Analyst Dan Ives has warned Tesla investors that the company is facing a severe brand crisis unless Elon Musk steps back from his controversial government activities and refocuses his attention on leading Tesla. ʼMusk needs to leave the White House, step back from DOGE, and return to being CEO of Teslaʼ, Ives wrote in a note to Wedbush Securities clients ahead of the company’s first-quarter earnings report. He cites Musk’s government role as a significant factor behind Tesla’s recent stock decline, citing both his involvement in Dogecoin and President Trump’s trade policies. Ives further emphasized that the brand damage caused by these activities is substantial and has led to decreased sales and protests against the company. ʼTesla has unfortunately become a political symbol of the Trump Administration/DOGEʼ according to Ives, and expects Tesla’s stock to continue falling due to this political entanglement.