
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz isn’t usually one to weigh in on the stock market, but he couldn’t hide his excitement when Tesla shares took a hit.
“On the iPhone, they’ve got that little stock app. I added Tesla to it to give me a little boost during the day,” Walz said at an event in Wisconsin on March 18, before quipping, “$225 and dropping” as the crowd laughed at the automaker’s slumping stock price.
Tesla shares have plunged 32% in 2024, wiping out hundreds of billions of dollars in market cap. CEO Elon Musk has faced sharp criticism for his involvement in the Trump administration — particularly in his role at the Department of Government Efficiency.
While Walz may be celebrating the decline of Musk’s EV empire, Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary says the governor should think twice — especially if he cares about his own constituents.
“That poor guy didn’t check his portfolio in his own pension plan for state. It’s beyond stupid what he did. He’s talking down 1.8 million shares in his own state’s pension plan.” O’Leary wrote on Instagram. “What’s the matter with that guy? He doesn’t check the well-being of his own constituency in his state? What a bozo!”
O’Leary was referring to a report from the Minnesota State Board of Investment, which showed that the state’s retirement fund held 1,615,511 shares of Tesla as of June 30, 2024, while its non-retirement fund held 211,332 shares. It’s unclear whether these positions are still in the state’s portfolio.
For investors concerned about overexposure to stocks — whether in a pension fund or personal portfolio — Tesla’s volatile ride serves as a reminder of the risks. While equities can offer long-term growth, diversification can be key to managing market swings and protecting wealth. Here’s a look at three ways to diversify beyond stocks.
Tesla isn’t the only stock in the red — broader market turbulence has investors on edge. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite is down 8% in 2025, as concerns over tariffs, trade tensions, ballooning national debt, and the risk of recession weigh heavily on investor sentiment.