Slate Daily Feed What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Why Tesla Is Paying Elon a Trillion Bucks
Nov 9, 2025
Faiz Siddiqui, a technology reporter at The Washington Post and author of 'Hubris Maximus,' dives into Tesla's shocking approval of a nearly $1 trillion pay package for Elon Musk. He discusses the implications of this deal on Musk's commitment amid his controversial public feuds with government officials. Faiz also reveals how Musk's political involvement has split Tesla's customer base and potentially hurt the company's financial health. Plus, the challenges faced by SpaceX with NASA contracts and Musk's impulsive behavior that raises investor concerns.
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Child Visits Flight Deck Sparked By Kind Crew
- Faiz Siddiqui recounts a United Airlines flight attendant letting Bronx visit the cockpit, creating a lasting memory.
- He compares the moment to his own aviation upbringing, showing how small interactions shape futures.
Political Entanglements Hurt Tesla Demand
- Musk's involvement in politics and the Trump administration damaged Tesla's demand and investor confidence.
- That backlash pushed Tesla into a weaker growth phase and forced reconsideration of his external engagements.
SpaceX Struggling With Lunar Lander Milestones
- SpaceX has missed key lunar landing milestones like in-orbit refueling and suffered multiple Starship failures.
- Those delays and explosions raise doubts about its readiness for NASA's Artemis lunar missions.
