Authorities investigate damaging fire at New Mexico's GOP headquarters

Federal authorities are investigating a fire that damaged the entrance of the Republican Party of New Mexico's headquarters in Albuquerque early Sunday. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has collected unspecified "incendiary materials" from the scene, although details about the materials have not been disclosed.

This incident is part of a broader trend of vandalism targeting properties associated with Tesla and its owner, Elon Musk, due to his political support for Republican President Donald Trump. Recent attacks, which have involved Molotov cocktails, have been described by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as a "wave of domestic terrorism," with incidents occurring across the U.S. and internationally.

Firefighters quickly responded to the blaze around 6 a.m., managing to extinguish it within five minutes. Fortunately, the building was unoccupied at the time, and no injuries were reported. However, the fire caused significant damage to the entrance and produced extensive smoke damage throughout the office, which is staffed by three employees.

In her remarks, New Mexico Republican Party Chair Amy Barela expressed gratitude to the firefighters for their swift action, which helped prevent the fire from spreading further. Photos of the aftermath showed a charred entrance and debris scattered around the area, alongside graffiti that read "ICE=KKK."

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller condemned the arson as a cowardly act and emphasized that politically motivated crimes are unacceptable. He urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward, noting that both the ATF and the FBI are involved in the ongoing investigation.