Get All Access for $5/mo

Elon Musk Backs AOC's Call to Investigate Robinhood for Barring GameStop Purchases There is growing concern over Robinhood's steps that prevented trading.

By Dan Bova Edited by Dan Bova

Getty Images

Elon Musk came out in support of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she called out day trading app Robinhood's decision to halt the trading of GameStop stock.

AOC tweeted in part, "We now need to know more about @RobinhoodApp's decision to block retail investors from purchasing stock while hedge funds are freely able to trade the stock as they see fit. As a member of the Financial Services Cmte, I'd support a hearing if necessary."

Musk replied: "Absolutely" and later gave his own take, writing:

u can't sell houses u don't own

u can't sell cars u don't own

but u *can* sell stock u don't own!?

this is bs – shorting is a scam legal only for vestigial reasons

Related: How Reddit Day Traders Are Using the Platform to Upend the Stock Market and Make Money in the Process

Day-traders who organized on Reddit to buy GameStep shares drove the price up dramatically, hurting hedge funds that had shorted the stock. Per CNET, GameStop shares spiked to $467 and crashed to $126 when it became impossible for investors to buy more shares. The stock's price closed at $193.60 on Thursday.

A class-action lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York, claiming that the day-trading app "purposefully, willfully, and knowingly removing the stock "GME' from its trading platform in the midst of an unprecedented stock rise thereby deprived retail investors of the ability to invest in the open-market and manipulating the open-market."

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Growing a Business

How to Build, Grow and Make Money With Ecommerce

To grow your online business, you need to develop a strategy and invest your time wisely. These actionable tips can attract customers and increase online revenue.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.