Elon Musk Delivers Unscripted Compensation Pitch During Tesla Call

Tesla’s earnings call took an unscripted turn when Elon Musk delivered an impromptu pitch for his trillion-dollar compensation package, interrupting his CFO to address shareholders directly. The spontaneous moment came as investors prepare for the critical November 6 vote at the company’s annual meeting.
The quarterly financial discussion had systematically covered Tesla’s technological achievements in artificial intelligence, robotaxi development, and humanoid robotics before Musk’s intervention. His decision to deliver an unscripted pitch demonstrated the personal importance he places on securing shareholder approval for maintaining adequate control.
Musk explained his need for sufficient voting influence to protect Tesla’s strategic vision while remaining accountable to investors. He presented the compensation issue as essential for continuing ambitious technology initiatives without facing removal based on recommendations from proxy advisors he characterized as unqualified.
ISS and Glass Lewis became the focus of Musk’s sharpest criticism, with the CEO suggesting their recommendations demonstrate a lack of understanding about Tesla’s business model. His passionate language included references to building a “robot army” and concerns about ouster based on what he termed “asinine” advice from these firms.
The earnings call concluded with CFO Vaibhav Taneja defending the compensation arrangement’s performance-based structure. Taneja emphasized that the board designed the plan to ensure Musk receives payment only when shareholders see substantial returns, making repeated direct appeals for favorable votes.