Tesla CEO Elon Musk has fired back at Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, dismissing his call for a special oversight committee to monitor Musk’s political activism and ensure he spends enough time on the company. The proposed committee would have linked pay to guardrails around Musk’s outside activities.
Ives, known as Tesla’s biggest cheerleader on Wall Street, has been a long-time supporter of the company but believes it is undervalued and deserves a $2 trillion market cap. He argued that Musk is the key driver of the company’s growth over the next 12-18 months and urged the board to adopt a carrot-and-stick approach.
Musk responded with a dismissive “Shut up, Dan,” after Ives called for the committee during a recent call with clients. The Wedbush analyst believes that Musk is prioritizing his political activism over business, which could lead to investor frustration and a potential decline in stock price.
Ives’ proposal has been met with criticism from other Musk supporters, who argue that it would be overstepping and micromanaging the CEO’s activities. “You don’t babysit Elon,” said Dave Lee, a Tesla stock influencer, adding that the board should focus on providing oversight rather than policing Musk’s outside activities.
The issue comes at a sensitive time for Tesla, which has yet to face investors this year or set a date for its shareholder meeting. With Musk aiming to form a third party capable of disrupting the Republican-Democrat duopoly in Capitol Hill, concerns are growing about his priorities and potential distraction from business.
Source: https://fortune.com/2025/07/09/elon-musk-tesla-dan-ives-shut-up-board-directors-wedbush-tech-analyst