Was Tesla Trying to Replace Elon Musk as CEO? | Pivot
Kara Swisher (host), Scott Galloway (host), Narrator, Narrator, Narrator, Narrator, Narrator, Narrator, Narrator
In this episode of Pivot, featuring Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, Was Tesla Trying to Replace Elon Musk as CEO? | Pivot explores tesla Board Turmoil, Tech Earnings Boom, And Trump’s Economic Chaos Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway dissect reports that Tesla’s board quietly explored replacing Elon Musk or forcing him to recommit to Tesla amid falling sales, political distractions, and a barren product pipeline—despite official denials. They broaden this into a critique of Musk’s governance, board complicity, and how leaks signal severe internal concern. The conversation then shifts to Trump’s chaotic early-term tariffs, his combative media appearances, and attempts to blame Biden for a contracting economy, while minimizing the impact of toy and consumer shortages. Finally, they analyze blockbuster earnings from Microsoft and Meta, a major antitrust setback for Apple’s App Store, Bezos’s capitulation to Trump over Amazon’s tariff transparency plan, and emerging satellite-internet competition for SpaceX’s Starlink.
Tesla Board Turmoil, Tech Earnings Boom, And Trump’s Economic Chaos
Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway dissect reports that Tesla’s board quietly explored replacing Elon Musk or forcing him to recommit to Tesla amid falling sales, political distractions, and a barren product pipeline—despite official denials. They broaden this into a critique of Musk’s governance, board complicity, and how leaks signal severe internal concern. The conversation then shifts to Trump’s chaotic early-term tariffs, his combative media appearances, and attempts to blame Biden for a contracting economy, while minimizing the impact of toy and consumer shortages. Finally, they analyze blockbuster earnings from Microsoft and Meta, a major antitrust setback for Apple’s App Store, Bezos’s capitulation to Trump over Amazon’s tariff transparency plan, and emerging satellite-internet competition for SpaceX’s Starlink.
Key Takeaways
Tesla’s board appears deeply worried about the company’s future pipeline and Musk’s distraction.
If the Wall Street Journal reporting is accurate, a board that has historically tolerated unprecedented CEO misconduct is now exploring leadership changes or forcing Musk to recommit, which Scott reads as a sign that internal projections look dire and there’s ‘absolutely nothing’ near-term in the product pipeline to reverse declining sales.
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Board behavior is driven far more by stock price than by governance principles.
Scott explains that boards will overlook almost any CEO behavior when the stock is rising, then overcorrect and scapegoat leaders when shares fall—exposing the myth that boards truly prioritize stakeholders over shareholders or consistently enforce standards.
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Meta and Microsoft are turning AI into tangible revenue and profit advantages.
Meta’s ad prices and engagement are up thanks to AI-driven recommendations and targeting, while Microsoft’s Azure growth and diversified business make it relatively insulated from tariffs and recessions; both companies are pairing enormous data assets with massive chip investments to dominate the next AI wave.
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Apple’s attempt to preserve App Store fees backfired, strengthening antitrust scrutiny.
By effectively re-creating its 30% cut through a 27% commission on external payments, Apple provoked a judge into barring it from taking commissions on out-of-store sales, undercutting a key services revenue stream and underscoring the risks of ‘petulant’ noncompliance after a largely favorable prior ruling.
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Trump’s tariff shock is likely to hammer main street far more than mega-cap tech.
Scott notes that shipping volumes from China have plunged, ports are quiet, and small and mid-sized businesses face paralysis over whether to reroute supply chains, while globally diversified digital giants like Meta, Microsoft, and Alphabet are comparatively shielded from tariff pain.
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Minimizing consumer pain (“kids need two dolls, not thirty”) is politically dangerous.
Kara and Scott argue that telling families to ‘buck up’ as toys and basic goods get scarcer and more expensive misunderstands American consumer culture and the emotional hit parents feel when they can’t provide, making tariffs an electoral liability once shortages and price spikes fully register.
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Direct presidential pressure on individual firms erodes norms and advantages insiders.
Bezos’s rapid reversal on Amazon’s plan to show tariff costs—after Trump’s call and the press secretary labeling it a ‘hostile’ act—illustrates how one-off presidential interventions create a corrupt system where only firms with access and leverage (e. ...
