What began as Elon Musk’s embrace of right-wing populism has become a defining — and potentially harmful — chapter in his business career.
By endorsing Donald Trump’s MAGA movement and far-right parties in Europe, Musk alienated a big portion of his original customer base, eroding Tesla’s brand, sales and market share around the globe. Then came this week’s rupture: a personal and public breakup with Trump that prompted threats of retaliation from a man with control over the world’s most powerful government.
By simultaneously burning bridges with both his customers and now the political movement he funded and ...