Elon Musk has reiterated his commitment to Tesla, stating he has no intention of stepping down from his role as CEO anytime soon.
Speaking remotely during Bloomberg’s Qatar Economic Forum, Musk expressed his desire to continue leading Tesla. This comes amidst increasing scrutiny surrounding his leadership, particularly as the company faces declining sales and some public criticism.
Musk mentioned that he wants to increase his ownership stake to have more influence over significant decisions made within the company.
“It’s not about the money,” he clarified. “It’s about having reasonable control over the company’s future.”
Having been with Tesla since 2008, Musk’s statement comes as the company appears headed for its first annual drop in vehicle deliveries, something he hasn’t experienced in over a decade.
However, he downplayed worries about serious issues within the company.
“It’s already turning around,” he insisted.
While he acknowledged that Tesla’s performance in Europe has been particularly poor, he claimed things are progressing well in other markets.
“Currently, our sales are on track,” Musk asserted. “We don’t anticipate any significant sales shortages.”
Following Musk’s comments, Tesla shares initially rose by 3.6% but eventually fell, showing a 14% decline over the year.
Musk also addressed criticism regarding how his personal views and political actions might have affected Tesla’s reputation, especially among more left-leaning customers.
He acknowledged that while the company may have lost some support from those groups, it’s gained traction with others on the political right.
Furthermore, he condemned activists who have protested against Tesla, labeling their actions as violent and dangerous.
“They are on the wrong side of history,” Musk said. “We need to take action against them; many of them deserve to face legal consequences.”
These comments come at a time when Tesla is appealing a Delaware court’s decision that overturned a significant wage package for Musk himself. The judge involved criticized him, equating his actions to an activist pretending to be a judge.
In response, Tesla’s board has set up a special committee to evaluate his compensation plans.
On the topic of his political contributions as the mid-2026 elections approach, Musk suggested he intends to scale back his involvement.
“I think I’ve done enough,” he remarked, although he left open the possibility of future expenditure, saying, “If I see a reason to engage politically later, I will. Right now, I don’t see that reason.”
While the past year has been tumultuous for the company—marked by delivery declines, shareholder lawsuits, and political controversies—Musk’s message to investors is quite clear: he plans to stay at Tesla for the foreseeable future.
