*By Carlo Versano*
Could SpaceX be the vehicle that allows Elon Musk to take Tesla private?
As the fallout from Musk's "funding secured" tweet continues into a third week, some believe the embattled CEO might be looking to borrow against his own shares of SpaceX ー in which he owns a controlling stake ー to buy out Tesla shareholders, said Axios business editor Dan Primack.
That tactic would theoretically quell a SpaceX shareholder or board revolt, since the company wouldn't be taking on debt to finance its CEO's other company. SpaceX remains a private company.
"He is willing to bet a lot of his own money on himself," Primack said Monday in an interview on Cheddar.
This method may allow Musk to fulfill the promise of his Aug. 7 tweet without having to rely on deep-pocketed outside investors like the Saudis.
Reuters [reported](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lucidmotors-m-a-pif-exclusive/exclusive-saudi-pif-in-talks-to-invest-in-aspiring-tesla-rival-lucid-sources-idUSKCN1L40MP) exclusively over the weekend that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund ー the fund that Musk had said may help him fund the Tesla buyout ー is actively discussing an investment in Lucid Motors, a start-up positioning itself as a rival to Tesla.
But Primack said that's not necessarily a bet against Musk; it's more likely an example of the Saudi fund diversifying its electric-car position.
Meanwhile, Musk has been on a media blitz. After telling the [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/16/business/elon-musk-interview-tesla.html) that his job was taking a serious emotional toll on him, he spoke to [YouTube personality Marques Brownlee] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MevKTPN4ozw), suggesting that it would take "maybe" three years to produce a $25,000 car. Then, over the weekend, Musk replied in a tweet to Arianna Huffington, who [posted](https://www.thriveglobal.com/stories/40343-open-letter-elon-musk) an open letter to the CEO on her wellness site Friday, urging Musk to reevaluate his long hours and get more sleep.
"You think this is an option. It is not," Musk [wrote at 2:30 am PT on Sunday](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1031111742103814144).
In an earlier interview on Cheddar Monday, Ed Carson of Investor's Business Daily said that Musk's stewardship of Tesla cuts both ways. The CEO represents his company's "greatest strength and their greatest weakness," Carson said. Since Musk's personal style and vision are so closely tied to that of Tesla, Carson added, if the chief exec seems "unstable" in an interview or on social media, "that is really concerning" for shareholders.
For full interview, [click here] (https://cheddar.com/videos/teslas-go-private-bid-the-spacex-factor).
Ford is recalling more than 355,000 of its pickup trucks across the U.S. because of an instrument panel display failure that’s resulted in critical information, like warning lights and vehicle speed, not showing up on the dashboard.
Nvidia reported a 56% increase in second-quarter revenue and a 59% rise in net income compared to a year ago.
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate what's expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex to a tiny Virginia firm with no experience running correction facilities.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos claims audiences don't want to watch Netflix movies in theaters, but that seems not to be the case recently.
Chipmaker Nvidia is poised to release a quarterly report that could provide a better sense of whether the stock market has been riding an overhyped artificial intelligence bubble or is being propelled by a technological boom that’s still gathering momentum.
Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo. For now. But the chain is also apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.
