. In a follow-up comment, the X user, who has over 9,100 followers as of writing, stated that he did not really plan on being a mediator between Musk and Trump.
“Elon Musk replied to me. Somehow, I became the accidental peace broker between two billionaires. I didn’t plan this. I was just being me. Two great minds can do wonders. Sometimes, all it takes is a breather. Grateful for every like, DM, and new follow. Life’s weird. The internet’s weirder. Let’s ride. (Manifesting peace… and maybe a Model Y.)” the X user wrote.
Elon Musk
Tesla tops Cathie Wood’s stock picks, predicts $2,600 surge
Tesla’s future lies beyond cars—with robotaxis, humanoid bots & AI-driven factories. Cathie Wood predicts a 9x surge in 5 years.

Cathie Wood shared that Tesla is her top stock pick. During Steven Bartlett’s podcast “The Diary Of A CEO,” the Ark Invest founder highlighted Tesla’s innovative edge, citing its convergence of robotics, energy storage, and AI.
“Because think about it. It is a convergence among three of our major platforms. So, robots, energy storage, AI,” Wood said of Tesla. She emphasized the company’s potential beyond its current offerings, particularly with its Optimus robots.
“And it’s not stopping with robotaxis; there’s a story beyond that with humanoid robots, and our $2,600 number has nothing for humanoid robots. We just thought it’d be an investment, period,” she added.
In June 2024, Ark Invest issued a $2,600 price target for Tesla, which Wood reaffirmed in a March Bloomberg interview, projecting the stock to reach this level within five years. She told Bartlett that Tesla’s Optimus robots would drive productivity gains and create new revenue streams.
Elon Musk echoed Wood’s optimism in a CNBC interview last month.
“We expect to have thousands of Optimus robots working in Tesla factories by the end of this year, beginning this fall. And we expect to scale Optimus up faster than any product, I think, in history to get to millions of units per year as soon as possible,” Musk said.
Tesla’s stock has faced volatility lately, hitting a peak closing price of $479 in December after President Donald Trump’s election win. However, Musk’s involvement with the White House DOGE office triggered protests and boycotts, contributing to a stock decline of over 40% from mid-December highs by March.
The volatility in Tesla stock alarmed investors, who urged Musk to refocus on the company. In a May earnings call, Musk responded, stating he would be “scaling down his involvement with DOGE to focus on Tesla.” Through it all, Cathie Wood and Ark Invest maintained their faith in Tesla. Wood, in particular, predicted that the “brand damage” Tesla experienced earlier this year would not be long term.
Despite recent fluctuations, Wood’s confidence in Tesla underscores its potential to redefine industries through AI and robotics. As Musk shifts his focus back to Tesla, the company’s advancements in Optimus and other innovations could drive it toward Wood’s ambitious $2,600 target, positioning Tesla as a leader in the evolving tech landscape.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk and Donald Trump to speak with each other Friday: report
White House aides have scheduled a call between the CEO and U.S. President on Friday.

Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s feud seems to be thawing, at least to some degree.
As per a recent Politico report, White House aides have scheduled a call between the CEO and U.S. President on Friday.
Musk vs. Trump
Musk turned into a staunch critic of Trump amidst the administration’s efforts to pass the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which the CEO claimed would add trillions to the country’s deficit. Trump, for his part, claimed that Musk turned on him due to the adverse effects of the proposed bill on his companies.
The spat between the two powerful men became so notable that Musk called for the impeachment of Trump on X. He also claimed that Trump was in the Epstein list. The U.S. President, for his part, threatened to cancel billions of dollars worth of government contracts with Musk’s companies such as SpaceX.
Potential Truce
As per Politico, however, White House aides have stepped in to temper the tensions and broker peace between the two powerful men. When asked by the outlet about his ongoing feud with the CEO, Trump reportedly stated that “it’s okay” and that “it’s going very well, never done better.” The U.S. President also highlighted his favorability ratings, stating that his “numbers are through the roof.”
While the CEO was very aggressive against Trump in his X posts, he did back down somewhat after some time. When hedge fund manager Bill Ackman argued that Trump and Musk should make peace for the benefit of the United States, the CEO responded with, “You’re not wrong.” Musk also walked back on his decision to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which is essential to NASA’s operations.
-
News1 week ago
Tesla to lose 64 Superchargers on New Jersey Turnpike in controversial decision
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla gets major upgrade that Apple users will absolutely love
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla teases new color while testing refreshed Model S, X
-
Elon Musk2 weeks ago
Tesla investors demand 40-hour workweek from Elon Musk
-
Elon Musk7 days ago
Elon Musk explains Tesla’s domestic battery strategy
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Cybertrucks join Jalisco’s police fleet ahead of FIFA World Cup
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla rolls out new crucial safety feature aimed at saving children
-
Elon Musk2 weeks ago
Tesla lands on date for Robotaxi launch in Austin: report