It doesn't matter what Musk really meant with this salute. Robotaxis are exclusively a product for large urban areas, and that population largely didn't like it at all.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday dismissed criticism from close ally Elon Musk about a $500 billion artificial intelligence project that Trump announced with great fanfare at the White House earlier this week.

The Tesla CEO's net worth fell by around $4 billion yesterday, however, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index.

It’s hard to fault a CEO who grows a company beyond $1 trillion in value. Elon Musk managed the feat by upending the automotive market with Tesla’s electric vehicles and extended its lead with broader battery power.

A quick look at Elon Musk’s social media pages makes it clear that he’s more focused on his work in Washington D.C. than anything involving electric vehicles (EVs) or rockets. 💰💸 Don’t miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet’s FREE Daily newsletter 💰💸 Even as Tesla TSLA prepares to report its Q4 earnings and full-year guidance after market close Wednesday,

Tesla reported disappointing fourth-quarter earnings for 2024, with revenue of $25.7billion (£20.6billion) falling short of Wall Street analysts' predictions of $27.2billion (£21.8billion). The electric vehicle maker's shares dropped approximately four per cent in after-hours trading following the announcement on Wednesday.

Elon Musk, the genius billionaire behind Tesla, SpaceX, and now the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E), has vowed to cut wasteful spending in Washington under his “best friend” President Donald Trump’s administration.