Elon Musk's SpaceX recently went public with the largest-ever initial public offering (IPO). The listing not only made the company's founder and CEO a trillionaire but also generated significant wealth for investors and employees. However, California, where SpaceX was founded and where Musk built much of his business empire, is not sharing in that moment. The reason, according to many users on social media, traces back to a 2020 tweet from a prominent California labour leader that has resurfaced following Musk's latest financial milestone.
The post in question was written by Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions, during a public dispute with Musk in May 2020. "F— Elon Musk," Fletcher wrote on X, then Twitter. A day later, Musk responded with a brief message: "Message received."
The exchange has gone viral again after SpaceX's IPO, with critics arguing that it symbolised California's increasingly strained relationship with Musk and his companies. Investment banker John LeFevre wrote on X: "This single tweet cost California hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes, revenue, and jobs." Others echoed similar sentiments. "Costliest tweet in California's history," one user wrote, while another posted, "'Message received' may be the most expensive political own-goal in California history."
Why did Elon Musk leave California?
Even though the tweet has become a focal point online, Musk's decision to leave California was driven by multiple factors over several years. The Tesla and SpaceX chief frequently clashed with California officials and lawmakers. One of the most public disputes occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic when Tesla challenged restrictions on reopening its manufacturing facilities.
Musk has also argued that California had become too "complacent" in attracting and retaining businesses. In later comments, he said the "final straw" was a California law that barred school districts from requiring parents to be notified if a child changed their gender identification at school.
After relocating key operations to Texas, Musk gradually shifted his business presence further away from California. Tesla moved its corporate headquarters to Texas, while Musk also transferred the headquarters of X, formerly Twitter, out of the state. The renewed attention on the 2020 tweet comes amid fresh political criticism of Musk's growing wealth.
Following SpaceX's IPO, California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X: "Americans are struggling to pay for groceries and gas while Elon Musk becomes a TRILLIONAIRE. When the federal government is for sale, the rich get richer and everyone else gets shafted. The system is rigged."
Fletcher later endorsed Newsom's remarks, writing: "I like THIS Gavin Newsom. Now, what are we going to do about it?"
The exchange has reignited debate over California's relationship with business leaders, particularly as Musk's companies continue to expand outside the state. While supporters argue that California lost jobs, investment and tax revenue when Musk moved operations elsewhere, critics maintain that the disputes reflected broader disagreements over labour, regulation and public policy rather than the impact of a single social media post.
