Elon Musk is not going anywhere—at least not without a fight.
In his most defiant statement yet, the controversial tech titan has flatly rejected calls to step down as CEO of Tesla, declaring:

“I’ll only leave if I drop dead. Otherwise, good luck trying.”

The comment—both bold and chilling—came after mounting pressure from shareholders, critics, and even former allies who’ve raised concerns about Musk’s increasingly erratic behavior, political rants, and divided attention between Tesla, X (formerly Twitter), and his other ventures like SpaceX and Neuralink.

💥 Why the Sudden Outburst?

Musk’s vow came during a heated shareholder Q&A session ahead of Tesla’s annual meeting, where murmurs of leadership changes were beginning to gain momentum. A growing faction of Tesla investors has argued that Musk’s focus has strayed too far from the electric vehicle giant, particularly after his polarizing moves on X and his public feuds with regulators, journalists, and fellow billionaires.

One shareholder put it bluntly:

“We invested in Tesla, not in Musk’s personal crusades on Twitter.”

But Musk was having none of it.

🔥 “Critics Can Cry—Tesla Is Mine”

Musk, known for his no-filter approach, doubled down in response:

“There’s always noise from haters. But guess what? Tesla is delivering, and I’m not going anywhere.”

He then cited record vehicle deliveries, global expansion, and the upcoming release of Tesla’s next-gen self-driving software as proof of his ongoing commitment.

🧨 Wall Street Reacts

Wall Street, however, seems less confident.
Tesla’s stock has been volatile in recent months, with some analysts saying Musk’s growing “distraction factor” is becoming a liability.

“It’s not about whether he’s a genius. It’s about whether the brand can survive another PR meltdown,” one analyst told Bloomberg.

Still, others believe Musk’s leadership—while chaotic—is the engine that keeps Tesla ahead of competitors.

⚖️ The Bigger Picture

Behind the scenes, some Tesla board members are reportedly divided. While many remain loyal to Musk, others are said to be quietly exploring options to ensure stability if the CEO ever makes a sudden exit—voluntary or not.

And yet, Musk’s latest declaration leaves no room for ambiguity:
He’s not stepping down. Not now. Not ever.
Or, as he put it:

“They’ll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.”