Matthew LaBrot (USA) once called working at Tesla his “dream”. But after just one day of participating in protests and creating an “anti” Elon Musk website, he lost his job.

Matthew LaBrot was fired 24 hours after calling on Tesla to find a new CEO. Photo: Cayce Clifford/Business Insider.

Driving a Tesla-made Cybertruck and living in a house powered by the company’s solar energy, Matthew LaBrot, 35, is the epitome of a “hardcore” brand fan.

He trained sales staff for the electric carmaker across North America and even appeared in the company’s customer support videos. But in less than two years, frustration with CEO Elon Musk turned him from a devoted employee to a man who stood up to protest his own leader, according to Business Insider.

Disillusioned Tesla fan
LaBrot joined Tesla in 2019, after working at Best Buy, Starbucks, and in real estate. Believing passionately in Tesla’s mission of developing sustainable energy, he quickly rose through the ranks, taking on the role of sales training and vehicle delivery manager in North America. Tesla’s success, along with the company’s soaring stock price, allowed him to buy his first home in 2022.

However, things began to change when Elon Musk bought Twitter (later renamed X) in 2022. Musk’s actions on the platform made LaBrot uneasy.

He tried to ignore it until Musk publicly funded Donald Trump’s election campaign. In particular, Musk’s alleged “fascist salute” at Trump’s inauguration in January made it impossible for LaBrot to remain silent.

LaBrot is not alone, many other employees in the company also oppose Elon Musk continuing to run the company. Photo: Cayce Clifford/Business Insider.

On April 24, LaBrot created a website to protest Musk, criticizing the CEO’s political manipulation and calling for the company to find a new CEO under an anonymous account. He admitted that he felt relieved to have poured out all the views that he could not present to the company.

Although written in the form of an open letter from many Tesla employees, LaBrot confirmed that he was the sole author. Some colleagues shared similar views, but did not make them public.

The next day, he drove his Cybertruck to attend the “Tesla Takedown” protest in California (USA). The 35-year-old employee decided to stick the slogan “Support Clean Energy – Support Electric Vehicles – Support Tesla – Oppose Elon” on the body of the car, along with a website link, then drove to park in front of a Tesla facility.

Less than 24 hours later, he was fired. Tesla announced that he was being terminated for “using company resources to create content that was inconsistent with the company’s vision.”

“I have no plans to work anywhere else. I am very happy with my job and could stay here for the rest of my life,” LaBrot said. The former employee admitted that being fired was a blow, but he had anticipated that when he chose to speak out.

Although hundreds of protests have taken place outside Tesla facilities across the country, few employees have spoken publicly. LaBrot hopes that his story will inspire others to break their silence.

Elon Musk’s Company Falls
While Musk has repeatedly said that his political activities have not affected Tesla’s business, car sales tell a different story.

The end of the year is typically a time when Tesla sales surge, but last year’s fourth quarter saw a notable absence of customers, especially left-leaning voters who once favored the brand for its environmental credentials, LaBrot said.

In the first quarter of 2025, Tesla deliveries fell 13% year-over-year. In California, the company’s key market, Tesla registrations fell more than 15%.

To compensate, Tesla began offering incentives and promotions, something that had been rare in the past. Sales teams were also told to “close deals at all costs,” rather than simply serve the waiting customers.

Even the upgraded Model Y launched earlier this year failed to meet expectations. Tesla had to launch a cheaper version in May to stimulate demand.

Tesla is facing falling sales. Photo: EDGAR SU/Reuters.

In the past, LaBrot said, the sales team has largely addressed the usual concerns about electric vehicles, such as misunderstandings about the technology, misuse, or concerns about range. But turning away customers because of the CEO’s political views is a whole new challenge.

Inside the company, there has been no formal discussion about whether falling sales are related to the CEO’s controversial remarks, or how to handle protests or vandalism.

Analysts point out that Tesla’s sales are being affected by a number of factors.

Tesla’s aging product line and growing competition from foreign rivals, especially China’s BYD, have also contributed to the decline. In addition, the electric vehicle market in the US in general is also facing challenges, as consumers begin to consider hybrid vehicles (using both gasoline and electricity) instead of pure electric vehicles.

A Tesla representative declined to respond to the press about the LaBrot incident as well as related allegations.