"I'll never give up": Did Elon Musk cry in a TV interview over Tesla’s stock crash?

Tesla CEO Elon Musk appeared on the verge of tears during a recent Fox Business interview, visibly distressed as he discussed the mounting challenges facing his companies.

Speaking with Larry Kudlow, Musk admitted that managing multiple businesses had become "extremely difficult", as Tesla's stock plunged 15.4%, marking its biggest drop since September 2020. Meanwhile, X (formerly Twitter) continued to struggle with technical and operational setbacks. The global slowdown in electric vehicle (EV) demand has further intensified Tesla’s troubles.

Viral Video: Did Musk Break Down?

A clip from the interview has gone viral on X, shared by user @Umbisam, who wrote:


"Many years since I saw Elon almost crying in an interview. It reminds me of when top astronauts called SpaceX a failure, and he said, ‘I'll never give up,’ in tears. I believe he's close to a breakdown. Politics isn’t his playing field."

Watch the emotional clip below:

Musk’s Silent Struggle: "With Great Difficulty"

During the interview, Musk was initially discussing budget cuts under the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE) when Kudlow suddenly changed the subject, asking:

“Are you giving up your other stuff? How are you running your other businesses?”

Musk paused, looked down, and softly replied: “With great difficulty.”

After a long silence, Kudlow quickly moved on, cutting Musk off just as he attempted to elaborate.

Tesla's 15% single-day stock drop has left investors worried, especially as the decline has continued week after week since Musk took charge of DOGE, which oversees federal budget cuts and workforce reductions.

Many Tesla shareholders fear Musk’s growing political involvement is distracting him from his core leadership at Tesla.

Adding to the chaos, Tesla facilities have been targeted in multiple vandalism and shooting incidents. Authorities suspect these attacks may be linked to Musk’s political activities and government ties.

Trump Buys Tesla to Show Support

In a show of solidarity, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly backed Musk—by purchasing a bright red Tesla with the tech mogul by his side.

"Number one, it's a great product— as good as it gets. Number two, @ElonMusk has devoted his life to this, and I think he’s been treated very unfairly," Trump wrote in a viral post.