Elon Musk has announced a return to an intensive work schedule across his companies after a major outage which was resolved later, temporarily disrupted services on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The move comes amid heightened investor concerns over Musk’s political involvement and its impact on his business empire.
The outage on Saturday affected tens of thousands of users across multiple countries, including the United States, Germany, Spain, France, India, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. According to Downdetector, which tracks service disruptions based on user reports and other sources, more than 25,800 users reported problems at the outage’s peak around 8:51 a.m. ET (1251 GMT).
By early afternoon, however, the platform had been largely restored, with the number of incident reports falling below 650 by 12:09 p.m. ET. X did not immediately respond to comment regarding the cause of the disruption.
The billionaire entrepreneur’s renewed hands-on approach is seen as an attempt to reassure investors and critics who have voiced concerns about his divided attention, particularly following his high-profile involvement in U.S. politics. Musk spent nearly $300 million last year to support Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and other Republican candidates. He also headed the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump-era initiative aimed at cutting federal spending by eliminating tens of thousands of jobs and canceling billions in contracts and grants.
While Musk positioned DOGE as a means to streamline government operations, the program drew significant backlash. His political activities sparked protests across the U.S. and Europe, particularly targeting Tesla, leading to a slump in sales and contributing to the automaker’s first annual drop in deliveries last year.
These developments have unnerved investors who worry that Musk’s political advocacy and public persona are becoming a liability for the companies he leads. Concerns have especially mounted at Tesla (TSLA.O), where shareholder confidence has been shaken amid falling sales, increased competition, and Musk’s erratic public statements.
In an effort to stem the unease, Musk told investors last month that starting in May, he would reduce his time at DOGE to one or two days a week, letting him to give more devotion to Tesla and others. This pivot away from political engagement appears to be a strategic retreat aimed at stabilizing business performance and investor sentiment.
Analysts suggest that Musk’s return to full fledge work timetable indicates a wider sticking. “It’s clear Musk understands the need to refocus,” said Priya Desai, an equity analyst at Stonebridge Capital. “His political involvement may have cost Tesla both in sales and reputation. Returning to the factory floor is not just symbolic—it’s necessary.”
The outage and Musk’s response also come at a critical juncture for SpaceX, which is preparing for a Starship launch next week, and for xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence company, which is reportedly nearing the release of new generative AI models.
Despite Saturday’s disruption, X remains a central piece of Musk’s broader tech and communications ambitions. However, the platform has faced repeated technical issues since Musk acquired it in 2022, compounded by mass layoffs and structural changes that critics say have weakened its reliability.
Market feedback to the weekend’s actions was meek but traceable. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 each fell by more than 0.6%, while the Nasdaq Composite declined by 1%, reflecting broader investor caution amid tech sector volatility.
As Musk attempts to steady the course, much will depend on his ability to stay focused and deliver results in core businesses. With shareholder meetings looming and Tesla’s Q2 delivery numbers approaching, the pressure is on.
