Elon Musk Turns Tesla Earnings Call Into Push for $1 Trillion Pay Deal

Tesla CEO Elon Musk used the closing moments of the company’s quarterly earnings call to rally investor support for his proposed $1 trillion compensation plan, while sharply criticizing proxy advisory firms that have advised against it, according to an exclusive report by Bloomberg.

Following an otherwise routine discussion about Tesla’s artificial intelligence initiatives, humanoid robot “Optimus,” and the upcoming robotaxi service, Musk shifted tone. “There needs to be enough voting control to ensure strong influence—but not so much that I can’t be fired if I go insane,” he said, underscoring his desire for shareholder backing ahead of a crucial vote scheduled for November 6 in Austin.

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The outspoken billionaire, who remains the world’s richest person, framed the compensation issue as central to Tesla’s long-term innovation strategy. “I don’t feel comfortable building a robot army here and then being ousted because of asinine recommendations from ISS and Glass Lewis,” Musk said, referring to the influential proxy advisory firms Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis. He accused them of misunderstanding Tesla’s mission and acting against shareholder interests.

Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja closed the 75-minute call by defending the proposed package, noting that the board’s compensation committee structured it to directly link Musk’s reward to shareholder value creation. “Elon receives nothing unless shareholders achieve significant returns,” Taneja emphasized, urging investors to approve the plan.

The vote comes at a sensitive moment for Tesla, which faces growing competition in the electric-vehicle sector and investor questions about slowing growth. Musk’s performance-linked pay package, one of the largest in corporate history, has drawn scrutiny over governance and concentration of control. Still, Musk argued that retaining decisive influence is critical to sustaining Tesla’s momentum in AI and robotics.