Elon Musk slams false reports of Tesla CEO exit; board confirms no search underway for new leadership

Elon Musk has responded sharply to a report stating that Tesla is planning to replace him as CEO. Taking to his social media platform X, (formerly known as Twitter) Musk called the article by The Wall Street Journal ¡°deliberately false¡± and accused the publication of breaching journalistic ethics. He wrote, ¡°It is an EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS that the WSJ would publish a DELIBERATELY FALSE ARTICLE and fail to include an unequivocal denial beforehand by the Tesla board of directors!¡±

Tesla board backs Musk as CEO

Soon after Musk¡¯s post, Tesla issued an official statement through its verified X handle. The post, signed off by Robyn Denholm, Chairman of the Tesla board, dismissed the claims entirely. It stated that the report alleging the board had contacted recruitment firms to begin a CEO search was ¡°absolutely false.¡± Tesla clarified that the board had communicated this denial to the media before the article was published. The company reiterated that Elon Musk remains CEO and that the board remains confident in his ability to lead the company through its current growth plans.

It is an EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS that the @WSJ would publish a DELIBERATELY FALSE ARTICLE and fail to include an unequivocal denial beforehand by the Tesla board of directors! https://t.co/9xdypLGg3c

¡ª Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 1, 2025

Details from the WSJ report

According to the report by The Wall Street Journal, Tesla board members had reached out to several executive search firms about a month ago to explore CEO succession options. The report suggested that this move may have been linked to Musk¡¯s deepening engagement with the Trump administration. However, the report admitted that the current status of that alleged search remained unclear.

Musk responds to criticism over political role

Musk recently announced that he would be reducing the amount of time he dedicates to work related to the Trump administration. This decision followed growing criticism from investors, who were concerned about his role at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). At DOGE, Musk has been leading initiatives to cut federal jobs. His political activities have sparked concern, especially as Tesla faces declining sales in its ageing electric vehicle lineup.

Protests and vandalism target Tesla

Musk¡¯s political views have also led to backlash outside the US. His support for far-right politics in Europe has resulted in protests across the US and European countries. In several instances, Tesla showrooms and charging stations have been vandalised as part of these demonstrations.

Company and CEO dismiss report as false

Despite the growing public and political attention around Musk, both he and the Tesla board have made it clear that there is no CEO search underway. Tesla has labelled the report false, and Musk has gone further by calling the article unethical and misleading.