Elon Musk has been pretty busy the last few months and that is part of the problem
A Tesla investor called for Elon Musk to remove himself as CEO for the sake of the company in a shocking revelation.
Elon Musk is pretty much everywhere, when it comes to American politics at least.
He has made himself pretty prominent on the social media platform he owns, Twitter or ‘X’, but over the past few months, Musk has been busy bolstering and supporting Donald Trump’s administration.
And this may be part of the problem when it comes to Tesla.
Ross Gerber, one of Tesla’s earliest investors, called for Musk to step aside as CEO as he levied a whole host of criticism the billionaire’s way.
Investor calls on Musk to step down as CEO
He said Musk’s focus on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for Trump’s administration has taken attention away from the business.
He also noted that Musk is becoming more a divisive public figure has negatively impacted the company.
Tesla’s market value has plunged by more than $800bn since December, and in addition to this, protests and boycotts against the brand hasn’t done them any favors, with Gerber saying the company is now in a crisis.
Speaking on Sky News, Gerber said: “”The company’s reputation has just been destroyed by Elon Musk.
“Sales are plummeting so, yeah, it’s a crisis. You literally can’t sell the best product in the market place because the CEO is so divisive.
“It’s time for somebody to run Tesla. The business has been neglected for too long. There are too many important things Tesla is doing, so either Elon should come back to Tesla and be the CEO of Tesla and give up his other jobs or he should focus on the government and keep doing what he is doing but find a suitable CEO of Tesla.”
Ross Gerber said Musk hasn’t been paying attention to Tesla (Sky News)
“I think Tesla needs a new CEO and I decided today I was going to start saying it and so this is the first show that I’m saying it on. It’s time for somebody to run Tesla.
“The business has been neglected for too long. There are too many important things Tesla is doing, so either Elon should come back to Tesla and be the CEO of Tesla and give up his other jobs or he should focus on the government and keep doing what he is doing but find a suitable CEO of Tesla.”
Pretty scathing stuff, but Musk hasn’t yet made a public statement addressing Gerber’s comments.
UNILAD has contacted Elon Musk’s representatives for comment.
Jaw-dropping amount of recall notices on $90,000 Tesla that Donald Trump ‘purchased’ from Elon Musk
The president announced plans to buy his new Model S Tesla to show support for Musk amid what the POTUS has described as a ‘boycott’
Donald Trump became the new owner of a shiny red Tesla after he and Elon Musk turned the White House lawn into a showroom earlier this week, but the model he opted for has had its fair share of issues over the years.
The POTUS announced his plan to buy a ‘brand new Tesla’ in a post on Truth Social on March 11, in the midst of what he alleged was a ‘boycott’ against Musk’s electric car company which has taken a hit to its stock price in recent weeks.
Trump said his purchase would be a ‘show of confidence and support’ for Musk, though he later admitted that he wouldn’t actually be able to drive his new car.
Donald Trump decides to buy Tesla
After bringing a variety of Teslas to the White House, Trump declared one red Model S as a ‘beautiful’ vehicle and made it his car of choice – though some internet users have speculated as to whether the president would have really paid full price for the $90,000 car.
Eagle-eyed viewers noticed that Trump had pricing for each of the Teslas written out as he inspected the cars, but there were some details missing from his cheat-sheet – their recall history.
Since the Model S first took to the streets in 2012, the model has been subject to a whopping 37 safety recalls from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The most recent recall came in January, when a recall was issued due to a problem in which the ‘computer circuit board may short, resulting in the loss of the rearview camera image’ and potentially increasing the risk of a crash.
Donald Trump’s Model S car sells for $90,000 (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
That particular recall covered certain 2024-2025 Model 3 and Model S cars, as well as certain 2023-2025 Model X and Model Y vehicles.
It affected 239,382 cars in total, with the NHTSA explaining: “These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, ‘Rear Visibility’.”
The issue could be tackled with an over-the-air software update which would change ‘the vehicle power up sequence to prevent the shorting failure condition to the primary and/or secondary power component’.
Previously, recalls have related to issues with airbags, power-steering assist, door handles, brake discs and the car’s self-driving feature.
Trump bought his Tesla to show ‘support’ for Musk, despite not being able to drive it (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
It’s worth noting that Tesla isn’t the only brand to have been subject to numerous recalls in recent years, though Trump’s inability to drive his new car means he likely won’t be too affected by any future issues anyway.
