Outside Fremont’s Tesla factory, workers come and go on foot and by bike along a paved path at the edge of the 5.3-million-square-foot property. A sign reads “No trespassing or loitering.” Despite a national outcry against Elon Musk’s work with the Department of Government Efficiency and protesters firebombing Teslas, there are no checkpoints or security gates barring the pathway to the factory.
One would think that as the electric car manufacturer’s sales and share price plummet amid its CEO’s crusade to slash government spending — chainsaw in hand — the workers would have strong opinions about the cars they’re building being keyed with swastikas in protest of Musk. But some employees say they love their boss and think your anti-Elon bumper stickers are lame. At least, according to the handful who would talk to The Standard.
Of the 37 employees approached, 30 declined to comment. Three said nondisclosure agreements prevent them from talking.
“Can’t speak, we have an NDA on that, man,” said one worker who was leaving the factory on a bike.
Others raised fears of retaliation for speaking with the media.
“People have been fired on the spot because of what you’re doing,” one said while eating dinner at Taqueria Las Vegas near the factory after his shift.
Still, four of the seven Tesla employees who dared to speak had glowing things to say about Musk, describing him as a “really great leader” and “really smart.” Others said they didn’t know enough to have an opinion.
“He’s the man, whether you like him or not,” said Alex, who works on the assembly line for Tesla Model Ys and did not provide a last name. “There’s no one who’s going to be as dedicated as him.”
Despite being unelected, the world’s richest man has wielded unprecedented power as an adviser to President Donald Trump, laying off roughly 250,000 federal workers through DOGE. Even before his ascent in Washington, Musk was a contentious figure, using his social media network X to promote misinformation, antisemitism, and anti-trans rhetoric.
The backlash has been severe, with Teslas being vandalized and protests at showrooms. The company’s first-quarter profit dropped 71%, and stock prices have plummeted by nearly half since their peak in December. Stigma has grown around ownership of Tesla cars; anti-Musk vanity plates and bumper stickers reading “I bought this before Elon went crazy” are now a common sight on Bay Area roadways.
But the Tesla workers aren’t having it. A quality engineer who’s been working at the Fremont factory for eight years said people who plaster such stickers on their Teslas are being misled.
“I see people with the stickers, and I feel really bad,” he said. “They follow some news, propaganda, without research. It’s shameful, really.”
Alex suggested that sticker-slappers aren’t genuine in their critique of Musk.
“Are they being honest, or are they just preventing their car from getting vandalized?” he asked. “It’s just a safety net.”
Another felt conflicted.
“It’s not good, like the company you’re working at is not good,” said a worker who affixes panels to Model Ys. “It doesn’t make you feel proud.”
Opinions were divided about DOGE.
The quality engineer said he thinks the department is doing important work and the appointment of Musk as leader speaks to his competence.
“Someone like Trump, to feel confident about Musk, to give him this duty, it’s good,” he said. “Everyone should be proud.”
Alex doesn’t support DOGE because of the mass layoffs of federal workers.
“It’s not fair,” he said.
When asked about Tesla’s declining financial situation, some workers said they were optimistic.
“I think it’s temporary,” Alex said. “They’ll have a bad year once in a while. Most of the turbulence you see outside, it’s political. We’ve had bad years, but then we rebound.”