Tesla Shareholders Back Musk’s Record-Breaking $1 Trillion Pay Deal

In a stunning show of confidence and loyalty, Tesla shareholders have overwhelmingly approved Elon Musk’s eye-popping $1 trillion compensation package the largest executive pay deal in corporate history.

At Tesla’s annual meeting in Austin, Texas, about 75% of shareholders voted in favor of the plan, sending a clear message to regulators, foreign investors, and media skeptics: Tesla is Elon Musk, and Elon Musk is Tesla.

This historic vote comes amid legal uncertainty after a Delaware judge tossed out Musk’s previous $56 billion package earlier this year. But rather than bowing to legal interference or corporate pressure, shareholders doubled down and offered Musk a performance-based package that could make him the richest CEO in history if he delivers.

Key highlights of the compensation plan:

• Musk will receive stock options worth up to 12% of Tesla’s total shares, unlocking only if Tesla hits a market cap of $8.5 trillion and meets aggressive operational goals over the next decade.

• Tesla is currently valued at $1.45 trillion, making the plan contingent on significant growth and long-term performance, not guaranteed cash or bonuses.

• This move restores Musk’s influence at Tesla amid rising concerns he may shift his focus to other ventures like SpaceX or xAI if not properly incentivized.

Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm put it bluntly: "Do you want to retain Elon as Tesla's CEO and motivate him to drive Tesla to become the leading provider of autonomous solutions and the most valuable company in the world?" The answer, apparently, was a resounding yes.

Opposition was vocal but ultimately irrelevant. Norway’s sovereign wealth fund Tesla’s sixth-largest external shareholder voted no, citing concerns over dilution and "key person risk." So did corporate proxy advisors like Glass Lewis and ISS, who preach cookie-cutter governance while failing to account for Tesla’s unique success under Musk.

Let’s not forget what’s actually happened under Musk’s leadership:

• Tesla stock is up over 17% in 2025 alone.

• Shareholders who backed Musk’s 2018 pay package saw Tesla become the most valuable carmaker in the world.

• The company continues to dominate in electric vehicles and is ramping up breakthroughs in autonomous driving and AI-driven robotics.

This isn’t just a victory for Musk. It’s a pushback against the activist investor class, the corporate governance overlords, and international meddlers who think they know better than the people who actually own the company.

Musk, never one for modesty, thanked investors and the board for their “immense support,” calling Tesla shareholder meetings “bangers” instead of the usual corporate snoozefests.

He even joked during Tesla’s last earnings call that he wants “enough voting control to give a strong influence, but not so much that I can't be fired if I go insane.” Translation: he’s staying grounded, but he’s staying in charge.

With 2024 behind us and the political winds shifting in America’s favor, it’s good to see that at least in the business world, results still matter. Tesla’s shareholders know where their success comes from and they’re not afraid to double down on the man who got them there.

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