Elon Musk's pursuit of becoming the world's first trillionaire has been condemned as "beyond grotesque," with critics asserting that this historic wealth will not earn him the public respect or affection he is perceived to desire.
The Mega-Deal Facing Backlash
Already the world's richest person with an estimated fortune of £380 billion, Musk stands to gain nearly $1 trillion (£760bn) in Tesla shares over the coming decade. This follows shareholder approval of a monumental pay package for the maverick leader of Tesla and SpaceX.
However, this record-breaking corporate payout is far from guaranteed. It hinges on Tesla meeting a series of exceptionally ambitious targets, including achieving a five-fold increase in its stock market value, selling a million self-driving Robotaxis, and successfully developing humanoid robots.
A 'Slap in the Face' and an 'Outrageous' Prospect
The mere possibility of such a payment to one individual, particularly one as polarising as Musk, has provoked an immediate and fierce backlash.
Andy Prendergast, National Secretary of the GMB union, did not hold back in his criticism. "How long before he learns that all the money in the world won't buy him the respect or love he so obviously craves?" he stated. "A trillion pounds for a man like Elon Musk is beyond grotesque, it is a prime example of everything that is wrong with the world."
He emphasised that at a time of rising inequality and increasing social problems, this potential pay packet represents "a slap in the face to every hard working man and woman."
From a financial perspective, Matt Britzman, a senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, commented, "A $1 trillion CEO pay package is outrageous – but so are the Everest-sized milestones Tesla must conquer to unlock it."
Public Opinion and a 'Dystopian' Model of Capitalism
The scale of this potential wealth is staggering. If realised, the package would be worth almost as much as the entire economy of Poland, a nation of 36 million people.
This development comes shortly after Musk, who also owns SpaceX and the social media platform X, became the first person to see their personal fortune exceed $500 billion.
Tesla shareholder Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki, noted that the pay deal was "another notch in the unbelievable things that you see in business." He revealed his firm had recently reduced its stake in Tesla due to concerns over "the polarisation of [Musk's] persona," adding, "Elon seems to be divorced from the reality that his opinion among the public is so low."
Andrew Speke of the High Pay Centre think tank provided a stark warning. "Musk's $1 trillion pay package is a truly bleak milestone," he said. "Awarding so much to one individual reflects a model of capitalism that feels increasingly dystopian - massively rewarding a tiny few while many people's living standards continue to decline."
The approval of this pay deal coincides with a challenging period for Tesla, where sales have been impacted by a lack of new models, a backlash against Musk's political endorsements—including his support for Reform UK leader Nigel Farage—and intense competition from Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers.
Should Musk achieve trillionaire status, his wealth would dwarf that of his closest rivals. He would be four times richer than Larry Ellison, the world's second-wealthiest person, and vastly wealthier than Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