Trump’s restriction around the car stems from a rule enforced by the US Secret Service, which states that presidents are not allowed to drive on public roads for the purpose of their own safety.
Instead, they are driven by a member of the Secret Service.
People shocked to learn what was written on Donald Trump’s paper as he bought Tesla to support Elon Musk’s ‘baby’
Internet users honed in on the document after Trump and Musk perused Tesla vehicles in front of the White House
Internet users have been left shocked after honing in on a piece of paper Donald Trump was holding as he perused Elon Musk’s selection of Teslas at the White House.
A range of Tesla models, including electric cars and a Cybertruck, were put on display at the White House on Tuesday (March 11) as Trump declared his plans to show ‘support’ for Musk’s business, which the president branded as Musk’s ‘baby’.
Trump accused the ‘Radical Left’ of boycotting Tesla to ‘attack and do harm to Elon’ as the company’s stock plummeted, so the president responded by declaring that he was going to buy a ‘brand new Tesla’ as a show of confidence for the company’s founder.
Donald Trump decides to buy Tesla
Credit: The White House
In videos from the White House, Trump could be seen telling reporters he wanted to buy one of the cars because it was a ‘great product’. He described one red Tesla Model S as ‘beautiful’ and expressed surprise at the interior, saying: “Everything’s computer!”
But those more obvious details weren’t the only information Trump had to hand while looking at the cars, as eagle-eyed viewers noticed he had more details written out on the piece of paper he was carrying around.
Trump described the red car as ‘beautiful’ (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
One photographer snapped a picture of Trump’s documents, with one handwritten note at the top detailing the different costs for Teslas.
Below some additional costings, the note featured a line that read like a sales pitch, reading: “Teslas can be purchased as low as $299/month of $35k. All cars have self driving, just needs to be turned on (fee).”
Trump’s paper detailed the costs of different Teslas (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Viewers were left shocked by the detailed breakdown Trump had on hand while looking at the cars, with one Reddit user writing: “Jesus. This is one of those pictures you see in history books for all the wrong reasons.”
Another went as far as to describe Trump as a ‘literal car salesman’, adding: “This is extraordinary.”
One Reddit user also claimed the president needed to be ‘impeached’ for using ‘official White House press events to do literal advertisements for his billionaire friends’.
Trump told reporters at the White House that he wanted to ‘pay full price’ for his Tesla, though his support of electric cars hasn’t always been so strong. In 2023, the POTUS told crowds in Iowa that electric vehicles ‘don’t go far’ and ‘cost a fortune’.
The same year, he told another crowd: “Electric cars are good if you have a towing company.”
Elon Musk forced to halt Cybertruck deliveries after vehicles fall apart as customers drive away
Issues with the bulletproof truck strike again
Tesla has been forced to pause sales of Cybertrucks after owners reported issues with pieces falling off the supposedly indestructible truck.
It’s said that Elon Musk‘s electric car-making company has had to suspend sales of its famous electric pickup truck after customers raised the alarm over some rather concerning issues.
Now, owners have reportedly said metal panels have come away from the cars and in some cases have flown off at high speeds while they were driving, presenting a safety risk to drivers and other people on the roads.
Customers have since taken to the Cybertruck Owners Club site and Musk’s social media platform, Twitter, to complain that they hadn’t been told their deliveries were on hold.
The Tesla Cybertruck has had many issues (Tristar Media/Getty Images)
But electric vehicle enthusiasts at Electrek said Tesla decided to put a halt on sales after several incidents of metal trim and panels ‘flying off’.
According to The Telegraph, a major issue is said to be with the pickup’s cantrail, a piece of decorative trim that spans the length of the roof.
It seems the issue also isn’t new as Tesla has previously been forced to recall thousands of the models due to panels falling off while on the road.
The news comes as owners have long reported build issues with the battery electric truck since it came out in 2023.
Musk unveiled it as a concept vehicle in November 2019, calling the futuristic and whopping 6,800lb truck the ultimate ‘pickup truck that can carry a pickup truck’.
An owner reported issues just one month into owning the vehicle on TiktTok (TikTok/proloaf)
But it has divided the opinion of many ever since it came out, with some complaining of its ‘poor design’ and expensive charges.
