An American company, Tesla, has dismissed a manager who objected to a social media post by its CEO, Elon Musk, which referenced notorious Nazi figures.
The incident underscores the apparent intolerance for public criticism within Musk’s business empire.
Jared Ottmann, a manager and engineer involved with Tesla’s battery suppliers, stated that his termination was a direct result of his criticism of Musk’s January 23rd post on X.
The post included wordplay involving Nazi leaders Heinrich Himmler and Hermann Göring.
“Stop Göring your enemies,” Musk wrote, followed by, “Bet you did Nazi that coming,” punctuated with a laughing-while-crying emoji.
Ottmann expressed his disapproval on LinkedIn, highlighting his discomfort with Musk’s use of Nazi references in a joking manner.
“Starting in 2022 and especially the last week I’ve raised the issue internally multiple times, with managers, HR, legal compliance, investor relations,” Ottmann wrote. “And while overwhelmingly people offer personal support, Tesla as a company has remained silent.”
Tesla has not responded to requests for comment.
Musk’s companies, including SpaceX and X, have a history of penalizing employees who openly challenge leadership.
In 2022, SpaceX dismissed nine employees after they urged the company to distance itself from Musk’s social media activity, including a post in which he mocked sexual harassment allegations against him.
Some of these former employees later filed unfair labour practice charges with the National Labour Relations Board.
Ottmann’s firing is the latest example of internal unrest at Tesla, where Musk’s political views have sparked dissatisfaction among some employees.
His support for a far-right German party, which has faced penalties for using Nazi slogans, has added to the controversy.
Additionally, his role in the Trump administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency has contributed to his polarizing image.
Signs of internal dissatisfaction extend beyond Ottmann’s case. At a recent Tesla meeting in Palo Alto, California, employees voiced concerns over Musk’s political actions, with one manager admitting frustration with the CEO’s behaviour.
Confirming his termination on Thursday, Ottmann declined to provide further comments, referring inquiries to his attorney, Jana Moser, who has not responded to requests for comment.
A similar incident occurred at SpaceX in the fall when an employee was dismissed after objecting to Musk wearing company apparel at political rallies.
The employee wrote on an internal message board that it was inappropriate for company-branded clothing to be used in campaign appearances.
Shortly after the post, the employee lost access to internal systems. Although later reinstated, the employee resigned weeks afterward. SpaceX has not commented on the matter.
Musk has also taken action against critics within X. Following his $44 billion acquisition of the platform, then known as Twitter, several employees publicly criticized him.
Musk engaged in online arguments with some of them, and they were subsequently fired.
These dismissals appear contradictory to Musk’s frequent assertions about championing free speech.
Despite his actions at Tesla, SpaceX, and X, he has previously offered financial support to individuals fired for their posts on X.
In 2024, he funded a lawsuit for a former Block employee who was dismissed over controversial posts made under a pseudonymous account.
Meanwhile, Tesla investors are growing concerned that Musk’s political involvement is alienating potential customers and diverting his attention from the company’s declining car sales.
Tesla’s stock has fallen approximately 40% from its peak on December 17.
