Trump: Protest against Tesla is paid for by the left

US President Donald Trump has once again openly expressed his support for prosecuting recent arson attacks on Tesla cars as domestic terrorism.

"If and when they catch" the people who have set fire to Tesla vehicles "you will find out that they are paid by people that are very highly political on the left," Trump said on Fox News on Tuesday, without providing evidence for his claim.

Asked if he thought the vandalism should be considered domestic terrorism, he replied "Sure, I think so."

US Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier on Tuesday said in a statement that "the swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism."

"The Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind," Bondi said, adding that investigations would also look into "those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes."

Elon Musk's electric car company Tesla has recently had to contend with a decline in deliveries.

Musk becoming a close Trump ally, his right-wing political views and his role as a cost-cutter in the US government have been polarizing.

In recent weeks, Tesla vehicles and charging stations have been smeared with swastikas in protest, and several Cybertruck electric pickup trucks have been burned in dealership car parks.