After Tesla Factory Forced To Stay Closed, Elon Musk Tweets Protest Of Coronavirus Lockdown

Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted his opposition to continued coronavirus lockdown Wednesday, only days after his company was forced to keep a California factory unstaffed. In an all caps comment, the billionaire tweeted “FREE AMERICA NOW” and proceeded to share links to editorials questioning the efficacy of recent statewide lockdowns.

Tesla had been planning to bring workers back to a key factory in Fremont, California, in early May, when Alameda County COID-19 restrictions were expected to be lifted. However, the company was forced to walk back these plans when restrictions were set to continue through at least the end of May.

“Give people their freedom back!” Musk tweeted with a link to a Wall Street Journal opinion piece questioning whether lockdowns have actually saved lives.

Later, following the backlash against his tweets, Musk responded to one user by saying that he believes states should “reopen with care & appropriate protection,” while not having “everyone under de facto house arrest.”

Musk, who is close to receiving a $750 million bonus based on Tesla’s share price, has been widely criticized for his reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, which has often seen him parrot dubious talking points from President Trump as well as right-leaning sources.

In March, the CEO advocated for hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for the virus despite limited clinical study on its safety and viability. He also downplayed the potential spread of the disease in the U.S., estimating that there would be “probably close to zero new cases in US too by end of April.” On March 6, he bluntly stated that the COVID-19 panic was “dumb.”

Despite his initial skepticism, Musk in late March said he would donate ventilators to hospitals in New York and California. He has so far donated over 1,000 machines to ICU wards that request them directly.