NEW DELHI: Elon Musk on Tuesday reaffirmed his commitment to lead Tesla for at least the next five years, addressing investor concerns and political backlash during a video appearance at the Qatar Economic Forum hosted by Bloomberg. His remarks followed a recent trip to Doha as part of US President Donald Trump’s Middle East delegation.When moderator Mishal Husain asked whether he intended to remain Tesla’s chief executive, Musk replied simply, “Yes.” Pressed further on whether he had any doubts, he quipped: “I can’t be still here if I’m dead.”Tesla has faced mounting scrutiny in recent months following Musk’s collaboration with President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, a controversial initiative that oversaw sweeping cuts across the US federal workforce. The association led to a decline in Tesla’s sales and share price, as well as violent protests targeting the company’s dealerships.Asked about the impact of his political involvement and the backlash against Tesla, Musk responded: “I did what needed to be done. I’m not someone who has ever committed violence and yet massive violence was committed against my companies, massive violence was threatened against me.” Referring to those responsible, he added pointedly, “Don’t worry; we’re coming for you.”Musk also addressed his political contributions, including a reported $250 million toward Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign. “I think I’ve done enough,” he said. “In terms of political spending, I’m going to do a lot less in the future.”The Tesla chief took aim at Delaware Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick, who recently blocked his $56 billion Tesla pay package. Musk dismissed her as “an activist who is cosplaying a judge in a Halloween costume.”Despite the legal setback, Musk acknowledged that compensation is part of his consideration to remain with Tesla. However, he underscored that his primary concern is maintaining control of the company’s direction. “It’s not a money thing, it’s a reasonable control thing over the future of the company,” he said, “especially if we’re building millions, potentially billions of humanoid robots.”
