Joe Scarborough Tells Elon Musk ‘It’s Time to Get Back to Your Day Job’ Ahead of Tesla Earnings Call: ‘He’s Getting Pounded!’

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough is telling Elon Musk to stick to his day job ahead of a critical earnings call with Tesla investors Tuesday.

Some, including Morning Joe panelist and The Atlantic journalist Jonathan Lemire, have speculated that Musk will announce an expedited exit from his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during the call and focus on his flailing car company.

“I’m not giving Elon Musk advice, but the last thing this guy needs to do right now when he’s getting pounded is … he lost 100, $150 billion,” Scarborough said.” I think it is time to go back to your day job. I mean, he’s getting pounded. Tesla is getting routed.”

Tesla has been grappling with crushing sales figures worldwide as Musk’s political views and role with DOGE in President Donald Trump’s administration have repelled many who would otherwise be inclined to buy an electric vehicle. As Musk’s political profile has grown, it has led to an increasingly partisan divide in Tesla’s favorability ratings, and the company is facing competition as more EV manufacturers enter the market and improve their products.

“He’s getting lapped in China on technology,” Scarborough said.

In an analysis posted Monday, CNN said Musk is facing a “code red” moment and a “lose-lose situation” as he tries to quell investor concerns during Tuesday’s earnings call.

Read the full exchange here:

JONATHAN LEMIRE: And speaking of Musk, we should note today there’s a Tesla earnings call today. Some people believe that Musk in that call might reveal how much longer he’s going to stay with the Trump administration.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: And how well the company is doing.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: I mean, again, their problem is – part of the problem, Jonathan, is a political problem. Obviously, he … he the very areas where he used to get the most, you know, whether you look at California or, let’s just say, bluer states where he’d find most of his EV customers, those cells are drying up. You look at France, you look at Germany, you look at the EV sales in Europe getting absolutely pounded because, again, he got involved unnecessarily in far right politics to little to no effect. In fact. God you look have you looked at the numbers in Canada lately? I mean, Carney is going to probably win an outright majority there. You look at what’s happened across Europe. It’s not working. All he’s doing is damaging his brand. And then China, I mean, if this were just politics, that would be one problem with with Tesla. The problem is he’s getting lapped in China on technology. The very
the again I’m not giving Elon Musk advice, but the last thing this guy needs to do right now when he’s getting pounded is what is he lost 100, $150 billion. I think it is time to go back to your day job. I mean, he’s getting pounded. Tesla is getting routed.
LEMIRE: Yeah, the trade war with China certainly doesn’t help there. And let’s note again, there’s been no conversation zero between the United States and Chinese negotiators on on any kind of trade deal. And we have seen Tesla’s market, you know, vehicles fall off a cliff in Europe, their sales. And here in the United States, it’s certainly in blue enclaves where his most faithful customers used to live. You see it in the streets of New York City. You see it in Washington. Bumper stickers put on Teslas saying like, you know, I had this before the election. Like you basically trying to get some different separation.
SCARBOROUGH: And again, Jonathan, even more damning, he’s being lapped like technology. The cars are better in China. They’re cheaper than China. They’re doing like Tesla can’t compete in China. That in California. Two of his biggest markets.
LEMIRE: Yeah. And that’s why we have seen the company’s fortunes really suffer here of late. And there’s certainly a widespread belief that Musk will start to wind down, maybe rapidly, his time with the administration in order to try to pilot and right the ship with Tesla. But he’s got a lot of obstacles, self-created obstacles in front of him.

Last week, Musk was the subject of a shocking exposé from The Wall Street Journal that alleged he is attempting to quietly build a “legion” of offspring protected by secret settlements and NDAs while using his social media influence on X to approach influencers he hopes will have his children.

Watch above via MSNBC.