Tesla Manager Fired After Criticizing Elon Musk’s Nazi-Referencing Jokes
A Tesla manager has reportedly been terminated from his position after publicly criticizing Elon Musk’s jokes referencing Nazi figures. The incident underscores Musk’s reputation for intolerance of dissent, despite his self-proclaimed commitment to free speech.
According to a report in the New York Times, Jared Ottmann, who worked with Tesla’s battery suppliers, was fired after posting a LinkedIn message expressing his disapproval of Musk’s recent jokes referencing Nazi figures. The jokes followed Musk’s controversial Nazi-style salutes during President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20th.
Musk’s January 23rd post included the lines, "Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming." The names Goebbels, Goring, and Himmler are synonymous with the Nazi regime and their roles in the Holocaust, in which 6 million Jews were systematically murdered.
Ottmann shared a screenshot of Musk’s post on LinkedIn, writing, "Well, we have seen it coming. Elon’s behavior, whatever the underlying motivations, are well documented."
He further explained that he had raised "the issue" with Musk internally multiple times since 2022, including with managers, HR, legal compliance, and investor relations. The exact nature of "the issue" remains unclear, but Musk has been repeatedly accused of racist and antisemitic behavior.
In November 2023, Musk drew widespread criticism when he responded to an extremist account promoting a conspiracy theory about Jewish people with the words, "You have said the actual truth."
Ottmann emphasized in his LinkedIn post that "Tesla as a company has remained silent" and that Musk’s Nazi jokes "name drops genocidal assholes as a joke and has 308,000 likes." He concluded his post by asking, "The silence from Tesla is deafening. What’s a mensch to do?"
The incident highlights the perceived hypocrisy of Musk, who frequently touts himself as a free speech absolutist, yet appears to stifle criticism within his companies. The Times notes that Musk does not tolerate dissent of any kind at his companies. In 2022, nine SpaceX employees were fired after they expressed concerns about Musk’s behavior and wanted the company to distance itself from him. Those employees were seeking to address a formal complaint about Musk’s behavior toward a company flight attendant, including allegations of sexual harassment.
Tesla has not responded to requests for comment on Ottmann’s firing. The company dissolved its PR office in 2020, and Musk has stated his preference for communicating directly with the public through his social media platform, X.
The firing of Ottmann is the latest example of what critics describe as Musk’s authoritarian leadership style. Beyond the current controversy, Musk faces criticism for his management of his other companies, including SpaceX and X, formerly known as Twitter. He has been accused of making impulsive decisions, firing employees who disagree with him, and promoting a culture of fear within his organizations.
The controversy also raises questions about the responsibility of corporations to address the behavior of their CEOs, particularly when that behavior is perceived as offensive or harmful. Tesla’s silence in the face of Musk’s Nazi-referencing jokes has been criticized by many, who argue that the company has a responsibility to condemn such behavior and protect its employees from harassment.
The long-term impact of Musk’s behavior on Tesla’s brand and reputation remains to be seen. Some observers believe that the controversy could alienate customers and investors, while others argue that Musk’s loyal following will continue to support him regardless. The situation underscores the challenges faced by companies when their leaders engage in controversial or offensive behavior.
