Former Tesla Employee Speaks Out Against Musk’s Leadership

FREMONT, California — A former Tesla employee, Matthew LaBrot, has voiced his growing discontent with CEO Elon Musk‘s leadership, citing the impact of Musk’s political actions and social media presence on the company’s sales.

LaBrot, who joined Tesla in 2019, trained employees on sales tactics across North America and previously saw his role as a dream job. However, he began to feel disillusioned after Musk took over Twitter in 2022 and became politically active. His frustrations boiled over, leading him to organize protests against Musk’s leadership.

On April 24, LaBrot initiated a protest titled “Tesla Takedown,” using his Cybertruck as a platform to express dissent. He stated, “I wasn’t planning on working anywhere else… I could have continued to work in that role my whole life.” However, less than a day after the protest, he was fired for allegedly using company resources to create an anonymous website calling for a change in leadership.

LaBrot explained that while Tesla employees have largely remained silent on Musk’s controversial actions, he felt it necessary to speak up. He pointed out a noticeable drop in foot traffic at Tesla’s facilities, claiming the political climate surrounding Musk was alienating potential customers.

“By election time, we really started to realize that these customers we’d expected to see weren’t coming,” LaBrot said, reflecting on the impact of Musk’s political endorsements on sales. Earlier this year, Tesla reported a 13% decline in deliveries compared to the previous year, with significant drops in key markets like California.

In response to the decline, Tesla implemented more sales promotions, which LaBrot described as unusual given the previously high demand for their vehicles. He noted that customers had stopped coming in due to Musk’s alienating political stance.

Following his termination, LaBrot continues to participate in protests against Musk and has garnered support from former colleagues. Despite the fallout from his actions, he maintains his belief in Tesla’s mission to advance clean energy. “I still firmly believe in the company, and what we’re working towards,” LaBrot stated.