Tesla Stock Skyrockets 45% to $1,120,000,000,000, Musk Taunts Governor Tim Walz in Viral Comeback

After enduring months of harsh criticism, dwindling investor confidence, and persistent political jabs, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is once again on the offensive — and this time, he has Wall Street momentum on his side. In a spectacular turn of fortune that stunned both critics and believers, Tesla Inc. stock surged 44.89% over the past month, closing Friday at $349.98 and catapulting its market capitalization to a staggering $1.12 trillion.

With the financial comeback complete, Musk wasted no time in settling scores, aiming a sharp and mocking retort at Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who just weeks earlier had publicly ridiculed Tesla’s declining share price.

"Yo Timmy, how's your day bro?" Musk posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, alongside a screenshot of Tesla’s roaring stock chart. The post, dripping with sarcasm, quickly went viral, drawing cheers from Musk’s legion of online fans and raising eyebrows across political and financial circles.

Musk’s jab was a direct callback to remarks made by Governor Walz during a March event in Wisconsin, where the Democratic politician had joked, “On the iPhone, they’ve got that little stock app. I added Tesla to it to give me a little boost during the day — $225 and dropping.” The crowd laughed. Musk didn’t.

At the time, Musk lashed out online, calling Walz a “huge jerk” and “a creep,” accusing him of making fun of American investors and a homegrown company during one of its lowest market points in recent memory. The moment was emblematic of Musk’s volatile relationship with elected officials, particularly those on the Democratic side of the aisle.

But now, with Tesla’s valuation roaring back to the twelve-zero club and investor sentiment surging, the tables have turned, and Musk isn’t hesitating to let the world know.

While the broader market has experienced sporadic gains throughout the spring, Tesla’s rebound has been nothing short of dramatic.

Spurred by a series of bullish analyst upgrades, increasing optimism over Tesla’s AI and robotics divisions, and renewed confidence in the company’s international expansion strategy — particularly in India and Southeast Asia — Tesla stock has defied doomsayers who only a month ago predicted a management shakeup or even a significant restructuring of its leadership team.

Those rumors were inflamed by a Wall Street Journal report last month alleging that Tesla’s board of directors had quietly initiated a search for Musk’s successor. According to that story, executive search firms were already engaged in preliminary discussions with candidates.

Tesla, however, swiftly issued a public denial, branding the report false and reaffirming the board’s commitment to Musk’s leadership. The company’s rebuttal was firm, signaling to the market and its shareholders that, despite political distractions and external noise, Musk remained firmly in the driver’s seat — and perhaps more emboldened than ever.

Still, the political firestorm surrounding Musk has not cooled. Governor Walz, who partnered with former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign, has maintained a combative stance toward both Musk and the Trump administration. His jab at Tesla’s stock earlier this year was part of a larger pattern of criticism aimed at what he perceives as corporate overreach and irresponsible tech leadership.

When called out for the comment, Walz responded with visible irritation: “I was making a joke. These people have no sense of humor.”

That sentiment appears increasingly out of sync with the current moment. Musk, now a central figure in President Trump’s inner circle, has been heavily involved in budget planning, regulatory rollbacks, and sweeping reductions in federal bureaucracy via his leadership of the DOGE office — the Department of Government Efficiency. 

Although he recently announced a reduction in his direct involvement with DOGE, limiting his contribution to “just one or two days a week,” the symbolism of his influence remains potent.

His relationship with Trump has both energized his base and deepened divisions with progressive figures like Walz, who view the Musk-Trump alliance as emblematic of a broader cultural and economic shift. That polarization has made even the performance of a stock — such as Tesla — a flashpoint for ideological battle. In that context, Musk’s tweet to Walz becomes more than just a victory lap.

It’s a political statement, a message to detractors that he’s not going anywhere and that those who bet against Tesla — or against him personally — may find themselves on the losing side of history.

The markets have responded in kind. Tesla’s 2.09% gain during regular trading Friday was followed by a slight dip of 2.81% in after-hours trading, bringing the share price to $340.15. Still, over the past year, Tesla has posted an eye-popping 100.17% gain, making it one of the most lucrative plays for long-term believers.

That level of performance not only vindicates Musk’s strategy but also puts renewed pressure on his political adversaries, many of whom had used Tesla’s earlier downturn as ammunition against him.

Financial analysts are now recalibrating their forecasts. Goldman Sachs raised its 12-month price target for Tesla to $385, citing increased demand for the company’s Full Self-Driving beta software and the long-term potential of its Optimus humanoid robot initiative. Morgan Stanley, while more cautious, acknowledged that the worst may be over for Tesla and that its long-term innovation trajectory remains unparalleled in the EV and AI sectors.

Yet, even in the wake of Tesla’s rebound, questions remain. How long can the company maintain such explosive growth? Will Musk’s deep involvement in national politics and government efficiency distract from Tesla’s core operations?

And what does the return of trillion-dollar status mean for the company’s competitive positioning against rivals like Rivian, BYD, and Lucid Motors?

For now, none of those questions are dampening the celebration in Austin, Texas, where Tesla’s headquarters sit. Musk, clearly relishing the moment, is once again steering the narrative — and firing back at critics who dared to doubt his resolve.

The billionaire entrepreneur has made a career out of defying expectations, and this week, he reminded the world that Tesla, no matter how turbulent its past, still has the power to dominate the headlines and the markets in a single month.

As for Tim Walz, the silence since Musk’s tweet has been deafening. Whether the governor will issue a public response or let the viral moment pass remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Musk has turned Tesla’s financial rebound into a cultural moment — one that merges markets, memes, and political vendettas into a singular flex of corporate power.

In today’s polarized economic and political climate, few figures wield influence like Elon Musk. His ability to weaponize stock performance into public humiliation of his critics may be unsettling to some, but for Musk and his supporters, it’s just another victory in a long game of high-stakes disruption.

With Tesla back at the trillion-dollar table, and Musk as defiant as ever, the next chapter is already being written — one tweet at a time.