Elon Musk’s Father Labels Tesla Protesters as ‘Bums’ | Financial News
Errol Musk, Elon Musk’s father, expressed to Sky News that protesters opposing his son’s budget-cutting initiatives for the US government are simply “bums.”
In an interview with Business Live, Errol Musk reacted to the rising discontent among US taxpayers and Tesla customers concerning his son’s involvement in the Trump administration-established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The electric vehicle manufacturer has faced boycotts and protests, with incidents of vehicles being vandalized and even set on fire, extending beyond the US.
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‘Elon Musk has got to go’
Tesla by vandalizing cars is just plain silly. It’s not what rational people do, you need to use your brain… these individuals are the real issue, not the vehicle.”
He described the backlash against Elon Musk as “media hype,” dismissing the concerns of Tesla investors who worry that his son’s primary business interest is facing difficulties amid increasing challenges.
Earlier this month, one of Tesla’s earliest investors, Ross Gerber, expressed to Sky News that Mr. Musk should step down as the electric carmaker’s CEO unless he ends his work with the Trump administration.
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‘I think Tesla needs a new CEO’
His concerns included negative publicity and whether Mr. Musk could commit adequate time to Tesla.
Recently, it was revealed that Tesla sales had dropped 40% in Europe and were trailing behind those of budget-friendly Chinese competitor BYD on an annual basis.
Mr. Musk also indicated that he anticipates a “substantial” impact on Tesla due to Mr. Trump’s metal tariffs and impending duties on all car imports and parts into the US.
Over the weekend, in an interview with Fox News, he suggested that he might soon have more free time as a large part of his responsibilities at DOGE should be finished by late May.
Errol Musk refuted claims that his son was overwhelmed, stating that there are capable individuals at Tesla ready to take on daily operations while Elon addresses “crucial work” for US taxpayers amidst the rising national debt.
“He’s fully capable of managing that. There’s no need for concern,” he stated, confidently estimating that Tesla shares would bounce back to $600 by the end of the year, up from their current price of $254.
“There’s absolutely no worry in that regard, none at all,” he affirmed.