Elon Musk Employed Distraction Tactics to Evade Photographers at Shareholder Trial

Elon Musk utilized a strategic maneuver involving a Tesla vehicle to divert attention from photographers as he arrived at a San Francisco courtroom on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, to testify in a shareholder trial. The trial centers around allegations that Musk made misleading statements impacting Twitter’s stock price before his $44 billion acquisition of the social media platform, now known as X.

The Distraction Maneuver

According to reports from photographers at the scene, a Tesla strategically positioned on the sidewalk initially drew the focus of the assembled media. Security personnel then surrounded the vehicle. While photographers were occupied with the Tesla, Musk arrived in a separate SUV, quickly entering the courthouse.

“One hundred percent decoy. One hundred percent,” said David Morris, a Bloomberg News photographer, describing the tactic as “very well” executed. Josh Edelson, a freelance photographer working with Getty Images, noted that security attempted to obstruct clear photographs of Musk, and that Musk himself avoided direct engagement with the press. “He didn’t glance at us. He kept [his] head tilted… So it didn’t look very good. It was just a profile shot,” Edelson stated.

The Shareholder Lawsuit

The lawsuit, filed in October 2022, alleges that Musk violated federal securities laws by making false and misleading statements between May 13 and October 4, 2022, which artificially lowered Twitter’s stock price before his purchase. Musk maintains that his communications regarding the social network complied with legal requirements. The core of the dispute revolves around Musk’s statements regarding spam and fake accounts on the platform, including a tweet on May 13, 2022, declaring the deal “temporarily on hold” pending verification of bot accounts and a later claim that nearly 20% of accounts were “fake.”

Musk’s Testimony

Musk testified on Wednesday, addressing questions about his initial accumulation of Twitter stock in early 2022 and his decision not to publicly disclose those purchases or notify the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He stated he did not consider the stock purchases “material” and had made similar investments in other companies without public announcement. Following the public disclosure of his stake, Twitter’s stock experienced a 27% increase in a single day, a figure Musk acknowledged as “high.”

Ongoing Coverage

The scene was captured and shared on X (formerly Twitter) by NBC journalist Scott Budman. Photographers anticipate another opportunity to photograph Musk upon his departure from the courthouse.