Welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast, the world's authority
on Tesla, SpaceX, X Neurolink, and all things Elon.
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Thank you so much. Elon Musk says he's staying put
as Tesla CEO for at least the next five years.
Well, what does that actually mean for the company and for
everyone who depends on his products, services, and stocks?
This isn't just a comment about his career, though.
Elon is responding to rising pressure from all sides, lagging
sales, investor uncertainty, political blowback, and growing
competition in EVs. In a public conversation at an
Economic Forum in Doha, Musk made two things clear.
First, he's not stepping down from Tesla anytime soon.
Second, he's backing away from big political donations, at
least for now. Said he thinks he's done enough
on that front, referring to the nearly $300 million he gave to
support Donald Trump's 2024 campaign and related efforts.
But he left the door open for future contributions, saying
he'd donate again if he felt there was a reason.
Also explained why he's sticking with Tesla.
The answer is control. Musk says he wants to maintain
about 25% of the company's voting power.
That level, According to him, gives him just enough influence
to guide the company without owning A majority.
For investors, that's a clear signal he's not going anywhere
unless his influence is threatened.
Now the stock responded quickly, rising slightly after his
comments. And Tesla shares have taken a
hit this year, losing about 20% of their value.
Investors have been uneasy because Tesla's car deliveries
fell 13% last quarter, the steepest decline since 2020.
Fewer deliveries mean less revenue and less confidence from
buyers. Some of that drop in sales may
have tied Musk's political leanings to the right in his
political profile. And in the past few months,
Tesla showrooms in cities like Berlin and Chicago saw protests
from people upset with his connection to Trump's government
reforms. In Europe, consumer groups are
encouraging buyers to pick local brands over Tesla.
Musk admitted that the backlash actually hurt.
His decision to step back from politics may be less about
ideology and more about protecting Tesla's brand.
Political spending created public tension.
Republican insiders say losing Musk as a donor will hurt, but
they'll adjust. White House officials still
believe Musk will support Trump behind the scenes.
But for now, he's choosing business stability over
political headlines and stepping back now.
This also effects other muscle adventures.
At the same event, he mentioned a possible public listing for
Sterling. This is a satellite Internet
company made by SpaceX. Once its cash flow stabilizes,
an IPO could actually happen. That would open the door for
regular investors to buy shares in one of Musk's most ambitious
businesses. He also gave an update on XAI,
his artificial intelligence company spun out from Tesla.
He said the company is scaling up a huge supercomputer called
Colossus to power new AI features in Tesla cars.
That's supposed to reduce lag and help with self driving and
voice commands. For now, Tesla's strategy
remains rooted in two areas, AI and robotics.
Musk sees these as the future of the company.
That's why he's holding out of control.
He wants freedom to pursue these long term ideas, even if they
don't immediately boost profits. At the same time, Tesla's still
under pressure to stay competitive on price.
Earlier this month, it launched a new Model Y for $44,990.00 in
the US. After tax credits, the price
drops to $37,490.00, which helped boost demand in a key
segment. Internal data shows orders for
the new version came in 18% above forecast.
Still, Musk's popularity is divided.
Our Reuters poll from May shows that 58% of Americans view him
unfavorably. But among Republicans, his
favorability is very strong, around 70%.
Among Democrats, it's just 18%. The political divide is another
reason Tesla sales have become unpredictable.
Inside the company, questions remain about leadership.
Stability Board chair Robin Deadholm denied reports that
Tesla was looking for a new CEO. But many investors are still
uneasy. Key executives in software and
manufacturing have left the company, and Tesla's valuation
depends heavily on Musk's personal vision, robotaxis, AI
and humanoid robots. The customers rely on the
company for long term support. Charging networks updates resale
value, and when Musk is focused, those systems improve.
When he's distracted, they stall.
His renewed five year commitment could offer some stability.
It also matters politically. Musk's retreat from campaign
financing could slightly shift the money dynamics in the 2024
election. He's been the GOP's biggest
single donor. Without him, they'll need to
raise funds elsewhere. That shift could change how
issues like EV tax credits or manufacturing subsidies get
debated. Looking ahead, Tesla has to
prove itself once again. Musk's goals are clear though.
Get deliveries growing again, keep profit margins solid, and
launch a working robo taxi service this summer.
If he can do all three, his five year promise actually means
something. If not, investors may begin to
doubt whether one person can lead multiple futuristic
companies while steering a car company through real world
competition. Musk says he's staying.
Now he has to show up. I want to say thank you so much
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