Elon Musk has declared his intention to remain at the helm of Tesla over the next five years, despite mounting pressure related to his political affiliations and controversial governmental role under Donald Trump’s administration. Speaking via video at the Qatar Economic Forum, hosted by Bloomberg, Mr Musk firmly responded “yes” when asked if he envisioned himself as Tesla’s CEO in five years’ time, even joking, “I can’t be still here if I’m dead,” when further pressed for certainty.
Tesla has come under scrutiny as a result of Mr Musk’s leadership role within the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), a Trump-era initiative aimed at dramatically downsizing the US federal government. Critics have likened its sweeping job cuts and agency closures to an unrefined and hazardous approach, warning of long-term damage to essential public services and independent civil infrastructure. Mr Musk, however, defended his actions, claiming he “did what needed to be done,” and lamented the threats and violence his companies allegedly faced in response.
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In addition to political controversy, Musk’s business decisions have sparked legal challenges. A Delaware judge recently blocked a compensation package for the billionaire once valued at $56 billion (£41.8bn). Musk reacted strongly, describing the judge as an “activist cosplaying a judge.” Despite the loss, he maintained that his ongoing commitment to Tesla is tied not to personal wealth, but to securing voting control to protect the company’s direction, especially as Tesla pursues bold ambitions such as mass-producing humanoid robots.
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Amid the political storm, Musk has stated he plans to reduce his personal political involvement. After spending an estimated $250 million (£187m) supporting Trump’s 2024 campaign and intervening in other elections, he said, “I’m going to do a lot less in the future… I think I’ve done enough.” Nonetheless, he left the door open, saying he would re-engage in political spending “if I see a reason.” With ventures like Neuralink and his AI project Grok gaining traction, Musk appears to be shifting his focus toward technological frontiers—even those as distant as Mars.
