DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Billionaire Elon Musk said Tuesday he’s committed to being CEO of Tesla in five years’ time as the automaker faced intense consumer and stock-price pressure over his work with President Donald Trump’s government.
The question came as Musk made a video appearance at the Qatar Economic Forum hosted by Bloomberg after Musk recently traveled to Doha as part of Trump’s Mideast trip last week. The SpaceX and Starlink chief offered terse sentences and grew combative over questions regarding his businesses and how his involvement in American politics had affected his businesses.
A moderator asked: “Do you see yourself and are you committed to still being the chief executive of Tesla in five years’ time?”
Musk responded: “Yes.”
The moderator pushed further: “No doubt about that at all?”
Musk added, chuckling: “I can’t be still here if I’m dead.”
Tesla has faced intense pressure as Musk worked with Trump as part of its self-described Department of Government Efficiency effort, particularly amid its campaign of cuts across the U.S. federal government.
Asked if what he faced made him think twice about his involvement in politics, Musk grew quiet and looked off camera for a moment before responding.
“I did what needed to be done,” he said. “I’m not someone who has ever committed violence and yet massive violence was committed against my companies, massive violence was threatened against me.”
He added: “Don’t worry: We’re coming for you.”
Musk has seen a Tesla pay package he was due, once valued at $56 billion, stopped by a Delaware judge. Musk on Tuesday referred to Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick as an “activist who is cosplaying a judge in a Halloween costume.”
Yet he acknowledged his Tesla pay was a part of his consideration about staying with the automaker, though he also wanted “sufficient voting control” so he “cannot be ousted by activist investors.”
“It’s not a money thing, it’s a reasonable control thing over the future of the company, especially if we’re building millions, potentially billions of humanoid robots,” he added.
