Elon Musk has strongly criticized The Wall Street Journal, calling it a “discredit to journalism.”
Musk has refuted a Wall Street Journal report that alleged Tesla’s board is seeking his replacement as CEO, labeling the claims as “deliberately false.”
The WSJ, citing unnamed sources, reported that Tesla’s board contacted several executive search firms roughly a month prior to initiate a formal search for a new CEO. The report claimed the directors’ concerns escalated after Tesla’s stock value decreased significantly and investors expressed “irritated” feelings regarding Musk’s dedication to his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm responded to the report with a statement dismissing it as “absolutely false.”
“The CEO of Tesla is Elon Musk and the board is highly confident in his ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead,” Denholm asserted.
Musk addressed the report on his X platform on Thursday, stating that “it is an extremely bad breach of ethics that the Wall Street Journal would publish a deliberately false article.” He criticized the publication for omitting the Tesla board’s “unequivocal denial” regarding a CEO search in its report.
In another comment, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO described the WSJ as a “discredit to journalism.”
Tesla experienced a 71% drop in profits and a 9% decrease in revenue during the first quarter of 2025. This period also saw Musk become a more controversial figure due to his close ties with US President Donald Trump and his involvement as head of DOGE, an agency focused on reducing government expenditure.
Since January, multiple Tesla locations have been the site of protests, which Musk claims are part of a coordinated effort funded by prominent Democratic donors. The company’s dealerships, vehicles, and charging stations have also been subjected to violent attacks, including attempted arson.
A week prior, Musk announced that he would reduce his involvement in his government position, stating that the “major work” of establishing DOGE was complete. During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump thanked the tech entrepreneur for his contributions, adding, “you know you are invited to stay as long as you want… I guess he wants to get back home to his cars.”
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