Tesla Denies CEO Succession Plans, Musk Slams ‘Deliberately False’ Report
Tesla and its board are forcefully denying a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report claiming the company is seeking a replacement for CEO Elon Musk. The report, which cited unnamed sources, alleged Tesla had approached executive search firms about a potential leadership transition, amid investor concerns over Musk’s divided focus and declining company performance.
Musk responded swiftly and sharply on social media platform X, calling the article “an EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS” and accusing the WSJ of “publishing a DELIBERATELY FALSE ARTICLE,” despite what he says was a prior denial from Tesla’s board before publication.
Reinforcing Musk’s statement, Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm also denounced the report as inaccurate and misleading.
“Earlier today, there was a media report erroneously claiming that the Tesla Board had contacted recruitment firms to initiate a CEO search at the company. This is absolutely false (and this was communicated to the media before the report was published),” Denholm stated. “The CEO of Tesla is Elon Musk, and the Board is highly confident in his ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead.”
The WSJ report arrives at a turbulent time for Tesla. The electric vehicle (EV) maker recently posted a 71% drop in profits year-over-year, with revenue down 9% in the first quarter. The company is also facing increased competition from both Chinese automakers and domestic rivals in the EV market. These challenges have fueled investor anxiety over Musk’s ability to focus, particularly given his additional responsibilities.
Among those responsibilities is Musk’s role as head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration—a position that has drawn scrutiny from both critics and shareholders. Some have questioned whether his political appointment is distracting from his duties at Tesla.
In response to growing pressure, Musk told analysts last month that he plans to shift his attention back to Tesla, stating he would be spending “far more of my time” at the company starting in May, now that DOGE is “largely set up.”
Musk also reaffirmed Tesla’s commitment to autonomous driving, saying: “Can you go to sleep in our cars and wake up at your destination? I’m confident that will be available in many cities in the US by the end of this year.”
Despite the controversy, Tesla maintains that no leadership change is underway. The company says it remains committed to its vision of autonomy, innovation, and long-term growth under Musk’s leadership.
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