Most Libs Want Elon Musk Thrown in Prison, New Poll Finds

A recent poll has stirred conversation by revealing how some political groups feel about tech billionaire Elon Musk. While opinions vary, responses from liberal voters stood out in particular.

A new Rasmussen Reports–Heartland Institute poll has revealed that a large portion of liberal voters—81 percent—support the idea of imprisoning Elon Musk for his role in leading a federal reform agency known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Among Democrats overall, 71 percent backed the hypothetical criminal charges tied to Musk’s government work.

The results highlight a stark partisan divide over Musk’s involvement in public policy. While many Democrats and liberals expressed strong disapproval, 75 percent of Trump 2024 voters viewed Musk favorably. The poll suggests that support for Musk’s imprisonment stems not from alleged misconduct, but from his position at the center of high-profile government reforms.

Justin Haskins of the Heartland Institute, which helped conduct the survey, called the results alarming. “It’s a shocking indictment of the modern left,” he said, adding that Americans appear more willing to punish reform efforts than fix entrenched problems.

Since being tapped by President Trump at the start of his second term, Musk has led DOGE with the goal of streamlining the federal bureaucracy. Under his leadership, 12 redundant agencies were eliminated, reportedly saving taxpayers around $180 billion a year, according to a March 2025 White House report.

Musk’s team also introduced sweeping transparency rules, requiring real-time federal spending data to be posted online for 28 agencies. AI-driven audits uncovered $45 billion in misused funds within the Department of Education, which were then redirected to infrastructure. Renegotiated contractor fees brought in an additional $22 billion in savings over three years.

Despite these efforts, Musk has drawn fierce backlash—particularly from the left. The same poll showing support for his imprisonment comes as Musk and his companies face a wave of hostility, including more than 50 attacks on Tesla properties nationwide. Incidents have ranged from vandalism and arson to shootings and international sabotage. The FBI has launched a task force, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has labeled the attacks as domestic terrorism.

The Heartland Institute argues that this reaction to Musk reflects a broader trend of authoritarianism on the left, warning that criminalizing political disagreement could threaten civil liberties. Notably, the survey did not ask whether Musk’s actions were unlawful—only whether respondents believed he should be jailed based on his role in DOGE.

Scroll down to leave a comment and share your thoughts.