Can Tesla Fire Elon Musk?

Tesla, Elon Musk, and politics is a ménage à trois that smells of gunpowder. But how far can the intertwining go?

Tesla is Elon Musk, and Elon Musk is Tesla. While the two seem inseparable, how much can the company tolerate the eccentricities of its iconic leader? A visionary to some, uncontrollable to others, Elon Musk continually blurs the lines between technology, business, and politics. Already controversial for his social media stances or sensational declarations, the Tesla chief has just crossed a new threshold by officially breaking with his ephemeral BFF Donald Trump and announcing the creation of his own political party. Worse still, Musk has openly opposed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” a budget law championed by Trump. This initiative dramatically reshuffles the cards, including for Tesla, whose image and stock value are intimately linked to that of its founder.

Far from calming the situation, Musk is throwing oil on a fire that is already well-fed. His public interventions are becoming politicized, his tweets are increasingly divisive, and Tesla finds itself unwittingly caught in a factional war. Pro-Trump customers do not forgive him for this betrayal, anti-Trump individuals do not forget the past bromance, and in the middle, the brand struggles to maintain its industrial course.

Who holds whom on a leash, Tesla or Musk?

Can he be removed from Tesla? Technically, yes. The board of directors could theoretically vote for his departure, but Musk owns about 20% of the capital and has faithful support from shareholders. An eviction process would be lengthy, perilous, and could even backfire against its initiators. The entire balance of the company would be at stake.

And yet, signals of tension are piling up. Tesla’s growth is slowing, margins are compressing, and Chinese and European competitors are gaining strength. If sales were to drop tomorrow due to a boycott or a heavy political scandal, the question of his continued leadership would no longer be theoretical.

Currently, no credible successor emerges, and Musk remains the soul, but also the shadowy side, of Tesla. The scenario of a “Tesla without Musk” is as frightening as it is intriguing. But the more the boss conflates entrepreneurial ambition with personal political projects, the more this hypothesis gains substance.

For by polarizing, Musk isolates. And if Tesla were ever forced to choose between remaining a global industrial player or becoming the instrument of a party leader, the decision could become inevitable.

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