Actress Alyssa Milano found herself at the center of yet another controversy after declaring on Twitter that she had sold her Tesla in response to Elon Musk’s acquisition of the social platform.
On November 26, 2022, the 49-year-old posted on Twitter to explain that she had returned her Tesla and exchanged it for a Volkswagen EV because she didn’t like the changes Tesla CEO Elon Musk had made to Twitter after acquiring control of the microblogging platform.
“I gave back my Tesla. I bought the Volkswagen EV.”
“I’m not sure how advertisers can buy space on Twitter. Publicly traded company’s products being pushed in alignment with hate and white supremacy doesn’t seem to be a winning business model,” she added.
The remark sparked a flood of responses from Twitter users. Some have criticized the actress’ choice due to Volkswagen’s history, which includes close ties to the Nazi party during WWII.
“Volkswagen was literally founded by the Nazis and Hitler,” conservative political commentator The Hodge Twins tweeted. This received a response from Musk, who posted a laughing face and 100 emojis.
Later, on The View, Milano stated that Elon Musk could have used the money used to buy Twitter for another, nobler purpose.
Some claimed that swapping a Tesla for a car with roots in a fascist dictatorship and forced labor because of ethical concerns is equal to claiming the moral high ground. However, others have argued that the automaker’s redemptive activities since then justify the decision.
Several celebrities have left Twitter since Musk bought it late last month. In addition, his decision, like Donald Trump’s, to reinstate accounts suspended for breaking the company’s terms of service has sparked criticism.