Elon Musk Becomes Public Enemy of the Democratic Party: 71% of Democrats Call for His Imprisonment

Elon Musk, one of the most polarizing figures in American politics and technology, has officially crossed a threshold that few in his position have faced before: becoming a target not just of ideological criticism, but of open criminal hostility from one of the two major political parties in the United States. According to a new poll conducted jointly by Rasmussen Reports and the Heartland Institute, a staggering 71% of Democrat voters support a hypothetical law that would send Musk to prison for his involvement in the Trump-era Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which he led after being appointed by President Donald Trump.

The number jumps even higher to 80% among self-identified liberal voters, indicating that Musk is now seen as a full-blown enemy by the progressive base.

Musk’s tenure at DOGE was marked by aggressive efforts to slash government waste, eliminate overlapping bureaucratic structures, and dismantle entitlement inefficiencies—reforms that many conservative voices praised as long overdue. However, these very actions seem to have triggered a firestorm among the political left, which viewed Musk’s reforms not as steps toward better governance but as direct attacks on their institutional strongholds.

Democrats have now made it abundantly clear: they’re not just unhappy with Elon Musk’s policies—they want him behind bars.

The survey reveals that 54% of all likely voters in the U.S. would support a law that leads to Musk's imprisonment for his role in DOGE, with 39% saying they would "strongly support" such a law. In contrast, 36% oppose this hypothetical, with 26% saying they "strongly oppose" it. Another 10% remain unsure. But when the data is broken down along party lines, the intensity of partisan sentiment becomes even more jarring.

The 71% support among Democrats dwarfs the 17% of Republicans who feel similarly, and the contrast underscores a deepening national rift over Musk’s place in American political life.

Justin Haskins, senior fellow at the Heartland Institute and primary author of the poll, characterized the results as a sobering moment for American democracy. “The fact that a majority of Democrat voters would support imprisoning Elon Musk for trying to make government more efficient is a shocking indictment of the modern Left, which has become increasingly more tyrannical in recent years,” Haskins said in a statement. “We’ve reached a point where many Americans would rather unjustly punish innovation than fix the broken systems Musk was trying to reform.”

This is far from the first time Musk has been at the center of a political controversy. From his vocal support for free speech on social media to his relentless criticism of what he sees as government overreach, Musk has positioned himself as a disruptor not only in business but in governance.

His work in transforming industries—from electric vehicles at Tesla, to reusable rockets at SpaceX, to neural tech at Neuralink—has earned him admiration among libertarians, tech enthusiasts, and conservative reformers. Yet it has also painted a massive target on his back among those who see his outsized influence as dangerous or even authoritarian.

The poll also shows that 68% of Democrats would support a law banning Musk from serving in any government capacity in the future. By contrast, 59% of Republicans oppose such a measure.

This means that Democrats are not merely seeking legal consequences for Musk's past; they also want to ensure he is excluded from any future political or administrative role. Among unaffiliated voters, 46% support and 37% oppose banning Musk from government, reflecting a more divided public sentiment beyond the party faithful.

Musk’s overall favorability numbers have also taken a hit. Only 42% of voters view him favorably, including 21% who hold a “very favorable” impression. Meanwhile, 52% view him unfavorably, with a significant 38% expressing a “very unfavorable” opinion.

These numbers mark a decline from Rasmussen’s March survey, which found 45% of voters viewed him favorably. The downward trend signals that Musk's political entanglements—especially his alliance with Trump and his controversial DOGE reforms—may be eroding his image among moderate or previously neutral observers.

A closer examination of the demographics reveals just how fractured the public’s view of Musk has become. He retains high favorability among Republicans (77%), and a strong 75% among Trump 2024 voters. However, just 17% of Democrats and only 12% of Kamala Harris voters view Musk positively.

Among racial groups, he is viewed favorably by 46% of white voters, 29% of Black voters, 40% of Hispanics, and 41% of other minorities. The gender gap is also striking: 51% of men view Musk favorably compared to only 35% of women.

Critics on the left have accused Musk of using his platform and resources to push a dangerous political agenda, citing his increasing alignment with conservative talking points and his clashes with Democratic lawmakers over everything from immigration to environmental regulations. Musk’s recent comments on X (formerly Twitter), where he accused Democratic leadership of promoting inefficiency and corruption in government, only intensified the divide.

His rhetoric has drawn comparisons to populist disruptors of the past—figures who built their power on rejection of the status quo but often triggered institutional backlash in the process.

What’s remarkable in this case is the sheer intensity of that backlash. Political disagreement is one thing—but calling for imprisonment based on a public service role is unprecedented in modern American discourse. The survey results suggest that for a significant portion of the Democratic electorate, Musk’s efforts to streamline government operations were not just unwelcome—they were criminal.

Some legal experts have dismissed the idea of imprisoning Musk as outlandish, emphasizing that his actions in DOGE were within the bounds of executive policy and did not violate any known statutes. However, in an era of weaponized politics, perception often outweighs legality.

The willingness of 71% of Democrats to endorse such a drastic measure speaks volumes about the emotional and ideological hold Musk has on the American left—an adversary to be neutralized, not debated.

In the eyes of many conservatives, Musk is being punished for doing exactly what the government should be doing: identifying waste, slashing inefficiencies, and prioritizing performance over politics. From that vantage point, the calls for his imprisonment are seen not as justice, but as retribution—proof that the modern left cannot tolerate anyone who dares to challenge its bureaucratic empire.

And that empire, Musk’s allies argue, is exactly what he was hired to reform. When Donald Trump tapped Musk to lead DOGE, it was a symbolic gesture as much as a practical one—a billionaire entrepreneur known for breaking the mold given the keys to redesign a government system long accused of inertia and bloat.

In just months, Musk’s proposals cut millions in redundant spending, eliminated hundreds of unnecessary federal contracts, and introduced AI-driven auditing systems across key departments. These efforts made him a hero to some, but an existential threat to others.

Now, as the political storm swirls, Musk remains defiant. In a recent X post, he responded to the poll by saying, “When 71% of one party wants you jailed for fixing the system, you know you're doing something right.” Whether that bravado holds up against the intensifying political heat remains to be seen.

But one thing is certain: Elon Musk is no longer just a controversial CEO. He is now a frontline warrior in America’s ideological battlefield—either a savior of government reform or a villainous symbol of authoritarian overreach, depending on who you ask. And with 71% of Democrats ready to lock him up, the fight has only just begun.