100%.
What he didn’t anticipate was how badly he’d alienate his actual customer base, the very people who buy his vehicles and support the EV transition due to believing in climate change. He knew full well that Trump never believed in climate change and has openly mocked electric vehicles, yet he still let his ego run the show. In trying to play both sides, he ended up isolating the one group that actually stood behind his products.
Now he's stuck: the right doesn't trust him, the left has had enough, and the market is catching on. He gutted the regulatory bodies that provided oversight, thinking it would give him unchecked power, but instead he’s opened the door to long-term brand erosion and public backlash.
And yes, orchestrating a split with Trump via performative tweets after the damage was done isn’t redemption, it’s just damage control. And it’s not working. He’s going to keep getting kicked in the balls, over and over again.
He may be one of the richest men in the world, but he's not one of the smartest in my opinion.