A recent article in the New York Post unveiled the launch of a new FBI task force comprising ten members. This task force is specifically dedicated to addressing acts of vandalism and other forms of targeting aimed at Tesla, which have been linked to reactions against Elon Musk.

In a move reminiscent of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent reiteration of old charges against individuals involved in vandalizing Tesla facilities, the latest announcement lacks specific new information. However, it echoes previous claims of such acts being labeled as “domestic terrorism,” a rhetoric supported by Musk, Trump, and other figures in recent times. FBI Director Kash Patel reiterated this stance during the announcement, stating, “The FBI has been actively investigating the surge in violent activities directed at Tesla, and in the past few days, we have implemented additional measures to combat and coordinate our response.”

Unlike foreign entities classified as terrorist organizations, the United States does not have an equivalent formal designation for domestic terrorist groups. In a recent publication by Wired, civil liberties experts highlighted the potential implications of such a designation, suggesting that it could grant law enforcement broader surveillance powers over protestors linked to Musk and potentially allow the sharing of investigative information with Musk and Tesla.

CNBC reports that earlier on Monday, police said they’d found multiple “incendiary devices” at a Tesla showroom in Austin, Texas. The Post article also said the task force is “tracking” the “Tesla Takedown” mass protests scheduled for March 29th and looking into a “Dogeque.st” site that claimed to dox some Tesla owners and locations, which it said appears to be run out of Sao Tome, the second-smallest country in Africa. 404 Media reports that after going offline the same day it appeared, a version of the site has reappeared on the dark web.