‘I couldn't support Elon Musk any longer…’: Tesla employee resigns after 7 years citing moral conflict with Musk

After seven years of working at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada, former engineering technician Trae Cervantes has made the difficult decision to step away from the company, citing moral discomfort with CEO Elon Musk’s recent actions. Cervantes, who began his career as a production associate in 2018, steadily advanced to an engineering technician role before formally resigning in March 2025. His departure was not spurred by workplace conditions or job dissatisfaction, but rather by a growing unease over Musk’s political involvement and public conduct.In an interview with Business Insider, Cervantes reflected on both the opportunities and challenges he experienced at Tesla. He joined the company during the high-demand ramp-up of the Model 3 production line and described his early days as physically taxing but professionally rewarding.“I started out on their production line for the Model 3 and I moved up from there,” Cervantes said. “When I started out, it was gruelling work. It was pushing heavy things up and down aisles. I was on my feet for 12 hours a day, but they also give you three to four days off a week to recover.”Tesla supported Cervantes' growth over the years, offering him access to professional development programs, including certifications in advanced manufacturing and Lean Six Sigma through local college partnerships.

‘Tesla gave me a future’: Ex-employee on how the company transformed his life

Cervantes credits Tesla with helping him build a career despite having no formal education or technical training before joining the company.“I was getting paid the most I'd ever gotten in my adult life,” he said. “No education, no real skills to speak of, and Tesla offered me opportunities to take charge of my life and grow my career.”He highlighted how the work culture at Tesla—particularly among peers and supervisors—was largely positive and focused on efficiency, learning, and advancement.“I stayed because they kept treating me well. I didn’t have a reason to leave for a long time,” Cervantes noted.

Ex-Tesla employee quits due to Musk’s politics

However, Cervantes' sentiment toward the company began to shift as Musk became more active politically and made several high-profile public moves, including acquiring Twitter and engaging in voter-related controversies.“What I took issue with the most was the giveaway for prospective voters,” he said, referring to a public campaign Musk promoted. “It seemed so morally wrong. I didn't want to be associated with that.”The turning point for Cervantes came when Musk's public image, behaviour, and political commentary became more prominent in association with Tesla’s identity.“Last year, I started to be ashamed to tell people where I work,” he admitted.While Cervantes did not go into detail about every incident that caused concern, he made it clear that the cumulative effect of Musk’s public actions led him to feel ethically conflicted about remaining with the company.

An emotional exit after 7 years

Cervantes decided to leave Tesla without securing another job. He described his final conversation with his supervisor as emotional and honest.“I have to leave. I can't do this anymore. It's getting to a point where I feel like I'm compromising myself morally by walking through those doors every day,” he recalled telling his manager.The decision was not taken lightly. “I’m not going to lie, I cried a little. Seven years is a long time, and Tesla wasn’t always a bad thing for me,” Cervantes shared.

Respect for the company, not the leadership

While Cervantes walked away from his position at Tesla, he was careful to clarify that his issue was not with the company’s workforce or its mission, but with its leadership.“There are plenty of good people at Tesla. I didn’t leave the place because of the company. I left because of the face of the company,” he stated, referring directly to Elon Musk.