Elon Musk Pledges to Remain Tesla CEO for Five More Years Amid Company Rebound
Elon Musk has confirmed he will remain at the helm of Tesla for at least another five years, pushing back against speculation that the company’s board was preparing for a leadership transition. Speaking at an economic forum in Qatar on Tuesday, Musk emphasized that maintaining “reasonable control” over Tesla was central to his decision.
“There’s no doubt about that,” Musk said when asked whether he plans to continue as Tesla’s chief executive.
His comments come just weeks after Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm dismissed a Wall Street Journal report that the board had approached executive search firms about identifying a potential successor.
Sales Recovery and Market Confidence
Despite a challenging start to 2025, Musk claimed Tesla has already turned the corner. The electric vehicle manufacturer saw a 13% drop in deliveries in the first quarter, with U.S. sales falling 9% amid backlash tied to Musk’s political involvement and leadership of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, which enacted widespread federal workforce cuts.
However, Musk pointed to a rebound in demand, particularly outside Europe, and a recovering stock price as signs of a turnaround. “We’re now back over a trillion dollars in market cap, so clearly, the market is aware of the situation,” he said. Tesla’s current market capitalization stands at $1.08 trillion.
Power, Pay, and Politics
Musk reiterated that his continued leadership hinges not on compensation, but on ensuring he retains voting control at Tesla. He cited concerns over “activist investors” potentially attempting to remove him. “It’s not a money thing,” Musk said. “It’s a reasonable control thing over the future of the company, especially if we’re building millions, potentially billions of humanoid robots.”
He also criticized Delaware Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick, who halted a proposed $56 billion pay package for Musk, referring to her as an “activist cosplaying a judge.”
On the political front, Musk signaled a retreat from large-scale campaign spending, stating he would significantly reduce his contributions after donating $270 million to Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. “In terms of political spending, I’m going to do a lot less in the future,” he said.
Starlink’s Global Expansion
Turning to Starlink, the satellite internet venture operated under Musk’s SpaceX, he noted that the service may eventually go public but emphasized there was “no rush.”
Starlink has expanded to more than 70 countries and is actively growing in emerging markets, including India and potentially South Africa. According to Bloomberg, the South African government is exploring legal workarounds to its Black ownership requirements to allow Starlink to operate locally. A “last-minute” meeting was reportedly scheduled for Tuesday between Musk’s team and South African officials, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is visiting Washington to improve diplomatic ties with the U.S.
