
(Reuters) -Tesla’s board on Thursday rushed to defend its chief executive, Elon Musk, assuring he had the board’s confidence amid rising investor worries about his prolonged absences, polarizing politics and the EV maker’s plunging sales and profit. The board reacted after a Wall Street Journal report that it had considered replacing Musk, which board chair Robyn Denholm denied. Denholm herself has taken heat for her high compensation and perceived failures to hold Musk accountable to shareholders.