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Notable Quotes
“They have put up with more aberrant, unacceptable behavior from a CEO than any board in history.”
— Scott Galloway (on Tesla’s board and Elon Musk)
“For them to cross the line means there’s abso-fucking-lutely nothing in the product pipeline that is gonna stop this company from crashing.”
— Scott Galloway (on what a Tesla CEO search would signal)
“It’s like they were competing for crazy. And once again, he wins.”
— Kara Swisher (on Trump’s cabinet meeting and loyalty displays)
“From a guy that golfs every third day and bangs porn stars, he’s talking to us about consumption?”
— Scott Galloway (on Trump lecturing Americans about buying ‘too many’ toys)
“Greatness is in the agency of others. The key to success is the ability to attract and retain people more talented than yourself.”
— Scott Galloway (on leadership and long-tenured teams around figures like Maher and Musk)
Questions Answered in This Episode
If Tesla did replace Elon Musk as CEO, what kind of auto-sector leader could realistically manage both the company’s culture and its operational challenges without being undermined by Musk?
Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway dissect reports that Tesla’s board quietly explored replacing Elon Musk or forcing him to recommit to Tesla amid falling sales, political distractions, and a barren product pipeline—despite official denials. ...
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How far should journalists go in real time to confront political leaders’ lies without sacrificing the decorum and access needed to keep doing their jobs?
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Will the Apple–Epic ruling materially change developer economics and consumer prices, or will Apple find new ways to preserve its App Store tolls within the letter of the law?
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At what point do tariffs and visible shortages (like toys at Christmas) become politically unsustainable, even for a base that’s been told to ‘buck up’ for the sake of national strength?
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Does Amazon’s Project Kuiper have a realistic path to challenging Starlink’s early lead, and how might a two-player satellite-internet race reshape connectivity, competition, and regulation globally?
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Transcript Preview
Like, it's- it's sad, he's 53 years old.
I know, we talk about him as if he's a teenager. He's about to start getting AARP mail. (instrumental music)
Hi everyone, this is Pivot from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network. I'm Kara Swisher.
And I'm Scott Galloway.
I flew all night and boy are my arms tired. I did a joke, Scott.
Where- where'd you come in from?
DC to San Francisco.
DC to S- oh, you're- you're in your favorite place, San Francisco.
Yes, indeed. I'm so excited to be here.
And you're- you're collecting a bunch of awards, and you're also-
I am.
Look what I'm wearing.
I know, you're wearing the Bill Maher thing.
Look what I'm wearing.
It's very attractive.
I'm wearing a Bill Maher shirt because I know you're going on Bill Mah- Maher.
I am.
I'm hugely jelly, and I'm also wearing my Beverly Hills Hotel hat.
Yeah.
And I need you to go down to the pool, go to the Polo Lounge, have a few Maker's and gingers, say hello to Jorge, the concierge there.
(laughs)
And any- any Russian woman that gives you eye contact, return her eye contact.
(laughs)
Um, e- e- it- you go down to the counter for breakfast, go to the pool-
(coughs) Yeah.
... put on a big pair of black sunglasses, and any modestly attractive woman that walks by, and put an unlit cigarette in your mouth and go, "Jackie, marry me. I make you very happy woman." And then they just-
I am doing none of this. I am in and out.
"Oh, it's so good there."
I am in and out. I come back to San Francisco 'cause I have to get a second award on Saturday- (laughs)
(sighs)
... and also do a charity-
Oh, you're gonna get a second award. Stop it.
... a charity lunch thing. I am. I'm doing a chari- I do good charity.
Um, so by the way, Cheech & Chong and Kara Swisher, that was not the crossover I was expecting.
Yes, they're the- oh, they're the main guests, yeah, and then Kevin McCarthy-
Yeah.
... and I are on the panel.
Kevin McCarthy.
Oh my God.
Oh, at least one of you has a dick and it's not the former speaker.
What? What? I don't even know, I don't get it. It's fine. Whatever.
I'm saying that you bring more masculine energy than Kevin McCarthy-
Exactly. I-
... and that he lacks a back-
That's where I don't see him.
... backbone and t- testicles, which produce, uh, uh, or testicles that produce testosterone, which make you more risk aggressive and have certain leadership skills, which he brought none of.
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