Elon Musk, the world's richest person, has been given a chance to become the first trillionaire in history. On Thursday, Tesla shareholders approved a pay package that could grant Musk stock worth $1 trillion if he meets specific performance targets over the next ten years.
The vote followed intense debate about Musk’s management of Tesla and whether such a massive compensation package was justified. Opinions ranged from small investors to large pension funds, and even the pope weighed in on the matter. Despite the controversy, over 75% of shareholders voted in favor during the annual meeting in Austin, Texas.
“Fantastic group of shareholders,” Musk said after the final count, adding, “Hang on to your Tesla stock.”
This shareholder endorsement demonstrates continued investor confidence in Musk despite Tesla facing significant difficulties this year. Sales, market share, and profits have all declined sharply, largely due to Musk’s political involvement in the U.S. and Europe, as well as his promotion of conspiracy theories.
Notably, a report from Europe released just three days before the vote revealed that Tesla’s car sales fell again last month, including a 50% drop in Germany.
Musk’s massive pay package approval reflects strong shareholder support amid Tesla’s ongoing struggles with declining sales and public controversies.
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