Musk’s Absence Complicated Senate Auto CEO Hearing. Elon Musk’s absence from a planned Senate Commerce Committee hearing created complications for the participation of other major auto executives. The hearing, announced by Senator Ted Cruz, was set to focus on vehicle affordability and initially invited the CEOs of Ford, GM and Stellantis, but not Tesla’s chief executive. Ford CEO Jim Farley signaled he might not attend, citing a scheduling conflict and raising concerns about unequal treatment among witnesses. Executives at GM and Stellantis were also hesitant to appear unless all of Detroit’s Big Three CEOs testified together, according to industry sources. Instead of Musk, Tesla was represented by its vice president of vehicle engineering, a decision Ford argued created an imbalance in witness seniority. Cruz said Musk was excluded to prevent Democrats from turning the hearing into a spectacle focused on the Tesla CEO rather than auto affordability. GM said its CEO would attend only if all invited CEOs appeared, while Stellantis and Tesla declined to comment publicly on the dispute. Despite the tensions, Cruz said he still expected all invited witnesses to attend the January hearing.