After enduring months of scrutiny over Tesla Inc.’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) falling stock price, Elon Musk has fired back at a political critic with a jab of his own.
What Happened: On Friday, Tesla shares closed at $349.98, marking a 44.89% surge over the past month and pushing its market cap to $1.12 trillion.
Musk celebrated the rebound on X, formerly Twitter, posting a screenshot of Tesla’s chart along with a pointed message to Governor Tim Walz (D-Minn.): “Yo Timmy, how’s your day bro?”
The quip was a response to Walz’s March 18 comment during a Wisconsin event, where he joked, “On the iPhone, they’ve got that little stock app. I added Tesla to it to give me a little boost during the day — $225 and dropping.”
The audience laughed, but Musk didn’t. At the time, Musk called Walz a “huge j**k” and “a creep,” criticizing the governor for mocking investors and a U.S. company.
Walz also responded to the backlash, saying, “I was making a joke. These people have no sense of humor.”
Why It’s Important: Walz, who ran alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race, has been a vocal critic of both Musk and the Donald Trump administration.
Musk emerged as a key figure in Trump’s White House during the first 100 days, spearheading major federal budget cuts and layoffs that galvanized Republican support but also sparked public protests, some of which were directed at Tesla.
Last month, during Tesla’s first-quarter earnings call, Musk announced that he would scale back his involvement with DOGE, limiting his commitment to just one or two days per week going forward.
Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that Tesla’s board had contacted executive search firms to find a replacement for Musk. However, Tesla denied the claim, calling it false and reaffirming its confidence in Musk’s leadership.
Price Action: Tesla shares rose 2.09% during Friday’s regular session to close at $349.98, before dipping 2.81% after hours to $340.15. Over the past 12 months, the stock has surged 100.17%, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Benzinga’s Edge Rankings gives TSLA a 45.37% growth score. Wondering how it compares to other EV giants? Click here for the full breakdown.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
