Elon Musk delivered a stark choice to Tesla investors at the end of an earnings call: ratify his $1 trillion pay package or risk his ouster based on “asinine recommendations.” The CEO interrupted his CFO to make this fiery, last-minute plea.
The 75-minute call had been a standard update on AI, Optimus robots, and robotaxis until Musk’s “classic Musk” interjection. The world’s richest person is lobbying hard ahead of the Nov. 6 shareholder vote in Austin.
Musk’s anger was directed at proxy advisory services ISS and Glass Lewis, who oppose the plan. “I just don’t feel comfortable building a robot army here and then being ousted because of some asinine recommendations from ISS and Glass Lewis who have no freaking clue,” he said.
Musk also clarified his position on control, arguing for “enough voting control to give a strong influence.” In a moment of self-awareness, he added, “But not not so much that I can’t be fired if I go insane.”
Tesla’s CFO, Vaibhav Taneja, concluded the call with a final appeal for a “yes” vote. He argued the board committee structured the deal to be contingent on “substantial returns” for shareholders, aligning Musk’s success with theirs.
