Elon Musk Joins Lockdown Rebels: ‘FREE AMERICA NOW’

(Bloomberg) -- Elon Musk hit out against the lockdowns that have kept businesses throughout the U.S. closed for more than a month in a series of tweets late Tuesday.

“Give people their freedom back!” Tesla Inc.’s chief executive officer said as he promoted Wall Street Journal analysis that suggested closures don’t save many lives. “Bravo Texas!” Musk tweeted, highlighting a Texas Tribune story that said the state’s restaurants and other businesses can reopen Friday.

In a separate tweet, Musk also agreed with another user who said the U.S. should carefully peel back restrictions -- albeit with social-distancing measures in place.

Musk’s tweet-fest came a day after his plan to reopen Tesla’s lone U.S. vehicle-assembly plant looked doubtful, with San Francisco Bay area health authorities looking to extend the shelter-in-place orders. Tesla has been eager to reopen after having clashed with the county and the city of Fremont over whether it was an essential business and could remain open.

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