SAN JOSE (US)(Bernama-dpa) -- Elon Musk has no plans to leave the helm of electric car manufacturer Tesla.
During an interview at an event in Qatar on Tuesday, he answered "yes" when asked if he would still be Tesla CEO in five years.
When asked if he was sure, Musk replied, with a laugh, "well, no, I could die."
At the same time, he reiterated that he wanted to own more Tesla shares so that critical investors could not force him out of his job.
Musk's right-wing political views and his role as President Donald Trump's cost-cutter in the United States (US) government have contributed to the decline in Tesla sales in recent months.
Musk played down the decline, saying sales were weak in Europe but strong elsewhere.
He also said Tesla had gained customers on the right side of the political spectrum.
A few weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that members of Tesla's board of directors had contacted headhunting firms to start the search for a new CEO. Tesla denied that there had been any such move by the board.
Musk also said that he expected to spend less money on political causes in the future. "I think I've done enough," he said.
Musk donated more than US$250 million to Trump's election campaign last year and became a close confidant of the US president at times.
He said that if he sees a reason to spend money on politics in the future, he will do so. "I don't currently see a reason," he added.
--BERNAMA-dpa
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