Elon Musk Throws Tantrum on Stage, Accuses Delaware Judge of Being an "Activist" in a Halloween Costume
Elon Musk has developed a new approach to getting his obscene $56 billion Tesla pay package: insulting the judge who invalidated it.
During a wide-ranging tele-appearance at Bloomberg's Qatar Economic Forum this week, the multi-hyphenate billionaire lambasted Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick, the Delaware judge who has twice invalidated the massive bonus.
Responding to claims from the Wall Street Journal alleging that Tesla's board of directors has begun formally looking for a new CEO — which were promptly denied by Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm — Bloomberg anchor Joumanna Bercetche asked Musk if he felt confident seeing himself running Tesla in a few years.
The multi-hyphenate billionaire insisted that he will, short of his untimely death, continue to helm Tesla and be paid accordingly.
"The compensation should match that something incredible was done," he said. "I'm confident that whatever some activist posing as a judge in Delaware happens to do will not affect the future compensation."
Musk went on to interrupt Bercetche when she attempted to clarify which judge he was talking about.
"Not a judge, not a judge," he said while literally wagging his finger at the screen. "The activist cosplaying a judge in a Halloween costume."
Though he didn't expound on his definition of "activist," it's easy to guess based on past precedent what Musk meant: anyone who is critical of him, or who doesn't do what he wants.
That was not Musk's final mention of "activism," either.
While the crowd laughed uproariously at the stupid joke, Bercetche noted that that was Musk's own "characterization" of the scenario.
Though he attempted again to interrupt her, the reporter launched ahead into her next question, asking Musk if he felt "relaxed" about his position and whether his pay package had any bearing on his commitment to leading Tesla.
"Sufficient voting control such that I cannot be ousted by activist investors is what matters to me," the CEO countered, "and I've said this publicly many times."
"Let's not have this whole thing be a discussion of my alleged pay," he continued. "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."
Musk again raised the specter of "activism" when suggesting that his proposed compensation, which is currently being reviewed by an internal two-person committee that includes the board chair, will offer him security.
"I can't be sitting there and waiting to get tossed out for political reasons by activists," he declared, eyes shifting about all the while. "That would be unacceptable."
Yeah, he's clearly very "relaxed" about this whole thing.
More on Tesla's investors: A Longtime Tesla Bull Dumped His Stock, Predicting a Total Collapse
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
23 minutes ago
- Axios
Best Buy's tariff plan: Raise prices, cut costs and find suppliers
Best Buy CEO Corie Barry said Thursday that the company has already raised prices on some of its products to offset President Trump's tariffs. Why it matters: Despite a federal court striking down the president's authority to impose the tariffs this week, Best Buy said it's planning as if tariffs will remain at their current rates. What they're saying: "I don't think there is anything we would do differently based on the news overnight," Barry told reporters Thursday, per the Wall Street Journal. "What I've really tried to work with the team on is to not actually overreact to any given moment." State of play: The Richfield-based electronics retailer said it's also been negotiating with suppliers to cut costs and reduce its reliance on Chinese goods. The big picture: Barry said tariffs are just one factor weighing on consumer confidence.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
South Korea faces high-stakes election; fears over China, North Korea and US ties shape voter concerns
Early South Korean voters reportedly turned out in record numbers this week as the nation awaits the June 3 presidential election in what has been described as a pivotal race amid ongoing threats posed by China and recent rocky relations with the U.S. due to President Donald Trump's tariffs. The leader of the progressive Democratic Party of South Korea, Lee Jae-myung, is reported to be leading the race as the frontrunner, but he has raised some eyebrows after he vowed to take a "pragmatic" approach to geopolitics, chiefly by easing previously hawkish positions on China and lessening dependence on the U.S. "The alliance with the U.S. is the foundation of South Korea's diplomacy," Lee said during a debate earlier this month, Bloomberg reported. Kim Jong Un Left Fuming After North Korea's New Destroyer Damaged In Failed Launch Lee said the U.S.-South Korea-Japan partnership should be expanded, but he also said Seoul can't be "unilaterally bound" to relations with Washington, particularly when it comes to U.S. geopolitical rivalries. "We should not neglect ties with China or Russia. We need to manage them appropriately, and there's no need to have an unnecessarily hostile approach like now," Lee also said during the debate, the South China Morning Post reported. Read On The Fox News App Former California GOP Congresswoman Michelle Steel, who was born in South Korea, explained that China's "bullying" behavior in the region leaves much for the global community to be concerned about. "China [poses] the biggest threat, and they already told the whole world that they're going to take over Taiwan," she told Fox News Digital. "When they take over, where are they going to go [to] next? South Korea or Japan? The Philippines? "China has been always fighting to expand." Foreign policy has taken center stage in the presidential race after conservative former President Yoon Suk Yeol threw the nation into political chaos after his December 2024 impeachment. Yoon was ardently aligned with the U.S. when it came to opposing Chinese aggression in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, where Beijing has been accused of expanding, militarizing and blocking freedom of navigation in contested territorial zones. Lee's chief challenger, Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), a former labor minister under Yoon, pushed back on the democratic challenger's position when it comes to China and the U.S. But Lee has rejected the idea he is not prioritizing the U.S. alliance and reportedly said during this month's debate, "There's no need to worry. The South Korea-U.S. alliance is important and should continue to grow and strengthen." North Korea Launches Short-range Ballistic Missiles Into Sea, South Korea Says Though he did caution that certain steps taken by the Trump administration, including the 25% tariffs announced earlier