Overview

• Trae Cervantes resigned in March after describing Musk’s Nazi salute at a political rally as his breaking point.
• Cervantes said Tesla’s internal culture fostered a “cult of personality” that stifled criticism and diverted focus from electric-vehicle innovation.
• Tesla has lost a series of high-profile executives such as Omead Afshar as declining sales signal growing workforce unease.
• Employees cite Musk’s expanding involvement in Twitter and U.S. politics as a distraction from the company’s sustainable-energy objectives.
• The rash of principle-driven departures raises questions about Tesla’s ability to retain talent and sustain its core mission.