Elon Musk took control of the final moments of a Tesla earnings call, diverting discussion from Optimus robots and robotaxis to his own paycheck. The CEO interrupted his CFO to make a direct appeal to investors regarding his $1 trillion compensation plan.
Musk offered a stark reason for needing the pay package, which is tied to voting control. “I just don’t feel comfortable building a robot army here and then being ousted because of some asinine recommendations,” he said, firing shots at proxy advisory firms.
The firms in question, ISS and Glass Lewis, have advised shareholders to vote against the plan. Musk dismissed their counsel, claiming they “have no freaking clue” and are not aligned with shareholder interests. This fiery rhetoric dominated the end of the 75-minute call.
The fate of this trillion-dollar package will be decided in Austin on November 6, when Tesla shareholders cast their votes at the annual meeting. Musk is lobbying hard for ratification, arguing he needs “enough voting control to give a strong influence” but “not so much that I can’t be fired if I go insane.”
After Musk’s speech, Tesla’s CFO Vaibhav Taneja had the last word. He defended the board committee’s proposal, insisting it was structured to ensure Musk only benefits if shareholders see “substantial returns.” Taneja concluded by urging investors, more than once, to approve the plan.