Elon Musk says he intends to remain CEO of Tesla for at least the next five years, while saying the company is not experience issues with demand, expect in one market. The comments came during a video interview at the Qatar Economic Forum on Tuesday, where Musk responded to questions about his political involvement, leadership at Tesla, and the company’s recent sales figures.
When asked directly if he saw himself continuing as Tesla’s CEO in five years’ time, Musk answered with a simple “Yes.” Pressed further, he added with a laugh, “I can’t be still here if I’m dead.”
Musk’s statements on his continued leadership comes amid growing scrutiny over his political ties and time commitments to projects beyond Tesla, including the U.S. government’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Along with his involvement in DOGE, Musk has donated at least $250 million in support of Trump’s re-election campaign, but that appears to be over, at least for now. Musk said, “I’ve done enough. If I see a reason to do political spending I will, but I don’t currently see a reason. I think I’ve done enough.”
Elon Musk today on his Tesla pay package, the violence against Tesla, etc. pic.twitter.com/4DcHWD2muQ
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) May 20, 2025
Tesla has faced negative press, protests, and vandalism at its showrooms and charging infrastructure in recent months, tied in part to Musk’s heightened political presence. These incidents have impacted public perception of the brand and, in some regions, sales. However, Musk said that the company is not seeing a demand problem, expect for Europe, which he called Tesla’s “weakest market.”
“Europe is our weakest market, we’re strong everywhere else. Our sales are doing well at this point. We don’t anticipate any sales shortfall. We’ve lost some sales perhaps on the left, but we’ve gained them on the right. The sales numbers at this point are strong. We see no problem with demand,” Musk said.
Despite recent volatility, Musk pointed to Tesla’s stock performance as evidence that the company remains in strong standing. “You can just look at the stock price if you want the best inside information,” he said. “The stock wouldn’t be trading near all-time highs if things weren’t in good shape. They’re fine, don’t worry about it.”
Musk’s leadership at Tesla has also been at the center of an ongoing legal dispute over his 2018 pay package. With that $56 billion award still under review by the Delaware Supreme Court, the Tesla board has formed a special committee to explore new compensation options. Musk, for his part, emphasized that his concern is not financial, but about maintaining control. “It’s not a money thing, it’s a reasonable control thing over the future of the company,” he said.
You can watch the full interview below.
