Eccentric billionaire Elon Musk has inexplicably joined the chorus of digital "freedom fighters" applauding the actions of Canadian truck drivers, thousands of whom are目前在渥太华as part of a convoyprotesting federal vaccine mandates.

The American-Canadian-South African founder of Tesla and SpaceX sparked new controversy around 1:45 p.m. Thursday afternoon via Twitter, as he is wont to do, when he wrote three simple words: "Canadian truckers rule."

No context was necessary for Musk's 71.7 million followers (or anyone else on the platform): Thewealthiest person in the worldjust gave props to acontroversial "freedom convoy"that some officials worrycould attract violence.

“Canadian truckers rule.”
-Elon Musk (@elonmusk)https://t.co/q0KsBIey6Hpic.twitter.com/t0BAdOSE6p

— Prodigal Son (@ThePr0diga1S0n)January 27, 2022

Within hours, Musk's tweet had racked up hundreds of thousands of hearts and some 13,000 comments from people both in support of and against the trucker convoy.

It wasn't long before the billionaire himself started replying to some of those comments — which, as strange as it sounds, happens quite often with the ultra-accessible zany genius.

"CB radios are free from govt/media control," wrote Musk in response to his own tweet as it was blowing up around 4 p.m.

"Freedom is being stripped away one piece at a time until it is gone," he wrote in response to another Twitter user who had responded to the initial tweet saying that "Government overreach is getting out of control."

Freedom is being stripped away one piece at a time until it is gone

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)January 27, 2022

While Musk has said thathe believes in the science behind COVID vaccinesand that he and his family members are vaccinated, he has also stated publicly that he doesn't believe in vaccine mandates.

"He doesn't think the government should enforce vaccine mandates, however. The unvaccinated are "taking a risk, but people do risky things all the time,"he told Time Magazineafter being named person of the year for 2021.

"I believe we've got to watch out for the erosion of freedom in America."

His stated values align with organizers of the truck convoy who say thatthey're not anti-vaccine, but pro-choice. It's important to note, however, that this group still represents buta small fraction of truck driversin Canada.

I’m sure you are referring to the 90% who are vaccinated & hard at work, moving across the country & the border freely to make sure our stores are stocked & staying out of hospital so our health care workers are not so overwhelmed. Those truckers?

— Deb Gartner (@deb_gartner)January 27, 2022

麝香孔蒂nued to tweet overtly political things well into Thursday evening, which isn't atypical for the billionaire.

"If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny,"he wrote around 6:45 p.m., once again attracting tens of thousands of comments and likes within minutes.

"How do we fight back? Serious question," wrote one Twitter user in reply,to which Musk answered"Vote them out."

Who's gonna tell him?https://t.co/Zky7U1bWPH

— Lee Allee (@LeeAllee2)January 28, 2022

Supporters of the "freedom convoy" movement are clearly pleased to receive support from Musk, but one would hope that all ofthe truckers driving to Ottawaare too busy at the wheel to kiss Elon Musk's butt on Twitter.

"Our goal remains the same, to encourage the government of Canada to repeal its cross border Covid tracking passport, phone app, and ALL Covid-19 vaccine mandates," readsa release issued by protest organizerson Thursday.

"Due to the size of our movement and the overwhelming support we are receiving from people around the world, we can no longer promise that the average Canadian will not be disrupted by our convoy."