After being a constant part of political talk for many months, Elon Musk is taking a step back from Washington to focus on Tesla, X (the previous name for Twitter), xAI, and SpaceX. Musk took to Twitter, where he wrote, “It’s time to put in long hours and sleep in rooms at work.” I have to remain focused on AI and Tesla, along with Starship launching next week, because we have major new technologies coming out soon.
It represents a departure from tougher stances for the entrepreneur, who served as President Trump’s head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE Office). While his actions in the government caused controversy and turmoil, largely for government departments, by leaving politics, he is focusing again on the businesses that made him so wealthy.
Tesla Optimus in Focus: Is Q4 the Launch Window?
The fact that Musk is back at Tesla is sparking discussion around the upcoming commercial launch of Optimus. Some predictions are floating around that Optimus might debut in Q4 of this year, according to Tesla’s latest plans and roadmaps.
Musk saying he will focus more on Tesla has insiders thinking that the Optimus project has the opportunity to progress from prototyping to full-scale production. Analysts view Optimus as a key factor in changing automation and possibly changing many industries from manufacturing to eldercare.
On Tesla’s latest earnings call, Musk said he is focusing more on Tesla’s operations while getting his new government department in order.
Political Backlash Impacted Tesla Stock—But Shares Rebound
There have been results from Musk’s activities in politics. Because of his role in the Trump administration and past work for political groups aimed at key races, Musk’s name was dragging down Tesla’s share prices. Because of Musk, Republicans wanted to cut down on funding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and US Agency for International Development which worried government staff and investors.
Still, the stock price increased after Musk’s change in direction. Once Musk said he would take on less political work, Tesla shares had an instant rebound. Investors considered his new focus on Tesla to be a sign of more stability and a look toward the company’s future, with prominent technology releases about to happen.
Those watching the virtual event could hear Musk confirm that he is slowing down on political activities. If there’s an opportunity to spend money on politics down the road, he said he would do so. I do not foresee any reason right now. The change in tone is important since, in recent months, Graham was at the heart of the administration’s efforts to shrink government.
Despite saying he’ll still advise the government “a day or two a week,” it seems Musk, especially with SpaceX’s Starship to be launched next week and xAI gaining in the AI field, is concentrating on his own businesses.
Conclusion
The political pressure is fading and Musk is showing he wants to concentrate on innovative work. The start of Tesla Optimus, news from xAI or a successful launch of Starship could be a sign that Musk’s private-sector activities are leading to new ground for tech companies—and placing the company’s priorities where earlier investors had hoped they’d be.
