One of America’s most famous scientists shocked the social media universe Monday after appearing with a Make America Great Again hat in his hands.

Neil deGrasse Tyson, the famed astrophysicist, writer, and media personality, stoked a political whirlwind after asking his followers which of four red hats he should wear this week.

All four had different sayings on them, but one was the classic pro-Trump MAGA hat that has triggered opponents of the president’s agenda to do everything from bully wearers verbally to physically assault them in public.

Dr Tyson, who has a history of keeping his voting preferences private, was also holding hats that said ‘Make America Smart Again,’ ‘Make Lying Wrong Again,’ and ‘Relax It’s Just A Red Hat.’

The post shocked many of Tyson’s fans online, as the 66-year-old has been outspoken about his liberal stance on several issues, including transgender rights, climate change awareness, and keeping religious beliefs out of government decision-making.

Despite a lack of evidence that Tyson has ever openly supported President Trump, commenters on X began to criticize the celebrity scientist for the photo.

‘What’s going on with you Neil? You getting red pilled?’ one person asked.

‘Weren’t you a raging leftist like a week ago?’ one X user claimed.

Neil deGrasse Tyson posted an image of himself holding 4 red hats, including a MAGA hat worn by supporters of President Trump

Neil deGrasse Tyson posted an image of himself holding 4 red hats, including a MAGA hat worn by supporters of President Trump

Over 30,000 people voted in a poll Monday afternoon after Dr Tyson asked which of the hats he should wear

Over 30,000 people voted in a poll Monday afternoon after Dr Tyson asked which of the hats he should wear

DailyMail.com has reached out to Dr Tyson for comment.

Moments after posting the picture to X, Tyson added a 48-hour poll, giving his over 14 million followers a chance to vote on the matter.

Before Monday’s post, Tyson had been on the receiving end of conservative criticism in recent years.

In 2022, Tyson posted a response to a question about gender pronouns on X, saying: ‘Language evolves. If someone’s pronouns make them feel seen, it costs me nothing to use them.’

A year later, on The Breakfast Club podcast, he added that gender identity was a social construct, and respecting pronouns is a choice rooted in civility.

That led right-wing critics to claim that the scientist was endorsing ‘woke’ ideology, while liberal audiences praised the interview as a defense of trans rights. 

While many of his fans have accused the scientist of becoming too political, Tyson has actually made a concerted effort of avoiding direct mentions of Trump or other politicians in his tweets.

‘In case you never noticed, I never tell anyone who to vote for. And unless I’m asked, I never tell anyone who I vote for either,’ Tyson posted on X in 2021.

‘And whether or not I succeed, my *goal* is to educate, enlighten, & occasionally generate a smile,’ he continued.

Recently, his stream of consciousness on X could be interpreted in multiple ways, as he has shown support for White House senior advisor and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk while also criticizing the administration’s cuts to science programs nationwide.

In fact, Tyson has seemingly come out against Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency multiple times over the last month.

Tyson has gained worldwide notoriety during his career as an astrophysicist, writer, and media personality

Tyson has gained worldwide notoriety during his career as an astrophysicist, writer, and media personality

Tyson noted on April 24 that he was appointed by President George W Bush, a Republican, to a council that advised the federal government on the future of the aerospace industry in 2001.

Taking a shot at Musk and DOGE, however, he added that ‘At no time was basic science viewed as an expensive luxury in need of a chainsaw.’

Just three days later, however, Tyson found some common ground with Musk, supporting his dream of sending humans to Mars within the next few years.

Tyson has also posted about recently getting to bond with podcast host Joe Rogan, who famously endorsed Trump during the 2024 election.

Some of the more than 1,400 comments on Tyson’s post Monday afternoon claimed the scientist was running his own social experiment to see if his more liberal followers would simply jump to conclusions without seeing the nuance in his hat choices.

‘Anyone getting triggered by any of these phrases should have a hard long look in the mirror,’ a commenter on Tyson’s poll exclaimed.

‘Just seeing you in the first hat (the MAGA one) many people will not recover and you’ll be ruined in their eyes. Be prepared. People are not mentally healthy,’ another person commented.

‘How much would you like to bet if he wore one of these he’s get attacked without anyone taking more than a second to read what it actually says,’ one person wrote.

To the X user’s point, another commenter wrote: ‘Just don’t wear a red hat. I have a visceral negative reaction to anyone wearing a red hat.’

Despite criticizing Elon Musk's DOGE team for cutting funding to various science programs, the scientist has found common ground with Musk on space exploration

Despite criticizing Elon Musk’s DOGE team for cutting funding to various science programs, the scientist has found common ground with Musk on space exploration

Tyson is well known for having liberal opinions on many social matters but has worked on scientific councils under Republican President George W Bush in the 2000s

Tyson is well known for having liberal opinions on many social matters but has worked on scientific councils under Republican President George W Bush in the 2000s

Meanwhile, other fans of Dr Tyson melted down over the potential endorsement of Donald Trump, swearing to abandon the astrophysicist’s account until he stops ‘talking politics.’

‘I hate how political you have been,’ one critic tweeted. ‘Please get back to your basics or at least keep them separated so my kids can watch you more.’

As of Monday at 5pm ET, Tyson’s poll saw the MAGA hat receiving the least amount of support, at just 17 percent.

Make Lying Wrong Again was in the lead at 32%, followed by Make America Smart Again (28%) and Relax, it’s just a red hat (22%).

Tyson is an astrophysicist and the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, a position he has held since 1996.

He has authored numerous books, including The Pluto Files in 2009 and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry in 2017, which popularized complex scientific concepts.

Tyson has been a prominent science communicator, gaining widespread fame through media appearances and hosting various educational programs devoted to space. He current co-hosts the podcast StarTalk, blending science with pop culture.

After serving on former President Bush’s aerospace commission, he served on the President’s Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy (the ‘Moon, Mars, and Beyond’ initiative), advising on NASA’s strategic direction in 2004.

Despite the new criticism over Tyson’s Monday tweet, his social media has maintained his generally nonpartisan, evidence-based style of observations.

The scientist posted several times in April noting the accomplishments of immigrants and the children of immigrants in the US – all without publicly attacking the Trump Administration’s mass deportation policy. 

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