- Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is hogging considerable limelight ever since he joined hands with the maverick Donald Trump during the latter’s bid for the office of the President of the United States of America must have raised great concerns locally and internationally. The moot point many would have pondered must be what the richest man in the world is up to by siding with an extremely unpredictable leader whose actions sometimes defy logic. The ostensible reason for the two charismatic personalities coming together is to curb unnecessary government spending in the US administration machinery, make the public servants lean, and deliver desired services on expected lines. Has it worked as envisaged in the last couple of months?
PC: Rolling Stone
- The measures announced by the Trump-Musk combo to trim the expenses and show the door to scores of people considered a luxury rather than necessary by the duo have only succeeded in sowing discontentment, disgruntlement, and dissatisfaction among the federal employees. Of course, the tariff war has not only affected the domestic market but also globally too as can be seen by the economic volatility experienced around the world. As reported recently, the profit crash has forced Musk to think whether he must leave Trump to save Tesla, which is struggling of late. Let’s dwelve deep to comprehend what’s happening with the much-talked-about individual and his signature company that is showing signs of struggle.
PC: CNN
- For the uninitiated, in 2018, Musk launched his personal Tesla Roadster into space with a mannequin named Starman in the driver’s seat, and a Don’t Panic sign on the dash. Ironically, he could have used that sign now when things aren’t going to plan, as things pan out presently. Tesla’s Q1 sales are down 13%, and net income 71%. Used Teslas are 10.1% cheaper than last year, although used cars overall are 1% dearer. Meanwhile, sales of Tesla’s biggest rival, BYD, have grown 60% in the same period. Tesla’s stock is down to $238 from $480 in mid-December, and Musk has seen his net worth dip below $300bn briefly, from $ 400bn-plus last December. Something has surely hit the ceiling for Musk to announce he’ll go a bit easy on DOGE.
PC: NDTV
- As mentioned above, Musk has been slashing and burning entire federal departments to cut government spending. He said recently that starting next month, May, his time allocation to DOGE will drop significantly. US law allows special government employees like Musk to work 130 days in a year, so his term doesn’t end until late May. He’s retreating to save Tesla. Note that by endorsing Trump and MAGA, Musk has alienated environmentally conscious, liberal-minded Americans, who typically buy Teslas. In Europe, too, he’s riled prospective buyers by backing far-right candidates. Tariffs have meanwhile made his pricier Model S and Model X cars unseleable in China. It’s time for Musk to change course for Tesla’s sake. Trump and DOGE can wait.
 to focus on saving Tesla, which has seen significant sales decline, stock price drops, and alienation of environmentally-conscious customers who traditionally purchased his vehicles.){kind=link}