'Thank You, Elon:' Musk's Longtime Aide Reportedly Fired Days After Public Praise

Electric Vehicle maker Tesla, Inc.’s TSLA chief Elon Musk has reportedly terminated the employment of his long-time confidant Omead Afshar.

Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Afshar’s name no longer appears in Tesla’s internal directory, and news of his departure sparks discussion among employees.

Before his reported departure, Afshar was Tesla’s vice president in charge of sales and manufacturing in North America and Europe.

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Afshar’s abrupt departure is likely to raise eyebrows, especially following his June 23 social media post praising Musk’s robotaxi push in Austin.

“Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!” Afshar wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Meanwhile, a Forbes report claims Musk himself fired Afshar amid slumping sales in both regions and the brand’s waning popularity.

Sales Drop Adds Pressure

Tesla’s new vehicle sales fell 27.9% year-over-year in Europe last month, despite the broader electric vehicle segment growing by 27.2% in the region, according to Reuters, citing data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

The company’s latest Model Y update has yet to reverse the downward trend for Tesla that started when buyers began protesting Musk’s political involvement.

According to Benzinga Pro, TSLA stock has gained over 66% in the past year. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via Simplify Volt TSLA Revolution ETF TESL.

Other notable recent Tesla departures include Milan Kovac, former head of engineering for the Optimus humanoid robot project, and Jenna Ferrua, who is listed on LinkedIn as Tesla’s HR director for North America, Bloomberg adds.

Tech Crunch reports that Afshar entered the company in 2017 and was a part of the “office of the CEO.” In 2022, he came under internal scrutiny for allegedly being linked to a plan to buy specialized materials for a glass structure reportedly envisioned by Musk, Tech Crunch adds.

The matter later drew investigations from both the Department of Justice and the SEC in 2023.

Afshar’s rumored departure also coincides with broader EV industry turbulence, as Rivian Automotive, Inc. RIVN recently cut around 140 jobs amid cost pressures.

Rivian’s layoffs, largely targeting the firm’s manufacturing team, began Wednesday, with some roles cut over “process inefficiencies,” former employees told Tech Crunch.

Price Action: TSLA shares are trading lower by 0.27% to $326.68 at last check Thursday.

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