this year and the potential withdrawal of troops has "eroded" the relationship. "If the U.S. continues this way — eroding its soft power and the trust of other nations — it won't be sustainable. At some point, brakes will be applied," Lee said. "Until then, endurance is key." Steel argued the "South Korean people understand the importance of a strong relationship with the United States." "Whatever the outcome of the election, South Korean leaders should embrace President Trump and look to make an incredible trade deal that will benefit everyone," she added. But Lee has not convinced all who are weary of his view on U.S. relations, including David Eunkoo Kim, founder and president of the Truth Forum, a conservative youth organization founded at Seoul National University. "This election is widely seen as a pivotal moment for South Korea because the stakes — both domestically and geopolitically — are extraordinarily high," Kim said. "Throughout his political career, (Lee) has consistently aligned himself with both pro-North Korean and pro-Chinese agendas. He has been implicated in sending funds to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions, and his deference to China has been nothing short of submissive," Kim said. Kim was referring to Lee's indictment for an illegal cash transfer scheme to North Korea, though Lee denies the accusations and has argued they are politically motivated. During this month's debate, Lee's opponents claimed Lee is also a "North Korea risk" as concerns about Pyongyang's military movements continue to escalate, Radio Free Asia reported. Lee maintains he wants to ease tensions with North Korea by engaging in peaceful diplomacy. But David Eunkoo Kim told Fox News Digital Lee's legal troubles are another geopolitical vulnerability. "With multiple criminal investigations looming, he has every incentive to cling to power at all costs — even if that means aligning South Korea more closely with Beijing," he said. "And this concern is not theoretical. "China is already aggressively asserting influence in the region."Original article source: South Korea faces high-stakes election; fears over China, North Korea and US ties shape voter concerns
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tesla's robotaxi rollout is alarming the public, new report shows
Tesla's robotaxi rollout is alarming the public, new report shows originally appeared on TheStreet. As the calendar turns to June, many people are focused on a key event that Elon Musk has been touting all year: the Tesla () robotaxi rollout. After a volatile and complicated start to the year, marked by a disappointing earnings report and declining sales across multiple key markets, the electric vehicle (EV) producer has put investors through many motions. This prompted investors and analysts to call for Musk to refocus his energy on the company. 💵💰💰💵 Now the CEO seems to be doing that, after announcing he will be ceasing his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and returning to his responsibilities at Tesla and SpaceX. This comes at a pivotal time, as the automaker prepares to roll out its self-driving robotaxi fleet in Austin, Texas. Despite the positive momentum surrounding this key event, though, a recent report shows that public perception toward Tesla's new technology isn't positive. The rise of self-driving vehicles has become a defining trend over the past few years, as companies like Tesla and Waymo have worked to outmaneuver each other. While the latter has already established a presence in several major U.S. cities, Elon Musk has made sure the world knows Tesla's launch is coming soon.A true master of hype, Musk has successfully kept the nation's focus on Tesla's historic event, making it clear that it is proceeding as planned. However, a market research initiative that tracks consumer sentiment toward EVs recently published a detailed report with some statistics that may concern Musk. In the May 2025 edition of the Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report (EVIR), its authors highlight some potential problems both for Tesla and any automakers seeking to venture into the autonomous driving space. However, much of the negative sentiment seems to center on Tesla. 'Consumers are skeptical of the full self-driving (FSD) technology that undergirds the robotaxi proposition, with 60% considering Tesla's full self-driving 'unsafe,' 77% unwilling to utilize full self-driving technology, and a substantial share (48%) believing full self-driving should be illegal,' the report states. It adds, though, that younger, higher-income individuals who live in urban areas are more open to autonomous driving technology than other groups. Those are the type of consumers Musk is likely targeting with the new robotaxi fleet. Even so, the authors also flag another concerning element for Tesla. They note that the former EV leader has been declining in areas such as brand positivity and trust but add that its rivals, such as Lucid and Rivian, have recently made progress in these areas, indicating that consumers are increasingly shifting away from Tesla. More Tesla News: Billionaire fund manager dumps Tesla in favor of other tech stock Elon Musk, Tesla send bold message to Washington, DC Elon Musk's robotaxi ambitions hit with major roadblock Other experts have also raised concerns regarding Tesla's robotaxi launch. TheStreet's Tony Owusu reports that Wall Street analyst Alexander Pots of Piper Sandler has speculated that the company's FSD technology isn't advanced enough to handle the challenges that the launch will pose. With the robotaxi launch drawing closer by the day, investors and consumers are watching closely to see how the event will turn out. Musk has described himself as being 'extremely paranoid' about it, even after Tesla reported that its FSD system has almost tripled the cumulative miles it has driven over the past Roth Smith, head of research for the EVIR, spoke to TheStreet about the report's statistics and their potential implications for Tesla and Musk. While he sees damage to the brand's reputation as a likely problem, he states: 'Even more worrisome is the data on robotaxis, which is what Musk has pointed to as the solution to Tesla's sales woes — the market just isn't there yet. Consumers are extremely skeptical towards robotaxi technology, extremely hesitant to adopt it, and half of consumers want to ban it.' As Roth Smith sees it, Tesla is likely facing an uphill battle as it bets big on robotaxis. The report's data makes it clear that many consumers don't trust the technology behind them and therefore aren't likely to embrace it, which could severely compromise Tesla's growth robotaxi rollout is alarming the public, new report shows first appeared on TheStreet on May 31, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
