Tesla has fired a manager, Jared Ottmann, for criticizing CEO Elon Musk’s social media post that made light of Nazi leaders. Ottmann was let go after he objected to a post on Twitter that used the names of Nazis like Heinrich Himmler and Hermann Göring in a wordplay joke. Musk’s companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, have a history of punishing dissent, with SpaceX firing nine employees in the past for criticizing the CEO’s behavior on social media.
Ottmann had raised the issue internally multiple times with managers, HR, and legal compliance, but Tesla remained silent. This incident is the latest example of disruption caused by Musk’s right-wing politics, as he has supported far-right parties in Germany and been a polarizing figure due to his role in the Trump administration.
Criticism of Musk within his companies is not isolated to Ottmann. Last month, employees at Tesla vented their frustrations about Musk’s political activities during a meeting in Palo Alto, with a manager expressing discouragement over the CEO’s behavior.
Musk has a history of firing employees who criticize him, with several SpaceX employees being let go after posting critiques of the billionaire on X. This is contrary to Musk’s stated goal of defending free speech. Investors in Tesla are concerned that Musk’s political activities are alienating buyers and distracting him from addressing the company’s slumping car sales, which have led to a 40 percent decline in Tesla’s share value from a recent high. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment on Ottmann’s firing.
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