What began as Elon Musk's embrace of right-wing populism has become a defining - and potentially harmful - chapter in his business career.

By endorsing Donald Trump's MAGA movement and far-right parties in Europe, Musk alienated a big portion of his original customer base, eroding Tesla's brand, sales and market share around the globe. Then came this week's rupture: a personal and public breakup with Trump that prompted threats of retaliation from a man with control over the world's most powerful government.

By simultaneously burning bridges with both his customers and now the political movement he funded and amplified for months, Musk now faces a rare convergence of threats: collapsing brand loyalty, shaky revenues, and mounting legal and regulatory risk.

Tesla Inc.'s sales are already

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