Since being able to get their hands on one, Cybertruck owners have also faced issues with them, particularly people who live in snowy and cold climates.
For example, one Tesla driver reported a ‘major flaw’ in the EVs design when he discovered that his headlights weren’t visible because of snow building up in front of them.
Another owner in Montreal, Canada, also showed the vehicle struggled to move in the snow.
In an official complaint to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a Cybertruck owner claimed the trim came away after just one year of use.
The driver claims the panel was ‘hard and sharp enough to hit other cars’ and presented a ‘serious safety issue’.
Another complaint said the upper passenger trim ‘fell off while driving on [the] street’ and ‘could have hurt another motorist’.Play
“This trim comes in two pieces, one is bolted to the truck and the other is glued onto the bolted piece, the glued piece peeled off,” it added.
Last year, Tesla recalled a few vehicles after a piece of metal trim was falling off around the trunk which the company explained in a statement, writing: “The Cybertruck is equipped with a cosmetic applique along the exterior of the trunk bed trim, known as the sail applique, which is affixed to the vehicle with adhesive.
“On affected vehicles, the sail applique or adhesion may not have been installed according to specification, which may cause the sail applique to become loose or separate from the vehicle.”
UNILAD has contacted Tesla for comment.
Elon Musk’s Tesla shares concerns over impact of Trump’s escalating trade war
Tesla is warning it could suffer amid Trump’s tough tariff announcements
Tesla is warning it could be hit hard if the US is handed retaliatory tariffs amid Trump’s escalating trade war.
Elon Musk’s Tesla is warning it could be exposed to the tough taxes that the US‘ trading partners inflict on the country in retaliation to President Donald Trump‘s tariff measures.
This week, Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs will apply to goods coming into the country such as steel, aluminum and alcohol from Canada, Mexico, China and the European Union – which has sparked significant backlash from the partners.
Trump became the proud owner of his first Tesla this week (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Canada said it would roll out its own counter-tariffs on US goods, while the EU went a step further by announcing a 50 per cent tariff on whisky.
The POTUS is also currently considering imposing tariffs on vehicles and car parts that come from around the world next month.
While the President maintains the tariffs would boost jobs and the American economy, there are fears among several industries, from agriculture to retail, that retaliatory measures could have a detrimental effect – many of which could leave American consumers footing the bill in areas like their groceries.
Now, the electric carmakers have spoken out by issuing a letter to the US Trade Representative’s Office on Tuesday (March 11), reports Reuters, that indicates Tesla is one of many US businesses concerned by the trade war.
Tesla is one of several US companies appealing to the President to avoid retaliatory tariffs (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
It said it is important Trump’s trade talks do not ‘inadvertently harm’ American companies and stressed it wanted to avoid retaliation that happened in the past, which saw increased tariffs on electric vehicles imported abroad.
“U.S. exporters are inherently exposed to disproportionate impacts when other countries respond to U.S. trade actions,” the letter stated. “For example, past trade actions by the United States have resulted in immediate reactions by the targeted countries, including increased tariffs on EVs imported into those countries.”
The automaker also said ‘certain parts and components’ are made outside the US and even with an injection of support in the domestic supply chain, could still be ‘difficult or impossible to source’ within the country.
Trump and Musk outside the White House this week where several Tesla’s went on display (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Instead, Tesla urged for a ‘phased approach’ to help such companies ‘prepare accordingly and ensure appropriate supply chain and compliance measures are taken.’
“As a U.S. manufacturer and exporter, Tesla encourages USTR to consider the downstream impacts of certain proposed actions taken to address unfair trade practices,” the letter concluded.
Tesla is not the only company to express anxiety about the matter, with Autos Drive America, representing Toyota, Volkswagen, BMW, Honda and Hyundai, warning ‘broad-based tariffs will disrupt production at U.S. assembly plants.”
The trade group added: “Automakers cannot shift their supply chains overnight, and cost increases will inevitably lead to some combination of higher consumer prices, fewer models offered to consumers and shutting down U.S. production lines, leading to potential job losses across the supply chain.”
The news comes as Trump appeared to show support for Musk and Tesla’s plummeting value this week by saying Tesla vandals will be hit with ‘domestic terrorism’ charges while purchasing his own red Tesla Model S.
