Pope Leo XIV Critiques Elon Musk’s Compensation Plans

Pope Leo XIV has expressed disapproval regarding the Tesla Committee’s strategy, which might enable Elon Musk to become the first trillionaire. Recently, Leo made headlines for being the first American-born pope.

In an interview with a Catholic news outlet, he commented that Musk’s proposed compensation package reflects a troubling shift away from “human life, family values, and social values.”

“Yesterday, news came in that Musk might become the first sign,” Leo—previously Cardinal Robert Francis Prebust from Chicago—remarked in an interview released on Sunday.

He posed some thoughtful questions, saying, “What does that mean, and what is it? If that’s the only thing left of value, then we have a serious issue.”

Earlier this year, Tesla’s shareholders proposed a salary framework that could potentially culminate in Musk receiving a staggering $1 trillion, contingent on the company’s performance benchmarks.

A report published last year indicated that by 2027, Musk might reach a net worth of that magnitude.

Pope Leo pointed out that Musk’s potential earnings are just another instance of the widening chasm between the working class’s income and the fortunes amassed by the wealthiest individuals.

“The last statistics I saw indicated that, on average, a CEO now earns 600 times what a typical worker takes home,” Leo stated in an upcoming biography interview.

It’s worth noting that Tesla has yet to comment on the Pope’s remarks.

Notably, last week, Musk acquired approximately $1 billion in company stock, marking his largest purchase in the open market since 2022. This acquisition was made through a revocable trust, according to recent regulatory filings.

The timing of the purchase correlated with Tesla Chairman Robin Denholm’s defense of the compensation plan, which combines Musk’s potential payments with ambitious performance goals.

This bold acquisition contributed to a significant price jump of 7.3% in Tesla’s stock during pre-market trading, a recovery from a 45% decline earlier in the year.

Musk’s faith in Tesla remains strong, even amid some difficult forecasts for the latter part of 2025, where he cautioned about potential challenges as U.S. incentives for electric vehicle buyers have recently expired.

Denholm highlighted Musk’s unique capability to steer Tesla through an impending transition toward artificial intelligence and robotics, underscoring that “there’s truly no one like him” capable of leading the company into the coming decade.

The board’s proposed compensation plan necessitates achieving certain milestones, such as delivering 2 million electric vehicles and utilizing 1 million Robotaxis, alongside increasing Tesla’s market value above $7.5 trillion. A shareholder vote on this plan is slated for November.

While acknowledging the possibility of Musk taking on new roles within the organization, Denholm affirmed that the compensation package particularly aims to bolster Tesla’s push into AI and robotics.

Musk has expressed that around 80% of Tesla’s long-term value may come from its development of Optimus Humanoid robots, despite experiencing a slowdown in EV sales in crucial markets.

Even though Tesla shares surged by 6.3% last Friday, the company continues to face several challenges, including a drop in sales and reduced profits attributed partly to lost U.S. tax credits and intensified competition from Chinese automakers like BYD.

Musk’s political involvements have stirred considerable backlash, as his support for former President Donald Trump and founding of a personal political party have alienated traditional customers, sparking boycotts and protests.

Amid these fluctuating dynamics, investors remain cautious about Tesla’s ambitions involving humanoid robots and Robotaxis.