Elon Musk's 'Take The Red Pill,' Tweet Raises Speculation Over Its Meaning

A strange tweet by Tesla Inc. TSLA CEO Elon Musk, has given rise to speculation that he may be veering to the right of the political spectrum.

What Happened

Musk, who is known to be a prolific user of Twitter, took to the platform on Sunday to declare, “Take the red pill.”

The red pill may be a reference to the 1999 movie “The Matrix,” in which the protagonist, Neo, is faced with the choice of taking either a red or a blue pill.
However, the red pill may also be Musk’s way of indicating his willingness to adopt right-wing political ideology, according to Business Insider. Musk is a self-described “moderate.”

Replying to Musk’s tweet, Ivanka Trump exclaimed, “Taken!”

Why It Matters

Ivanka is not the only Trump who has been tweeting in support of Musk lately. Last week her father, President Donald Trump, expressed agreement with Musk’s determination to open his then shuttered Fremont, California factory.

Musk has become increasingly vocal in his criticism of pandemic-driven regulations since his run-in with Alameda County authorities, who had ordered Tesla’s factory to remain shut, citing a prevailing health order. The SpaceX founder’s criticism is being interpreted by some as a shift towards conservatism.

Musk threatened to move production out of California and restarted the factory in defiance of health orders. The Fremont manufacturing facility has since been given the go-ahead to open after Tesla representatives held talks with county officials.

Price Action

On Friday, Tesla shares closed 0.52% lower at $799.17.