Tesla Stock Slide Deepens as Musk-Walz Feud Highlights Brand Challenges

Elon Musk's political alignment and a public spat with Tim Walz intensify scrutiny of Tesla's struggles, including sales declines and rising protests.

Tesla's stock has dropped 44% year-to-date, making it the worst-performing stock on the S&P 500, though it showed a slight recovery to $233 on Wednesday.
Governor Tim Walz mocked Tesla's stock performance during a speech, suggesting owners remove the Tesla logo from their vehicles, further escalating tensions with Musk.
Elon Musk responded to Walz's remarks with a social media post referencing his support for Trump and Vice President JD Vance, underscoring their political rivalry.
Tesla has faced significant sales declines in politically sensitive regions, such as a 76% year-over-year drop in Germany's February sales, linked to Musk's polarizing role in government.
Protests and vandalism against Tesla have increased, including incidents of arson in Las Vegas, which Musk condemned as 'domestic terrorism.'