Tesla Profits Plummet 71% – Imagine What We Could Achieve If We All Worked Together
People overcoming their differences and working together for the common good is still the most powerful force in the world.
Joshua Sukoff | Shutterstock A lot of people have not been very happy with Elon Musk recently. When Donald Trump began his second presidential term in January, he brought Musk along with him, making him an important player in the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
Musk is, of course, not a politician by trade. Instead, he is a billionaire businessman and CEO of car manufacturer Tesla. Now, people are taking their anger against Musk out on his business ventures, and it’s teaching an important lesson about the power of the people.
In the first quarter of 2025, Tesla reported a steep drop in profits.
An ABC News report stated that year over year, Tesla’s profits fell by 71%, meaning it fared far below what analysts predicted. Revenue was also down year-over-year, with the company bringing in $19.3 billion, an amount 9% lower than this time last year. Car sales have taken the hardest hit for the company.
Since Musk is not an actual elected official, he is considered a “special government employee.” According to the Department of Justice, a special government employee, an actual job designation, cannot work for the government more than 130 days a year. Musk is nearing his limit as Trump approaches the milestone of the first 100 days of his second term.
Musk claimed he will begin to play a smaller role at DOGE and in the government in general. Of this work, he said, “I think starting probably next month in May, my time allocation to those will drop significantly.” This must come as a relief to Tesla shareholders, several of whom have requested Musk return to Tesla full-time, ABC said.
Some people have been doing everything in their power to protest Tesla and, by extension, Musk. CNN’s Auzinea Bacon explained the newly created Tesla Takedown movement, which “encourages drivers to sell their vehicles and company stakeholders to sell their shares of stock to hurt the world’s richest man, whose wealth is mostly tied to the electric vehicle maker.” Protesters are also gathering around Tesla showrooms to make their voices heard.
This isn’t the only example of resistance to the Trump administration’s policies.
Protesters have also taken on other policies from the Trump presidential administration. For example, the administration has attempted to do away with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and has threatened to punish any organization that doesn’t follow suit, be it a retailer or a college.
Target was one of the first organizations to comply with the administration’s erasure of DEI, and the decision did not come without consequences. The Associated Press reported that Reverend Jamal Bryant from New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia was the creator of a 40-day “Target Fast” that coincided with Lent.
Since the “Target Fast,” the retail chain has made no efforts to reinstate its once robust DEI initiatives. Reverend Bryant recently called for a full Target boycott as a response. According to Forbes, as of March 15, 2025, Target’s stock had fallen 24%. As Target remains defiant, its value is likely to drop even lower.
What’s happening with Tesla and Target shows just how powerful people can be if they band together.
The protests against Tesla and Target have something in common — different people joined forces and worked together to effect the change they saw as needed. While the long-term results of these protests still remain to be seen, it’s obvious that people have been able to do some real damage to these companies that they disagree with.
It really makes one wonder what could be achieved if we all chose to work together. The simple fact is that we are all feeling a little frustrated and powerless right now, regardless of political leanings. The state of the economy is impacting most people, but what everyone needs to remember is that there is power and strength in how you choose to spend your money, even if you don't have much of it right now.
Everyone has their differences, and nothing is going to change that. But overcoming those differences and working together towards a common goal is one of the most powerful things in the world. That is how real change happens — together.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
