A huge backlash against billionaire Elon Musk erupted over the weekend as swathes of protesters descended on Telsa showrooms calling for a boycott.
At one demonstration in Boston, protesters shared how they wanted to “damage Telsa”, urging Americans to sell their cars and stocks in a boycott.
Nathan Phillips, 58, told the Associated Press on Saturday: “We can get back at Elon.
“We can impose direct economic damage on Tesla by showing up at showrooms everywhere and boycotting Tesla and telling everyone else to get out, sell your stocks, sell your Teslas.”
Meanwhile, nine people were arrested in New York City on Saturday as hundreds of protesters descended on a Telsa car dealership.
Protestors also arrived at showrooms in Jacksonville, Florida, and Tucson, Arizona.
In Los Angeles, demonstrators gathered outside a Space X facility – another firm owned by Musk.
Anti-Musk protesters are seemingly furious at his role in Donald Trump’s government, with the Telsa boss heading up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The new department has made sweeping cuts to the federal workforce after the US president tasked him with a clampdown on what he sees as Government waste.
Musk’s moves have resulted in mass firings as hundreds of aid contracts and federal leases have been torn up, leaving many federal employees out of work.
Since Trump was sworn into office in mid-January, at least 100,000 federal employees have agreed to buy-outs or been fired.
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said: “Protests will not deter President Trump and Elon Musk from delivering on the promise to establish DOGE and make our federal Government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers across the country.”
The tech billionaire was not the only Trump ally targeted by protesters over the weekend.
Hundreds of demonstrators also flocked to a ski resort in Vermont where US vice-president JD Vance was set to stay.
Protesters urged him to “go ski in Russia” following his fiery meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday.
During the heated exchange, Mr Vance berated the Ukrainian President for challenging Mr Trump’s assertions that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be trusted. He also accused Mr Zelensky of not being thankful enough. But protestors in Waitsfield expressed their frustration with the Vice President.
Vermont protesters held signs reading “Vance = Putin’s pawn = traitor” and “Vermont stands with Ukraine“.
Tekla Van Hoven told local broadcaster WCAX-TV: “Ski Russia because JD Vance has no friends in Vermont, but he’s got lots of friends in Russia, so he should go there for vacation.”
The demonstrations were planned days in advance but were believed to have been energised Saturday morning following the row in the Oval Office the day before.
Mr Vance was planning to ski at the Sugarbush Resort, but the family holiday has now been moved to an undisclosed location, according to reports.