The billionaire tasked federal employees with justifying their pay checks
Tesla shareholders don’t seem best pleased with their CEO after demanding that Elon Musk share ‘five things he’s done for them this week’.
The jibe appeared to use Musk’s own words against him as it referenced a controversial email sent out by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which demanded federal employees justify their paychecks.
In a post published on X, formerly Twitter, on February 26, one investor shared a graph which shows the poor performance of Tesla stock in recent weeks.
Please share 5 things you did for $TSLA shareholders this week. Or are you working remotely? Asking for all of us.
The user wrote: “Please share 5 things you did for $TSLA shareholders this week. Or are you working remotely? Asking for all of us.”
The comment seems to stem from a note Musk sent out to civil servants where they were tasked with explaining what they had accomplished that week.
At the end of the email, Musk warned that ‘failure to respond will be taken as a resignation’.
Employees were instructed by cabinet secretaries not to reply to the email, which forced the billionaire to walk back his threats.
Taking to X at the time, Musk wrote: “The passing grade is literally just ‘Can you send an email with words that make any sense at all?’. It’s a low bar.”
In another post, Musk claimed that the email was merely to see ‘who had a pulse and two working neurons’.
President Trump praised his external advisor for slashing $1 trillion from the federal budget.
Elon Musk was asked to give Tesla shareholders five things he has done for them this week (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
In his address to Congress yesterday (March 4), Trump said: “I have created the brand-new Department of Government Efficiency: DOGE. Perhaps you’ve heard of it.
“Which is headed by Elon Musk, who is in the gallery tonight. He’s working very hard. He didn’t need this. We appreciate it.”
Gesturing to the Democratic side of the chamber, Trump added: “Everybody here, even this side, appreciates it, I believe. They just don’t want to admit that.”
In response, Musk gave Trump a salute with his right hand from the viewing gallery.
The billionaire also scrubbed up for the occasion, ditching his infamous t-shirt and ‘dark MAGA’ cap in place of a button-up shirt and tie.
People were surprised to hear the president refer to Musk as the head of DOGE, despite his administration having argued in court that the SpaceX CEO isn’t even an employee of the organization.
Instead, they have claimed that Musk is actually a senior advisor who doesn’t have any decision making authority.Featured Image Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Tesla engineer claims he was fired after criticizing controversial post by Elon Musk on X
The employee in question objected to Musk’s Nazi references
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has received criticism after one former employee claims they were fired from the electric vehicle manufacturer following a LinkedIn post that pushed back against a Nazi-related joke post from its owner.
While it’s typically Elon Musk‘s own posts that end up getting him in trouble, in this particular instance it’s how he has reacted to another’s response that many have found issue with.
Musk remains quick to criticise others on social media when he sees fit, targeting television shows like SNL, multiple major news publications, and even the infamous hacking group Anonymous if he believes that they’ve spoken out of turn.
He’s also a self-professed defender of free speech principles – one of the key reasons why he purchased Twitter, now X, for $44 billion – declaring in the past that “free speech is meaningless unless you allow people you don’t like to say things you don’t like, otherwise it’s irrelevant.”
Musk has been accused of firing an employee after they posted dissenting views (Nora Tam/South China Morning Post via Getty Images)
Recent actions appear to have breached these ideals though, as one now-former Tesla employee has detailed how they were fired from the company for posting a dissenting view of Musk, as reported by The New York Times.
Jared Ottmann was previously a manager and engineer working with Tesla’s battery suppliers, and he outlined his opposition and distaste for Musk’s use of Nazi references in a ‘joke’ post on X.
Musk employed puns involving the names of key Nazi figures such as Joseph Goebbels, Heinrich Himmler, and Hermann Göring, adding: “Bet you did nazi that coming [laughing emoji].”
Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming 😂
Ottmann wrote in response: “Well, we have seen it coming. Elon’s behavior, whatever the underlying motivations, are well documented.
“Starting in 2022 and especially the last week I’ve raised the issue internally multiple times, with managers, HR, legal compliance, investor relations. And while overwhelmingly people offer support, Tesla as a company has remained silent.”
He then continued to outline that “this post by Tesla’s current CEO name drops genocidal a**holes as a joke and has 308,000 likes,” adding that “the silence from Tesla is deafening.”
Ottmann then confirmed last Thursday, February 27, that he had been fired from the company, although he has not offered any further statement in reference to his dismissal.
Musk has been criticized for his far right political leanings, including an alleged Nazi salute (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
Both Musk’s post on X and Ottmann’s firing come at a time when the Tesla CEO is under heavy fire for his far right political leanings.
Not only has been been criticized for his new role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, but he controversially appeared to use a Nazi salute at the presidential inauguration, although he has since denied this.
On top of this, Musk has retained strong support for far right German political party AfD, who themselves have been fined for using Nazi slogans, leading the tech mogul to be criticized by the head of a concentration camp memorial.
This is far from the first time that Musk has been accused of firing employees with dissenting beliefs, and it continues for many to challenge his maintained stance as a ‘defender’ of free speech and First Amendment principles.Featured Image Credit: Justin Sullivan / Staff / Getty