Elon Musk hijacked the end of a Tesla earnings call, interrupting his CFO to make a passionate pitch for his $1 trillion pay package. The move was described as “classic Musk” and provided a fiery end to an otherwise “ho-hum” 75-minute call.
The call had been focused on Tesla’s future tech, including AI initiatives, Optimus robots, and its robotaxi service. Musk’s interjection abruptly changed the subject to his own compensation, which shareholders will vote on in Austin on November 6.
Musk, the world’s richest person, argued that the package was essential for him to maintain “strong influence” over the company’s direction. “I just think that there needs to be enough voting control,” he said, but quickly added the caveat: “But not not so much that I can’t be fired if I go insane.”
He also used the time to blast proxy advisory services ISS and Glass Lewis, which oppose the plan. Musk accused them of making “asinine recommendations” and claimed they “have no freaking clue.” He linked this to his work on AI, saying he didn’t want to be “ousted” after “building a robot army.”
Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja concluded the call by reinforcing the board’s position. He argued the compensation committee had ensured Musk only benefits if shareholders see “substantial returns” and urged investors multiple times to ratify the plan.