Omead Afshar, Tesla's head of operations in North America and Europe, was recently fired amid declining sales and a notable drop in the electric vehicle brand's popularity.

Tesla's stock has plummeted approximately 19% this year, reflecting the company's ongoing struggles in a competitive market.

Afshar's departure comes at a difficult time for Tesla, which reported a 71% year-over-year drop in profits in the first quarter of 2025 and a nearly 28% decline in European sales in May.

This marks the first annual decline in car sales for Tesla since it began mass production of electric vehicles over a decade ago.

Known as the 'Musk Whisperer', Afshar was a trusted confidant of Elon Musk and played a significant role in various ventures, including Tesla and SpaceX.

The specific reasons for Afshar's termination remain unclear, with reports suggesting he may have been fired by Musk, although neither party has commented on the situation.

Afshar was promoted to Vice President in October 2024, tasked with managing sales and manufacturing operations during a challenging period for the company.

Concerns among customers regarding Musk's political affiliations and distractions from Tesla due to his involvement with other ventures have contributed to the brand's declining reputation.

Despite the challenges, Musk is focusing on reorienting Tesla towards artificial intelligence and robotics, recently launching a pilot robotaxi service in Austin.

However, this rollout has raised concerns about the vehicles' behavior, prompting a review by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

As Tesla prepares to release its global delivery results for the second quarter of 2025, the market watches closely for signs of recovery or further decline.

Afshar's exit follows other significant departures from Tesla, including the head of engineering for the Optimus humanoid robot program and the human resources director.