THE MUSK EFFECT

The Reputation Scores of Musk’s Tesla and SpaceX Are Nosediving

Elon Musk’s time embedded in the Trump administration appears to have harmed his most beloved companies.

The reputation of Elon Musk’s Tesla and SpaceX have nosedived after his stint at the Department of Government Efficiency, according to a new Axios poll. The Axios Harris Poll 100 surveyed around 16,500 U.S. adults between 2015–2025 to gauge their opinions on the 100 top companies in the U.S. In 2021, Tesla rose as high as eighth, but it is now down to 95th after clocking in at 63rd last year. Six other automakers place higher than the electric vehicle maker. Respondents were asked to judge the company on elements like “character.” It placed dead last in this instance, and near the bottom in areas such as “ethics” and “citizenship.” SpaceX is not consumer-facing, but its reputation also appears to have taken a beating. Its rating has slumped from a level deemed ‘excellent’ to “fair,” bordering on “poor.” X, previously Twitter, also continued the downward trend—it has suffered since Elon Musk took over in 2022. Musk’s reputation in Trumpworld appears to have fallen dramatically too, with the former DOGE chief barely even mentioned anymore. Tesla and SpaceX have been contacted for comment.

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