Elon Musk after Texas Gov. Abbott invokes him: ‘I would prefer to stay out of politics’

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Thursday said, “I would prefer to stay out of politics” after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) mentioned him during a CNBC interview while speaking about social policies.

Abbott told anchor Morgan Brennan during CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” that the state was seeing a large number of businesses coming in because they liked the business environment as well as social policies.

“People vote with their feet and this is not slowing down businesses coming to the state of Texas at all. In fact, it is accelerating the process of businesses coming to Texas particularly, Morgan, interestingly, they are leaving the very liberal state of California,” Abbott said. 

“And I gotta tell you whether it be Elon Musk, who I talk to frequently, Elon had to get out of California because in part of the social policies in California and Elon consistently tells me that he likes the social policies in the state of Texas,” he continued.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tells @SquawkStreet that he “frequently” talks to Elon Musk, who “had to get out of California because, in part, of the social policies in California.”

“Elon consistently tells me that he likes the social policies in the state of Texas.” pic.twitter.com/NfRNqdOoZ8

— Michael Sheetz (@thesheetztweetz) September 2, 2021

Musk responded to a CNBC reporter who posted a video of the interview on Thursday tweeting, “In general, I believe government should rarely impose its will upon the people, and, when doing so, should aspire to maximize their cumulative happiness. That said, I would prefer to stay out of politics.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tells @SquawkStreet that he “frequently” talks to Elon Musk, who “had to get out of California because, in part, of the social policies in California.”

“Elon consistently tells me that he likes the social policies in the state of Texas.” pic.twitter.com/NfRNqdOoZ8

— Michael Sheetz (@thesheetztweetz) September 2, 2021

It was not immediately clear which policies Musk might have been talking about.

Voting legislation, which was recently passed by the Texas legislature and includes limitations to voting opportunities, and to a Wednesday decision by the Supreme Court to not block a restrictive Texas abortion measure, however, have been widely criticized by Democrats and advocates.

“Texas’ abortion law is shamefully unconstitutional! Allowing any person to sue another person that performs or induces an abortion or who aids and abets an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy is a ‘McCarthyistic’ approach to destroying a woman’s constitutional right to privacy!” Rep. Sheila Jackson (D-Texas) tweeted prior to the Supreme Court’s decision. 

Texas’ abortion law is shamefully unconstitutional! Allowing any person to sue another person that performs or induces an abortion or who aids and abets an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy is a ‘McCarthyistic’ approach to destroying a woman’s constitutional right to privacy!

— Sheila Jackson Lee (@JacksonLeeTX18) September 1, 2021