Kevin O'Leary, also known as "Mr. Wonderful," didn't hold back after Governor Tim Walz (D-Minn) took a swipe at Tesla Inc.'s TSLA declining stock.
What Happened: During an event on Tuesday, Walz joked that he gets "a boost" when checking Tesla's stock and seeing it down—an apparent dig at Elon Musk's increasingly close ties with the Donald Trump administration.
However, the remark didn't sit well with "Shark Tank" star and investor O'Leary, who slammed the governor in a CNN segment. "That poor guy didn't check his portfolio and his own pension plan for the state," he said.
O'Leary was pointing to a 2024 report from the Minnesota State Board of Investments that showed the state held 1.6 million shares of Tesla in its retirement fund, noted The Hill.
"What's the matter with that guy? He doesn't check the well-being of his own constituents?" O'Leary added. "What a bozo."
Why It's Important: Walz, who ran alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race, is now on a national speaking tour criticizing the Trump administration's policies—including Musk's role in the Department of Government Efficiency.
Tesla shares have struggled in recent months, down 37.71% year to date.
Earlier this week, a report highlighted a $1.4 billion discrepancy in Tesla’s capital expenditure, which has contributed to a significant drop in its market valuation from $1.7 trillion to under $800 billion.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives has urged Musk to reaffirm his commitment to the company and address concerns over vehicle demand and pricing.
Despite these challenges, investors like Cathie Wood continue to show confidence in Tesla, with Ark Invest recently acquiring additional shares even amidst a recall of over 46,000 Cybertrucks.
Price Action: Tesla’s shares surged 0.17% during Thursday’s regular trading session, closing at $236.26. However, in after-hours trading, the stock dipped 0.51% to $235.06. Year-to-date, Tesla’s stock has declined 37.71%, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Image via Shutterstock
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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