Marketing professor Scott Galloway has criticized Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration’s “Doge” department, calling it a catalyst for Tesla’s dramatic brand erosion. On the Pivot podcast, Galloway said Musk’s political alignment has driven away Tesla’s traditional buyers, while the new political audience remains uninterested in EVs. Tesla’s brand reputation has fallen from 8th to 95th, with European sales dropping steeply. Musk’s controversial activity on X has compounded the issue. After Tesla reported a 71% profit loss, Musk announced he’ll be stepping back from his Doge responsibilities.