SD. BREAKING BUSINESS NEWS: ELON MUSK’S $1 TRILLION PAY PLAN SPARKS GLOBAL OUTRAGE — TESLA BOARD UNDER FIRE AS INVESTORS PUSH BACK
📰 BREAKING BUSINESS NEWS: ELON MUSK’S $1 TRILLION PAY PLAN SPARKS GLOBAL OUTRAGE — TESLA BOARD UNDER FIRE AS INVESTORS PUSH BACK 💥💰
By Daniel Brooks | The Wall Street Tribune | October 19, 2025
🚨 A RECORD-BREAKING PAYDAY — AND A FIRESTORM OF BACKLASH
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, Inc., is once again at the center of a global corporate storm — this time over a record-shattering $1 trillion compensation package that critics call “the most excessive CEO deal in history.”
The plan, recently unveiled by Tesla’s board, would grant Musk massive stock-based rewards if the company meets a series of market-cap and revenue milestones over the next decade. If approved, it would eclipse even his previous $56 billion award — the one that was struck down by a Delaware court earlier this year for being “unfair to shareholders.”
But now, proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has urged Tesla investors to vote against the proposal, warning it could “severely distort corporate governance” and “concentrate unprecedented wealth in a single executive.”
📎 Source: Reuters, Oct 17 2025
⚡ THE PLAN THAT SHOOK WALL STREET
Under the terms of the package, Musk would receive stock options tied to Tesla’s valuation milestones, some requiring the company to surpass a $10 trillion market cap — nearly five times Apple’s current value.
Tesla’s board insists the deal is justified.
“Elon Musk has created more value for shareholders than any CEO in modern history,” said Robyn Denholm, Tesla’s chairwoman.
“This plan ensures he remains committed to Tesla’s long-term vision.”
However, critics argue that Musk already holds enough stock to stay motivated — and that such rewards risk alienating investors and employees alike.
Financial analyst Dr. Karen Liu called it “a loyalty plan disguised as a lottery ticket.”
💥 LEGAL BATTLES AND PUBLIC DRAMA
The backlash comes as Musk’s legal fight over his earlier $56 billion pay package nears its conclusion.
In January, a Delaware judge ruled the original deal “unfair and poorly disclosed,” prompting Musk to threaten relocating Tesla’s headquarters from Delaware to Texas.
Musk responded on X (formerly Twitter):
“Never incorporate in Delaware. Ever again.”
Now, with the new trillion-dollar plan on the table, legal experts say Tesla could face renewed scrutiny from regulators — and possibly another wave of shareholder lawsuits.
🌍 THE BIGGER PICTURE — MUSK’S EMPIRE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
The timing couldn’t be more dramatic.
Musk is juggling five major ventures — Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, Starlink, and X (formerly Twitter) — while facing growing criticism over his leadership style, labor disputes, and political outbursts.
Just this week, Musk called for “federal troops in San Francisco” after criticizing local government policies on crime and homelessness, sparking heated backlash from civic leaders and tech rivals like Salesforce’s Marc Benioff.
📎 Source: NY Post, Oct 14 2025
Analysts say the convergence of corporate controversy and political grandstanding could hurt Tesla’s brand image — especially among environmentally conscious investors.
“Musk thrives on chaos,” said market strategist Paul Dyer.
“But now the chaos might finally be catching up to him.”
📈 INVESTOR SENTIMENT: ADMIRATION VS. EXHAUSTION
Tesla’s stock initially spiked 6% after the new pay plan was announced — then plunged nearly 9% within 24 hours as criticism spread.
Social media remains divided:
- #StandWithElon trended on X, with fans calling him a “visionary worth every penny.”
- Meanwhile, #GreedyGalaxy began trending on Reddit, with users mocking Musk’s “moon-sized ego.”
Some shareholders have called for a modified plan tied to specific innovation metrics — such as energy storage breakthroughs or autonomous-driving performance — rather than pure market capitalization.
🧠 THE VERDICT
Love him or loathe him, Elon Musk has once again turned the business world upside down.
Whether this trillion-dollar pay plan becomes a symbol of innovation-driven reward or runaway executive excess could define not just Musk’s legacy — but the future of corporate capitalism itself.
“He’s not just changing industries,” wrote Bloomberg analyst Fiona Cortez.
“He’s rewriting the limits of ambition — and accountability.”
💬 Do you think Elon Musk deserves a $1 trillion payday — or has genius officially crossed the line into greed?
👇 Drop your thoughts below.
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