![Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla, pictured here at the September launch of his other company SpaceX's attempt to fly a private citizen around the Moon.](https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/FN-AE908_FN_MUS_M_20181015115936.jpg)
Elon Musk used to think short sellers were tolerable. He has changed his mind.
Back in 2012, when Tesla stock traded for a mere 27 bucks, the electric car maker’s chief was indulgent. “Even though they cause me grief,” he tweeted, “I would defend the right of shorts to exist. They are often unreasonably maligned.”