Criticism from one faction on the political spectrum could push Elon Musk to leave his position overseeing DOGE.

Assuming Musk actually does ditch DOGE (this administration has not been big on following federal laws, after all), he’ll be leaving his new mess for an old one. Tesla is staring down a potential crisis, in no small part because of how badly Musk’s behavior has damaged the brand.

Since taking up work for President Donald Trumps’ so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk’s electric car company Tesla has seen sales slide and has become a target for protests. Now some believe that damage could be terminal and that Musk poses a risk to companies outside of his own.