Former CNN political reporter Chris Cillizza revealed [1] this week that his Tesla was vandalized during a weekend soccer tournament, with a handwritten sign left on the vehicle accusing Elon Musk of being a Nazi.
The incident took place while Cillizza was attending his son’s game and was later detailed in a post on his Substack newsletter on Wednesday.
“So this is the first time I’ve experienced the sort of politics of Elon Musk and Tesla,” Cillizza wrote.
Spotted on a Tesla last night… pic.twitter.com/sW3XPfP0Vm [2]
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) February 28, 2025 [3]
Cillizza, who purchased the Tesla Model 3 around 2019 or 2020, explained that when he initially bought the car, he was concerned that conservative critics might vandalize it due to its strong association at the time with environmental activism and progressive values.
“The big concern I had—because this was the big thing that was happening—was sort of pro-MAGA people keying the car or smashing it…because America is about, like, real engines, not electric cars,” he said.
“That was the perception back then, right? It was like you’re coding yourself as, like, an enviro-liberal-wacko-communist if you bought a Tesla.”
However, Cillizza admitted that it was not conservatives who ultimately targeted his vehicle.
Rather, the incident reflects a shift in public sentiment, particularly from the political left, which has grown increasingly critical of Elon Musk in recent years.
“It is amazing to me that five-ish years on, I am getting this on my car because Elon Musk has now become sort of persona non grata for the non-MAGA crowd,” he said.
Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (now X), his vocal support for free speech policies, and his public endorsement of President Donald Trump have all contributed to his evolving image—particularly among the same progressive circles that once championed Tesla as a symbol of green innovation.
Once a highly regarded brand among progressives, Tesla ranked 8th in the 2021 Axios/Harris corporate reputation poll.
In the most recent 2025 ranking, the company has fallen to 95th place. Cillizza acknowledged the brand’s shift in public perception, noting the stark decline since Musk became politically aligned with conservatives.
Cillizza also recalled a similar cultural backlash he received after tweeting about eating at Chick-fil-A, a brand that has long been targeted for its perceived alignment with conservative values.
“I hope the hate tastes good,” was one of the responses he said he received at the time.
Ironically, despite progressive criticism, Chick-fil-A ranked 26th in this year’s Axios/Harris poll, well ahead of Tesla.
Cillizza used both examples to illustrate how consumer choices are increasingly viewed as political statements.
“I don’t think that me eating a Chick-fil-A sandwich is a political statement. It’s a statement that I like Chick-fil-A,” he said.
“I didn’t buy a Tesla to support anyone or not support anyone. I bought the car because I thought it was cool, and I liked it.”
While Cillizza said he does not consider himself an activist and has no personal animosity toward Elon Musk, the incident forced him to acknowledge how politicized everyday life has become.
“This person obviously never met me,” he wrote, referring to the individual who left the sign on his car.
“And yet, they targeted me anyway.”
The incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding Elon Musk and the broader cultural shift among political factions—raising questions about whether personal choices, such as buying a car or eating at a restaurant, can remain free from political interpretation.