Overview

• Tesla chair Robyn Denholm officially denied reports that the board contacted executive search firms to replace Elon Musk as CEO, calling the claims 'absolutely false.'
• The Wall Street Journal reported that Tesla board members had approached search firms in March 2025, citing anonymous sources, but these claims remain unverified.
• Elon Musk publicly criticized the report, labeling it 'deliberately false' and accusing the publication of unethical journalism.
• Tesla faces significant challenges, including a 9% drop in Q1 sales and a 71% decline in profits, as Musk's political role in the Trump administration has drawn criticism and polarized Tesla's customer base.
• Analysts warn that replacing Musk would be highly complex due to his central role in Tesla's identity, with some estimating the difficulty as an 'eight or nine' on a ten-point scale.