Agony and ecstasy of being Elon Musk: SpaceX applauded for Sunita Williams¡¯ return, Tesla faces backlash
Elon Musk faces different reactions: While SpaceX wins global praise for Sunita Williams¡¯ return, Tesla faces arson attacks in the U.S. Musk calls it ¡°insane,¡± while Trump labels it domestic terrorism. Social media is equally divided, praising one venture while trashing the other
Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur, found himself at the center of two contrasting situations this week. While his aerospace company, SpaceX, received widespread appreciation for bringing astronaut Sunita Williams safely back to Earth, his electric car company, Tesla, faced violent backlash in the United States. On Tuesday, multiple Tesla vehicles were set on fire at a Las Vegas service center, with the word ¡°RESIST¡± spray-painted in red across the building's front doors.
Elon Musk condemns attacks, calls it ¡®Insane¡¯
Reacting to the attack, Musk described the violence as ¡°insane and deeply wrong.¡± In an interview with Fox News, he expressed disappointment, stating that he had believed the Democratic party stood for empathy and compassion, yet now its supporters were resorting to acts like torching cars and firebombing dealerships.
Donald Trump calls Tesla arson ¡®Domestic terrorism¡¯
The issue also caught the attention of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who sided with Musk. When asked by Fox News whether he considered the attacks on Tesla an act of domestic terrorism, Trump replied, ¡°I think so.¡± He further even confirmed that his administration was considering stronger legal actions against those responsible.
Internet reacts: Praise for SpaceX, hate for Tesla
While Musk¡¯s Tesla faced attacks, SpaceX was basking in admiration. The successful return of Sunita Williams from space led to an outpouring of appreciation on social media. One user praised Musk, writing, ¡°Thank you, Elon and SpaceX, for bringing our astronauts home! You guys rock!¡± Another expressed gratitude, saying, ¡°Thank you, Lord, for a safe return for astronauts! I¡¯m extremely happy and grateful to Elon & SpaceX.¡±
Thank you President Trump and Space X for your tireless effort to put America and it¡¯s citizens first, Something the Biden administration never did.
¡ª Heath Humble (@hhumble51) March 19, 2025
In contrast, Tesla was ridiculed and criticized on X (formerly Twitter). ¡°Tesla is a shitty car. Don¡¯t buy shitty cars,¡± wrote one user. Another urged people to keep selling Tesla stocks, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t stop dumping, no matter what lies or tricks they come up with! Don¡¯t ever buy again!¡±
DONT BUY TESLA ¡¡.retweet!#ElonMusk #tesla #Trump #tariffs
¡ª Carlovian (@Carlovian82) March 13, 2025
The situation highlights the divided public perception of Musk¡¯s ventures. While his contributions to space exploration are celebrated, his car company remains a point for controversy, protests, and political debates.
Nancy Jaiswal is a journalist who started her career in reporting and has covered both hard and soft news. From serious city news developments to lighthearted lifestyle pieces, she has written on almost everything hapenning in India (except maybe alien invasions¡ªyet!). For her, writing isn¡¯t just work; it¡¯s a passion, an obsession, and sometimes the reason she forgets to reply to texts.
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