Country music star Sheryl Crow is facing widespread ridicule after announcing she sold her Tesla to protest Elon Musk’s involvement with President Trump’s administration.
“My parents always said… you are who you hang out with. There comes a time when you have to decide who you are willing to align with. So long, Tesla,” Crow wrote in an Instagram post over the weekend.
The post featured a video of her black Tesla being towed away, signaling her break from the company.
Crow’s Protest & NPR Donation
A longtime Democratic Party supporter and vocal Trump critic, Crow doubled down on her political stance by announcing she would donate money to NPR, which is currently facing threats of federal defunding due to allegations of left-wing bias.
The controversy surrounding NPR escalated after its CEO, Katherine Maher, made comments suggesting that freedom of speech protections in the U.S. make it difficult to combat “bad information”. Speaking to the Atlantic Council, Maher stated:
“The number one challenge here that we see is, of course, the First Amendment in the United States. It is a fairly robust protection of rights… but it also means that it is a little bit tricky to really address some of the real challenges of where does bad information come from.”
Crow took to Instagram to amplify NPR’s cause, writing:
“Money donated to @npr, which is under threat by President Musk, in hopes that the truth will continue to find its way to those willing to know the truth.”
She then urged her followers to contact Congress and push back against “President Musk”—an apparent reference to Musk’s influence over federal spending cuts under Trump’s administration.
Social Media Backlash
Crow’s public stunt was quickly mocked online, with critics pointing out the flawed logic of selling a Tesla as a form of protest—since the company had already profited from her original purchase.
Conservative commentator Gunther Eagleman responded by posting a photo of Crow with disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, sarcastically referencing her “you are who you hang out with” remark.
Political firebrand Ann Coulter also weighed in, quipping:
“With Her Musical Career Behind Her, Sheryl Crow Is Now Selling Used Cars.”
Even Trump’s FCC Chair, Brendan Carr, used Crow’s move to argue in favor of cutting taxpayer funding to NPR, stating:
“I know celebrities are hesitant to weigh in on hot-button issues, so I appreciate Sheryl Crow making an argument here — not through words alone, but through her actions — that Congress should not force taxpayers to subsidize NPR. Bravo.”
Carr added sarcastically that if more celebrities followed Crow’s lead by selling their Teslas, NPR wouldn’t need taxpayer dollars to survive.
Trump & Musk Press Forward on Spending Cuts
Despite backlash from Crow and other Democrats, Musk’s DOGE initiative continues to audit federal agencies and eliminate wasteful spending.
Both Trump and Musk are set to discuss the initiative and Trump’s first 100 days in office in an exclusive Fox News interview this coming Tuesday.
