Elon Musk To Be Fired from Tesla?
Not long ago, whispers inside Silicon Valley hinted at a storm brewing at Tesla. It wasn’t about falling car sales or battery issues—but about its larger-than-life CEO, Elon Musk, and whether the company’s board was quietly preparing to fire him. At first, it sounded far-fetched. After all, Musk is Tesla. But over the past year, his growing list of controversies and distractions has reportedly left some key people at Tesla uneasy.
Recently, Musk seems to have sensed the tension. In a surprising move, he announced that he would now “spend more time at Tesla.” This came as reports began swirling online and in boardroom corridors that the company might be considering life without him. Some saw his statement as a direct response to this buzz—a last-minute attempt to assure both the board and investors that his commitment to Tesla remains strong.
Still, the question remains: will that be enough?
A Polarising Leader in a Shifting Landscape
Musk’s image has become as much a part of Tesla as its electric vehicles. To many, he’s a genius who made EVs cool and desirable. But in recent times, his personal actions and political affiliations have overshadowed the cars. His controversial posts on X (formerly Twitter), particularly on sensitive political topics, have alienated some customers and shareholders. His open support for certain political ideologies and his frequent stoking of internet debates have created a sense that Tesla’s brand is tied too closely to his personality.
This has led to a growing divide. While there is no doubting Musk’s vision and achievements, still even some loyalists admit that his current focus seems scattered. With Tesla sales dipping and competition heating up from legacy carmakers and Chinese EV brands, many believe the company needs a more grounded and less headline-grabbing leader at the helm.
The DOGE and Distraction Debate
One major sore point has been Musk’s advisory work at Donald Trump's administration, specifically at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk is said to be spending too much time in his role as a senior advisor at DOGE, in the process neglecting work at Tesla and his other companies such as SpaceX and X.
It didn’t help that Tesla’s own product roadmap seemed to suffer during this time. Delays in Cybertruck, the scaling back of Full Self-Driving promises, and fewer updates on Tesla’s core EV business have added fuel to the “Musk is distracted” argument.
What the Board Is Saying—and Not Saying
Tesla’s board has officially denied rumours of looking for a new CEO. A recent statement even called such reports “deliberately false.” But seasoned watchers know that boards don’t always show their hand early, especially when it comes to something as sensitive as replacing the founder.
Behind closed doors, it’s possible the board is weighing its options. The company’s stock has been volatile, and while Musk still enjoys strong support from some quarters, cracks in confidence are becoming harder to ignore.
Musk himself has hinted that if he isn’t granted more control [like a larger voting stake] he might shift his AI efforts elsewhere. That has only made things more complicated. Is he holding Tesla hostage to his ambitions, or genuinely trying to protect its future?
More Time at Tesla. Too Late?
Musk now says he will refocus on Tesla. He’s recently ramped up communication about product updates and spoken more about AI integration within the company’s vehicles. But sceptics question whether this change in tone is too little, too late. Has the damage to Tesla’s brand image already been done?
At the moment, there’s no hard evidence that Elon Musk will be fired. But the story is far from over. Whether the board acts or not, the very fact that such a question is being seriously asked says a lot about the current mood inside and outside Tesla.
In the world Musk helped electrify, he may now face the toughest challenge yet—proving that he still belongs in the driver’s seat.